Executive/Council Action Form (ECAF)
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Title
Motion 22-215, approving an increase in the number of employees authorized in the 2022 Annual Budget in the General Fund 002 for the Clerk's Office
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DEPARTMENT: County Clerk
ORIGINATOR: Teri Bordua
EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDATION: Approve - Ken Klein
PURPOSE: The County Clerk is requesting the addition of two (2) new regular positions in support of the recently approved 6th Superior Court Commissioner.
BACKGROUND: The Washington State Legislature recently passed E2SHB 1320, "An Act Relating to modernizing, harmonizing, and improving the efficacy and accessibility of laws concerning civil protection orders" (E2SHB 1320). Governor Inslee signed the bill into law effective July 1, 2022. E2SHB 1320 contains significant changes to the manner in which protection order matters are heard in Washington State which will significantly impact Superior Court caseloads throughout Washington State and increase the amount of time spent on protection order matters for both Superior Court and the Clerk's Office. Snohomish County Ordinance 22-015 was recently approved to add a 6th Superior Court Commissioner in response to E2SHB 1320. In order to support this new commissioner and perform our increased mandated duties, the Clerk's Office requests hiring authority for two (2) new positions. These positions will be comprised of 1 Judicial Operations Assistant (JOA) in Program 235 and 1 Judicial Process Assistant (JPA) in Program 236. Statutorily, Court Operations must staff all hearings and trials held in Superior Court and maintain an independent record of the proceeding. These hearings are staffed by JOA's. Judicial Process Assistants (JPA's) in our Protection Order Office assist the public by providing spec...
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