2023 Revised Code of Washington › Title 36 - Counties › Chapter 36.27 - Prosecuting Attorney. › 36.27.020 - Duties.

RCW 36.27.020
Duties.
The prosecuting attorney shall:
(1) Be legal adviser of the legislative authority, giving it his or her written opinion when required by the legislative authority or the chairperson thereof touching any subject which the legislative authority may be called or required to act upon relating to the management of county affairs;
(2) Be legal adviser to all county and precinct officers and school directors in all matters relating to their official business, and when required draw up all instruments of an official nature for the use of said officers;
(3) Appear for and represent the state, county, and all school districts subject to the supervisory control and direction of the attorney general in all criminal and civil proceedings in which the state or the county or any school district in the county may be a party;
(4) Prosecute all criminal and civil actions in which the state or the county may be a party, defend all suits brought against the state or the county, and prosecute actions upon forfeited recognizances and bonds and actions for the recovery of debts, fines, penalties, and forfeitures accruing to the state or the county;
(5) Attend and appear before and give advice to the grand jury when cases are presented to it for consideration and draw all indictments when required by the grand jury;
(6) Institute and prosecute proceedings before magistrates for the arrest of persons charged with or reasonably suspected of felonies when the prosecuting attorney has information that any such offense has been committed and the prosecuting attorney shall for that purpose attend when required by them if the prosecuting attorney is not then in attendance upon the superior court;
(7) Carefully tax all cost bills in criminal cases and take care that no useless witness fees are taxed as part of the costs and that the officers authorized to execute process tax no other or greater fees than the fees allowed by law;
(8) Receive all cost bills in criminal cases before district judges at the trial of which the prosecuting attorney was not present, before they are lodged with the legislative authority for payment, whereupon the prosecuting attorney may retax the same and the prosecuting attorney must do so if the legislative authority deems any bill exorbitant or improperly taxed;
(9) Present all violations of the election laws which may come to the prosecuting attorney's knowledge to the special consideration of the proper jury;
(10) Examine once in each year the official bonds of all county and precinct officers and report to the legislative authority any defect in the bonds of any such officer;
(11) Seek to reform and improve the administration of criminal justice and stimulate efforts to remedy inadequacies or injustice in substantive or procedural law;
(12) Participate in the statewide sexual assault kit tracking system established in RCW 43.43.545 for the purpose of tracking the status of all sexual assault kits connected to criminal investigations and prosecutions within the county. Prosecuting attorneys shall begin full participation in the system according to the implementation schedule established by the Washington state patrol.
[ 2016 c 173 § 7; 2012 1st sp.s. c 5 § 2; 1995 c 194 § 4; 1987 c 202 § 205; 1975 1st ex.s. c 19 § 1; 1963 c 4 § 36.27.020. Prior: (i) 1911 c 75 § 1; 1891 c 55 § 7; RRS § 116. (ii) 1886 p 65 § 5; 1883 p 73 § 10; Code 1881 § 2171; 1879 p 93 § 6; 1877 p 246 § 6; 1863 p 408 § 4; 1860 p 335 § 3; 1858 p 12 § 4; 1854 p 416 § 4; RRS § 4130. (iii) 1886 p 61 § 7; 1883 p 73 § 12; Code 1881 § 2168; 1879 p 94 § 8; 1877 p 247 § 8; RRS § 4131. (iv) 1886 p 61 § 8; 1883 p 74 § 13; Code 1881 § 2169; 1879 p 94 § 8; 1877 p 247 § 9; RRS § 4132. (v) 1886 p 61 § 9; 1883 p 74 § 14; Code 1881 § 2170; 1879 p 94 § 9; 1877 p 247 § 10; RRS § 4133. (vi) 1886 p 62 § 13; 1883 p 74 § 18; Code 1881 § 2165; 1879 p 95 § 13; 1877 p 248 § 14; 1863 p 409 § 5; 1860 p 334 § 4; 1858 p 12 § 5; 1854 p 417 § 5; RRS § 4134. (vii) Referendum No. 24; 1941 c 191 § 1; 1886 p 63 § 18; 1883 p 76 § 24; Code 1881 § 2146; 1879 p 96 § 18; RRS § 4136. (viii) Code 1881 § 3150; 1866 p 52 § 10; RRS § 4137. (ix) 1933 ex.s. c 62 § 81, part; RRS § 7306-81, part.]
NOTES:
Finding—Intent—2016 c 173: See note following RCW 43.43.545.
Intent—1987 c 202: See note following RCW 2.04.190.
Annual report to include number of child abuse reports and cases: RCW 26.44.075.