Dunn proposal authorizes new housing court commissioners to address eviction backlog, affordable housing crisis  

June 24, 2025

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn on Tuesday introduced legislation that would authorize the King County Superior Court to create up to three new court commissioner positions to process unlawful detainers. This comes in response to a backlog in eviction cases at the Superior Court impacting rental housing providers and prompting the closure of a number of affordable housing properties.

“We cannot expect our housing providers to continue to foot the bill for Seattle’s backward rental policies and still be able to pay their mortgages,” Dunn said. “Soaring legal costs and an inability to evict even the most fraudulent tenants are now sinking affordable housing providers, ultimately hurting the most vulnerable among us. King County must do its part to provide for the efficient resolution of landlord-tenant disputes.”

According to the King County Superior Court, there was a backlog of over 1,400 eviction-related cases at the beginning of June, down from a nearly 2,500-case high last year, but still significantly higher than in previous years. The backlog can be attributed to several factors, including the lack of commissioners to hear eviction cases, the lifting of pandemic-era eviction restrictions, and landlords filing more cases than in the past.

“The Court wants everyone to have their day in court and for the rule of law to work in an orderly fashion.  Lengthy delays to obtain a court hearing and access the court frustrates everybody,” said King County Superior Court Presiding Judge Ketu Shah. “By increasing court capacity, we can meet the extraordinary number of filings related to unlawful detainers. And, in order for our civil society to function, we must have an accessible and funded court.”

A recent change to state law allows the Superior Court to create new court commissioner positions to help resolve unlawful detainer cases, provided it receives prior consent from the county legislative authority. Dunn’s legislation would provide authorization for up to three court commissioners.

“Our King County Superior Court Commissioners make up the backbone of our court system,” said Sean Flynn, President of the Rental Housing Association of Washington Board of Directors. “Guardianships, probates, unlawful detainers, and many other cases fall under their purview and as such their case load is enormous. RHA thanks Councilmember Dunn for his leadership to fund more of these much-needed court commissioners to better address the unlawful detainer backlog”

Court commissioners have the power to perform the duties of a superior court judge that do not require a trial by jury, and other duties provided by law to aid in the administration of justice. Dunn’s legislation will be referred to the Law and Justice Committee.