As used in this chapter:

Washington Code 2.60.010

Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.

federal court: means any court of the United States of America including the supreme court of the United States, courts of appeal, district courts and any other court created by act of congress;

Washington Code 2.60.010

opinion: shall mean the written opinion of the supreme court of Washington and shall include the certificate of the clerk of such court under seal of court stating that the opinion is in answer to the local law question submitted. See Washington Code 2.60.010

Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.

record: shall mean : (a) A stipulation of facts approved by the federal court showing the nature of the case and the circumstances out of which the question of law arises or such part of the pleadings, proceedings and testimony in the cause pending before the federal court as in its opinion is necessary to enable the supreme court to answer the question submitted; (b) a statement of the question of local law certified for answer. See Washington Code 2.60.010

supplemental record: shall mean the original or copies of any other portion of the proceedings, pleadings and testimony before the federal court deemed desirable by the supreme court in the determination of the local law question certified for answer. See Washington Code 2.60.010

supreme court: shall mean supreme court of Washington;

Washington Code 2.60.010

Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.

(1) The term “certificate procedure” shall mean the procedure authorized herein by which a federal court in disposing of a cause pending before it submits a question of local law to the supreme court for answer;

(2) The term “federal court” means any court of the United States of America including the supreme court of the United States, courts of appeal, district courts and any other court created by act of congress;

(3) The term “supreme court” shall mean supreme court of Washington;

(4) The term “record” shall mean: (a) A stipulation of facts approved by the federal court showing the nature of the case and the circumstances out of which the question of law arises or such part of the pleadings, proceedings and testimony in the cause pending before the federal court as in its opinion is necessary to enable the supreme court to answer the question submitted; (b) a statement of the question of local law certified for answer. The record shall contain a certificate under the official seal of the court, signed by the chief judge of a multi-judge federal court or judge of the district court utilizing certificate procedure stating that the record contains all matters in the pending cause deemed material for consideration of the local law question certified for answer;

(5) The term “supplemental record” shall mean the original or copies of any other portion of the proceedings, pleadings and testimony before the federal court deemed desirable by the supreme court in the determination of the local law question certified for answer. The supplemental record shall contain a certificate under the official seal of the court signed by the chief judge of such multi-judge federal court or judge of the district court, certifying that the supplemental record contains all additional matters requested;

(6) The term “opinion” shall mean the written opinion of the supreme court of Washington and shall include the certificate of the clerk of such court under seal of court stating that the opinion is in answer to the local law question submitted.