Escalating Cost of Civil Litigation Task Force

In January 2011, the BOG approved a charter for the Task Force on the Escalating Cost of Civil Litigation. Seattle attorney and former BOG member Russ Aoki will chair the group, which is to assess the costs of civil litigation in the Washington state courts and recommend means to control costs. Costs are defined in the charter to include attorney time as well as expenses advanced for the purpose of litigation. The task force will survey neighboring and similarly situated states to compare the litigation costs in those jurisdictions with those seen in Washington.

The task force will include 10 WSBA members — including at least two who practice in the federal courts and one who is licensed and practices in Oregon — a judge from each level of court (limited jurisdiction, superior, and appellate), and a representative of the court clerks' association.