Default judgment — Reduction upon motion of garnishee — Attorney's fees.
RCW 6.27.200
in effectIf the garnishee fails to answer the writ within the time prescribed in the writ, after the time to answer the writ has expired and after required returns or affidavits have been filed, showing service on the garnishee and service on or mailing to the defendant, it shall be lawful for the court to render judgment by default against such garnishee, after providing a notice to the garnishee by personal service or first-class mail deposited in the mail at least ten calendar days prior to entry of the judgment, for the full amount claimed by the plaintiff against the defendant, or in case the plaintiff has a judgment against the defendant, for the full amount of the plaintiff's unpaid judgment against the defendant with all accruing interest and costs as prescribed in RCW 6.27.090 : PROVIDED, That upon motion by the garnishee at any time within seven days following service on, or mailing to, the garnishee of a copy of the first writ of execution or writ of garnishment under such judgment, the judgment against the garnishee shall be reduced to the amount of any nonexempt funds or property which was actually in the possession of the garnishee at the time the writ was served, plus the cumulative amount of the nonexempt earnings subject to the lien provided for in RCW 6.27.350 , or the sum of one hundred dollars, whichever is more, but in no event to exceed the full amount claimed by the plaintiff or the amount of the unpaid judgment against the principal defendant with all accruing interest and costs and attorney's fees as prescribed in RCW 6.27.090 , plus the accruing interest and costs and attorneys' fees as prescribed in RCW 6.27.090 for any garnishment on the judgment against the garnishee, and in addition the plaintiff shall be entitled to a reasonable attorney's fee for the plaintiff's response to the garnishee's motion to reduce said judgment against the garnishee under this proviso and the court may allow additional attorney's fees for other actions taken because of the garnishee's failure to answer.
If the garnishee fails to answer the writ within the time prescribed in the writ, after the time to answer the writ has expired and after required returns or affidavits have been filed, showing service on the garnishee and service on or mailing to the defendant, it shall be lawful for the court to render judgment by default against such garnishee, after providing a notice to the garnishee by personal service or first-class mail deposited in the mail at least ten calendar days prior to entry of the judgment, for the full amount claimed by the plaintiff against the defendant, or in case the plaintiff has a judgment against the defendant, for the full amount of the plaintiff's unpaid judgment against the defendant with all accruing interest and costs as prescribed in RCW 6.27.090 : PROVIDED, That upon motion by the garnishee at any time within seven days following service on, or mailing to, the garnishee of a copy of the first writ of execution or writ of garnishment under such judgment, the judgment against the garnishee shall be reduced to the amount of any nonexempt funds or property which was actually in the possession of the garnishee at the time the writ was served, plus the cumulative amount of the nonexempt earnings subject to the lien provided for in RCW 6.27.350 , or the sum of one hundred dollars, whichever is more, but in no event to exceed the full amount claimed by the plaintiff or the amount of the unpaid judgment against the principal defendant with all accruing interest and costs and attorney's fees as prescribed in RCW 6.27.090 , plus the accruing interest and costs and attorneys' fees as prescribed in RCW 6.27.090 for any garnishment on the judgment against the garnishee, and in addition the plaintiff shall be entitled to a reasonable attorney's fee for the plaintiff's response to the garnishee's motion to reduce said judgment against the garnishee under this proviso and the court may allow additional attorney's fees for other actions taken because of the garnishee's failure to answer.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=6.27&full=trueFetched: 6/28/2026