City of Spokane v. Rothwell

¶1 — The city of Spokane asks this court to reverse a Court of Appeals decision invalidating two municipal court convictions. The Court of Appeals reasoned that the district court judge who presided over the trials did not have jurisdiction because the election was not limited to city voters as provided by former RCW 3.46.070 (1984), repealed by Laws op 2008, ch. 227, § 12. The Court of Appeals also ruled that the judge did not have de facto jurisdiction. We hold that former RCW 3.46.070 did not apply to district court judges sitting as part time municipal judges in municipal departments and…