§53.3.6 Analysis

• Jurisdiction: Washington

§53.3.6 ANALYSIS

For many years federal courts have used special masters, and more recently magistrate judges, to relieve the pressure of crowded case dockets and to assist with difficult discovery disputes. CR 53.3 provides explicit authority to accomplish many of the same ends in state court, at least with respect to some discovery matters.

This rule appears to have had little practical impact. Even prior to its adoption, parties had the ability to stipulate pursuant to CR 26 and 29 to use an...