Revised Code of Washington

Revised Code of Washington
Name	Revised Code of Washington
Jurisdiction	Washington (state)
Dated	1889
Status	Active

Revised Code of Washington is the statutory compilation for the state of Washington (state), codifying enacted statutes enacted by the Washington State Legislature and approved by the Governor. It organizes session laws into numbered titles and sections used by the Washington State Courts, Washington Supreme Court, and local legal practitioners in Olympia. The compilation underpins statutory interpretation, litigation, administrative rulemaking by agencies such as the Washington State Department of Licensing and Washington State Department of Transportation, and is cited in decisions from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington.

History

The codification roots trace to territorial statutes preceding Washington Territory statehood and the 1889 constitutional convention at Olympia. Early compilations responded to directives from the Washington State Legislature and the Governor like post-statehood directives resembling codifications in New York and California. Influences include model codes from the American Law Institute, precedent from the United States Congress statutes, and comparative frameworks used in Oregon and Idaho. Landmark developments occurred alongside judicial milestones such as decisions from the Washington Supreme Court and administrative changes during gubernatorial administrations including those of Elisha P. Ferry, Albert D. Rosellini, and modern governors. Revisions paralleled reforms in labor law reminiscent of statutes in Massachusetts, public records regimes echoing Florida, and taxation adjustments akin to measures in Texas.

Structure and Organization

The compilation is arranged into numbered titles and sections modeled after federal arrangements in the United States Code and state codes of California and New York. Titles encompass discrete subject areas such as civil procedure referenced by litigators in King County, property law issues adjudicated in the Pierce County Superior Court and regulatory domains overseen by agencies like the Washington State Department of Ecology. Practitioners cross-reference titles when arguing before the Washington Supreme Court, presenting appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, or seeking administrative review before the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings. The arrangement facilitates citation practices used by publishers such as West Publishing and governmental offices including the Washington State Legislature staff.

Codification and Revision Process

Statutes are enacted through bills passed by the Washington State Legislature and presented to the Governor for approval or veto, following procedures comparable to legislative practices in California and Oregon. The code is updated via session laws, compilation work often coordinated with the Washington State Code Reviser office, and technical amendments drafted with input from entities like the Washington State Bar Association and the Office of the Attorney General of Washington. Periodic recodification reflects practices recommended by the American Law Institute and mirrors restatements used by scholars at institutions such as University of Washington and Seattle University School of Law. Emergency legislation and ballot measures originating from initiatives in Washington alter statutory language, requiring prompt updates used by courts in Spokane County and administrative bodies like the Washington State Department of Health.

Publication and Access

The official compilation is published and maintained by state entities and commercial publishers such as Thomson Reuters and LexisNexis, while public access is provided through state portals patterned after online services used by California Legislative Information and New York State Legislature websites. Libraries including the Washington State Law Library and university repositories at the University of Washington Libraries hold annotated volumes and historical session law archives. Legal professionals rely on tools from organizations such as the Washington State Bar Association and subscription services like Westlaw for research; appellate courts in the Ninth Circuit and municipal courts in cities like Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue cite the code in opinions.

Influence and Legal Authority

The compilation serves as commanding statutory authority within Washington (state), applied by trial courts including those in King County and appellate tribunals like the Washington Court of Appeals. Federal courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit evaluate state statutes in diversity and constitutional cases referencing the code. Administrative agencies follow statutory mandates when adopting rules, with oversight from the Washington State Office of the Attorney General and judicial review by state courts. Comparative jurisprudence draws parallels to statutory frameworks in Oregon, Idaho, and California, while academic commentary from faculty at University of Washington School of Law, Gonzaga University School of Law, and practitioners from firms in Seattle shapes interpretation.

Notable Titles and Statutes

Several titles attract frequent litigation and policy attention, including those governing criminal procedure considered alongside precedents from the United States Supreme Court, family law provisions litigated in King County Family Court and property statutes relevant to disputes in counties such as Pierce County and Snohomish County. Key enactments influenced by statewide initiatives mirror reforms in Colorado and Oregon, and statutes addressing environmental regulation intersect with rules from the Washington State Department of Ecology and federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency. Titles regulating licensing affect professions supervised by agencies such as the Washington State Department of Licensing and the Washington State Board of Nursing, while fiscal and tax provisions relate to practices in the Washington State Department of Revenue and are litigated before the Washington Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Category:Washington (state) law