Washington legal term
Determinate sentence in Washington Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Washington legislative session
In Washington criminal law, “Determinate sentence” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Washington criminal code.
What does “Determinate sentence” mean in Washington criminal law?
"Determinate sentence" means a sentence that states with exactitude the number of actual years, months, or days of total confinement, of partial confinement, of community custody, the number of actual hours or days of community restitution work, or dollars or terms of a legal financial obligation. (RCW 9.94A.030)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.