Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1994 NO. 4 >

1.  A district court judge lacks authority to engage a judge pro tempore to assist in handling an excess court workload.2.  When a judge pro tempore serves a district court for more than 30 days in a year because of the absence of the regular judge owing to disqualification from hearing one or more cases, the salary of the regular judge must be reduced as specified in RCW 3.34.130(1), unless the judge's absence meets one of the exceptions specified in the statute.3.  RCW 3.34.130, which generally requires a reduction in a district court judge's salary when a judge pro tempore serves in the judge's place for more than 30 days in a year, does not apply when a visiting judge from another court serves pursuant to RCW 3.34.140.