Washington § 12.36.020 - Appeal — Procedure — Notice filing — Fee — Bond or undertaking — Service — Costs of record preparation.

Full text of Washington Revised Code of Washington § 12.36.020 — Appeal — Procedure — Notice filing — Fee — Bond or undertaking — Service — Costs of record preparation., with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 12.36.020. Appeal — Procedure — Notice filing — Fee — Bond or undertaking — Service — Costs of record preparation.

(1) To appeal a judgment or decision in a small claims action, an appellant shall file a notice of appeal in the district court, pay the statutory superior court filing fee, post the required bond or undertaking, and serve a copy of the notice of appeal on all parties of record within thirty days after the judgment is rendered or decision made.
(2) No appeal may be allowed, nor proceedings on the judgment or decision stayed, unless a bond or undertaking shall be executed on the part of the appellant and filed with and approved by the district court. The bond or undertaking shall be executed with two or more personal sureties, or a surety company as surety, to be approved by the district court, in a sum equal to twice the amount of the judgment and costs, or twice the amount in controversy, whichever is greater, conditioned that the appellant will pay any judgment, including costs, as may be rendered on appeal. No bond is required if the appellant is a county, city, town, or school district.
(3) When an appellant has filed a notice of appeal, paid the statutory superior court filing fee and the costs of preparation of the complete record as set forth in RCW 3.62.060(1)(h), and posted the bond or undertaking as required, the clerk of the district court shall immediately file a copy of the notice of appeal, the filing fee, and the bond or undertaking with the superior court.
[ 2025 c 58 s 2006; 1998 c 52 s 1; 1997 c 352 s 8; 1929 c 58 s 2; RRS s 1911. Prior: 1891 c 29 s 1; Code 1881 s 1859; 1873 p 367 ss 157, 158; 1854 p 252 ss 161, 162.]

Notes

Explanatory note—2025 c 58: See note following RCW 1.16.050.

Source: official Washington text · Last verified 2026-08-27

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Frequently Asked Questions About Washington § 12.36.020

What does Revised Code of Washington § 12.36.020 cover?

Section 12.36.020 ("Appeal — Procedure — Notice filing — Fee — Bond or undertaking — Service — Costs of record preparation.") is part of the Revised Code of Washington, the codified statutory law of Washington. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

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