{"data":{"id":"us-wa/rcw-7.21.040","jurisdiction":"us-wa","citation":"RCW 7.21.040","heading":"Punitive sanctions—Fines.","body":"(1) Except as otherwise provided in RCW 7.21.050, a punitive sanction for contempt of court may be imposed only pursuant to this section.\n(2)(a) An action to impose a punitive sanction for contempt of court shall be commenced by a complaint or information filed by the prosecuting attorney or city attorney charging a person with contempt of court and reciting the punitive sanction sought to be imposed.\n(b) If there is probable cause to believe that a contempt has been committed, the prosecuting attorney or city attorney may file the information or complaint on his or her own initiative or at the request of a person aggrieved by the contempt.\n(c) A request that the prosecuting attorney or the city attorney commence an action under this section may be made by a judge presiding in an action or proceeding to which a contempt relates. If required for the administration of justice, the judge making the request may appoint a special counsel to prosecute an action to impose a punitive sanction for contempt of court.\nA judge making a request pursuant to this subsection shall be disqualified from presiding at the trial.\n(d) If the alleged contempt involves disrespect to or criticism of a judge, that judge is disqualified from presiding at the trial of the contempt unless the person charged consents to the judge presiding at the trial.\n(3) The court may hold a hearing on a motion for a remedial sanction jointly with a trial on an information or complaint seeking a punitive sanction.\n(4) A punitive sanction may be imposed for past conduct that was a contempt of court even though similar present conduct is a continuing contempt of court.\n(5) If the defendant is found guilty of contempt of court under this section, the court may impose for each separate contempt of court a fine of not more than five thousand dollars or imprisonment for up to three hundred sixty-four days, or both.","path":["Title 7","Chapter 7.21"],"source_url":"https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=7.21.040","current_through":"July 15, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-06T00:32:03Z","sha256":"4b038e08bd59f6ab0c22cc74c461a3df98064285963ae45018d73fcdf492b38c","source_id":"us-wa","stale":false,"prev":"us-wa/rcw-7.21.030","next":"us-wa/rcw-7.21.050"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}