Together, district and municipal courts are known as the Courts of Limited Jurisdiction. District courts are county courts, while municipal courts are city courts. These courts are called limited jurisdiction because they are limited in their ability to hear only lower level offenses: infractions, misdemeanors, and gross misdemeanors. Additionally, district courts hear civil cases up to $100,000. Washington courts are leveled, and this lowest level of courts hears the majority of cases filed in Washington.
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Overview What are the roles and responsibilities of Washington’s Governor? Learn about this statewide elected office with former WA Governor Christine Gregoire. As the top elected official of the State of Washington, the Governor is essentially the commander in chief. By focusing on the responsibilities that the Governor has over the state of Washington, viewers will understand how the Governor works with the other statewide elected officials and the other branches of government. Essential Questions: Objectives:
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Established by law in the late 1960s, the Court of Appeals handles the bulk of appeals in Washington State. Everyone is entitled to an appeal in both criminal and civil cases. If someone thinks there has been a legal or procedural error in their case at the trial level, their case will most likely end up at the Court of Appeals. Hear from Division 1 Judge Cecily Hazelrigg as she discusses how the Court of Appeals operates and why judicial independence is so important.
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The Washington State Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. It provides the final interpretation of state law. Learn from Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice, Debra Stephens, as she explains how the court works, the importance of judicial precedents, and the other critical roles the Supreme Court plays in Washington.
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How much do you know about the juvenile justice system in Washington State? The juvenile courts are a division of the Superior Courts, and they focus solely on juvenile issues. The courts address both civil and criminal cases; the civil cases are primarily truancy, child welfare, and family services. When judges are dealing with juvenile offender cases, there is a concerted focus on rehabilitation, recognizing that youth’s brain development is still occurring and there needs to be a different form of sentencing happening than in adult court. Hear Thurston County judge, Indu Thomas, explain her work as a Superior Court judge in the juvenile division.
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What happens when the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill? In this episode of Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish), Mike Hoover explains the legislative process of concurrence and dispute — the final negotiations that determine whether a bill actually makes it to the governor’s desk. After a bill passes through committees and floor votes in one chamber, it must go through the entire process again in the other chamber. But because lawmakers often amend bills along the way, the House and Senate frequently end up with different versions of the same legislation. Mike breaks down how lawmakers resolve those disagreements through concurrence, dispute, and conference committees. Viewers learn how chambers negotiate changes, why bills sometimes “ping pong” back and forth between the House and Senate, and how conference committees work to hammer out final compromises when disputes become too large to resolve easily.
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Where does state money come from, and how does the government decide how to spend it? In this episode of Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish), Mike Hoover breaks down the basics of Washington State’s budgeting process and explains why the legislature’s most important constitutional responsibility is passing a balanced budget. Viewers learn that Washington does not just have one budget — it has three. Mike walks through the operating budget, capital budget, and transportation budget, explaining how each one funds different parts of state government, from schools and healthcare to roads, ferries, and construction projects. The episode also explores how lawmakers forecast revenue and spending needs using economic and caseload forecasts, why state budgets are planned in two-year cycles called bienniums, and how budgeting involves balancing public needs with available revenue.
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Senate page Caroline Bernatek questions members of the House Consumer Protection and Business Committee about how they make decisions about regulations on new types of businesses.
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Senate Page, Ellie Klesert asks members of the House Consumer Protection and Business Committee about how they regulate teen nicotine use, and how this regulation differs from regulations for adults.
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Senate Page Mustafa Shakir asks members of the House Health Care committee, Democratic Representative Dan Bronoske and Republican Representative Andrew Engell about the impact of Medicaid cuts on rural communities.
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