Evidence Preservation in Washington

State statute requires that upon a motion from defense counsel or the court’s own motion, a sentencing court in a felony case can order the preservation of any biological material secured in connection with a case. The court is obligated to specify both the samples and the length of time those samples must be preserved. Effective: 2000; Amended most recently: 2005.

Washington’s statute does NOT meet the best practices standards outlined by the NIST Technical Working Group on Biological Evidence Preservation.

Read the statute.