2023 Revised Code of Washington › Title 8 - Eminent Domain › Chapter 8.04 - Eminent Domain by State. › 8.04.020 - Notice—Contents—Service—Publication.

RCW 8.04.020
Notice—Contents—Service—Publication.
A notice stating briefly the objects of the petition and containing a description of the land, real estate, premises or property sought to be acquired and appropriated, and stating the time and place when and where the same will be presented to the court or the judge thereof, shall be served on each and every person named therein as owner, encumbrancer, tenant or otherwise interested therein at least ten days previous to the time designated in such notice for the presentation of such petition. Such service shall be made by delivering a copy of such notice to each of the persons or parties so named therein, if a resident of the state; or, in case of the absence of such person or party from his or her usual place of abode, by leaving a copy of such notice at his or her usual place of abode; or, in case of a foreign corporation, at its principal place of business in this state, with some person of more than sixteen years of age. In case of domestic corporations, such service shall be made upon the president, secretary or other director or trustee of such corporation. In case of persons under the age of eighteen years, on their guardians, or in case no guardian shall have been appointed, then on the person who has the care and custody of such person; in case of idiots, lunatics or distracted persons, on their guardians, or in case no guardian shall have been appointed, then on the person in whose care or charge they are found. In case the land, real estate, premises or other property sought to be appropriated is school or county land, the notice shall be served on the auditor of the county in which the land, real estate, premises or other property sought to be acquired and appropriated is situated. In all cases where the owner or person claiming an interest in such real estate or other property is a nonresident of this state, or where the residence of such owner or person is unknown, and an affidavit of the attorney general shall be filed that such owner or person is a nonresident of this state, or that after diligent inquiry his residence is unknown or cannot be ascertained, service may be made by publication thereof in any newspaper published in the county where such lands are situated once a week for two successive weeks; and in case no newspaper is published in said county, then such publication may be had in a newspaper published in the county nearest the county in which lies the land sought to be acquired and appropriated. And such publication shall be deemed service upon each of such nonresident person or persons whose residence is unknown. Such notice shall be signed by the attorney general of the state of Washington. Such notice may be served by any competent person eighteen years of age or over. Due proof of the service of such notice by affidavit of the person serving the same, or by the printer's affidavit of publication, shall be filed with the clerk of such superior court before or at the time of the presentation of such petition. Want of service of such notice shall render the subsequent proceedings void as to the person not served, but all persons or parties having been served with notice as herein provided, either by publication or otherwise, shall be bound by the subsequent proceedings. In all other cases not otherwise provided for, service of notices, order and other papers in the proceedings, authorized by RCW 8.04.010 through 8.04.160, may be made as the superior court or judge thereof may direct.
[ 1971 ex.s. c 292 § 10; 1891 c 74 § 2; RRS § 892. Formerly RCW 8.04.020, 8.04.030, 8.04.040, 8.04.050.]
NOTES:
Severability—1971 ex.s. c 292: See note following RCW 26.28.010.
Publication of legal notices: Chapter 65.16 RCW.
Publication of notice in eminent domain proceedings: RCW 4.28.120.
Service of process where state land is involved: RCW 8.28.010.