How to run Offer Of Judgment Analyzer in DocketMath for Washington

Step-by-step

Run this scenario in DocketMath using the Offer Of Judgment Analyzer calculator.

Here’s how to run DocketMath’s Offer Of Judgment Analyzer for Washington (US-WA) using jurisdiction-aware timing rules tied to RCW 4.84.280. This walkthrough is designed to show you what to enter in the tool, how the analyzer interprets it, and what to double-check before you rely on the results.

1) Open the analyzer and set the Washington jurisdiction

1. Go to the primary tool link: /tools/offer-of-judgment-analyzer
2. In the jurisdiction selector, choose Washington (US-WA).
3. Confirm the calculator mode is Offer Of Judgment Analyzer.

Why this matters: Washington’s offer timing rule is anchored in RCW 4.84.280, which sets the general deadline for serving an offer before trial. The analyzer uses that jurisdiction setting to interpret your “days before trial” inputs consistently.

2) Enter the offer date (serving date)

Look for a field such as Offer served on / Offer date.

• Enter the calendar date you actually served the offer.
• If you only know the mailing or filing date, use the date that best matches “serve” in your process (for example, the date service was completed under your service method).

How it affects output: DocketMath uses the served date to measure whether your offer fell within the required window leading up to trial.

3) Enter the trial date

Next, enter Trial date (the date your case is set for trial).

How it affects output: Under RCW 4.84.280, the offer must be served “not less than twenty days before the trial of the action.” The analyzer will effectively compute:

• Trial date − Offer served date = number of days
• If that number is < 20, the analyzer will flag the timing as potentially noncompliant under the rule.

4) Add the “accepted or rejected” timeline inputs

Depending on the interface, you may see inputs such as:

• Was the offer accepted?
• If not accepted, did 20 days pass after service?

Use the options that match your procedural posture:

• If accepted, enter the acceptance date (if the form asks for it).
• If not accepted, the statute provides a default “deemed rejected” approach once the response period expires.

Key Washington rule (default/general): RCW 4.84.280 states that if the offer is not accepted within twenty days, it is “deemed rejected.”

5) Enter the monetary amounts (if prompted)

Most Offer of Judgment calculations require numbers such as:

• Offer amount (the dollar figure stated in the offer)
• Judgment amount (or a projected judgment)

Optional components (depending on your DocketMath view) may include things like:

• Attorney fees estimate
• Costs estimate
• Interest assumptions

If your screen includes multiple amount fields, keep the basis consistent. For example, if your judgment amount already includes certain categories, don’t accidentally also add fees/costs separately in a way that double-counts.

How it affects output: Where the tool supports it, the analyzer uses the comparison between the offer and the judgment/outcome amounts to determine whether the offer is economically favorable. If you enter amounts on inconsistent bases, the economic outputs can look “off,” even when the timing inputs are correct.

6) Run the analysis and review the outputs

Click Analyze (or the equivalent button). Then review the sections that typically include:

• Timing check (service must be not less than 20 days before trial)
• Acceptance/rejection window (20-day acceptance period after service)
• Any computed comparison between the offer and the judgment (if available in the tool)

Use the results for quick triage:

• If the tool flags a timing issue, go back to your served date and trial date first.
• If timing looks good, then focus on the economic comparison outputs and make sure your amounts are entered consistently.

7) Save or export your run (if available)

If DocketMath offers a way to save/export results, do it before changing inputs. That way, you can compare outcomes before/after date or amount corrections without losing your original assumptions.

Common pitfalls

These are the issues that most often cause Offer Of Judgment Analyzer results in Washington to look incorrect—not because the math is broken, but because the inputs don’t match the statutory timeline and definitions.

• missing a required input
• using a stale rate or rule
• ignoring calendar or holiday adjustments
• skipping documentation of assumptions

Pitfall checklist (self-audit)

Enter the date the offer was actually served, not the date it was drafted, filed, or signed. If you accidentally use a hearing date, continuance date, or an older scheduled date (instead of the actual trial date), the “days before trial” calculation can be wrong. RCW 4.84.280 requires service not less than 20 days before trial and ties the “deemed rejected” concept to the 20-day acceptance period after service. Under the statute, the “deemed rejected” concept depends on whether acceptance occurs within twenty days. If your judgment amount includes attorney fees/costs, but you also enter separate fees/costs, your economic comparison can be distorted. After you correct a date or amount, rerun the analyzer so both the timing and economic outputs update together.

Washington statute anchor (for auditing)

Washington’s general offer timing is set by RCW 4.84.280:

• Serve the offer on all other parties not less than 20 days before trial
• If not accepted within 20 days, the offer is deemed rejected

(Statutory text source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=4.84.280)

Try it

Use this quick run to sanity-check that DocketMath’s Washington timing logic matches your expectations.

Open the Offer Of Judgment Analyzer calculator and follow the steps above: Run the calculator.

If an assumption is uncertain, document it alongside the calculation so the result can be re-run later.

Quick test scenario (timing focus)

1. Set jurisdiction: **Washington (US-WA)
2. Enter:

   • Offer served on: a date that is exactly 20 days before trial
     (Example: if trial is May 20, enter April 30—use real dates from your matter.)
   • Trial date: the trial date you’re testing
3. Set offer outcome inputs:

   • Choose not accepted (if the form supports that), or
   • Enter an acceptance date if the form uses acceptance timing

What you should see

• Timing check should pass when service is 20 days before trial (i.e., not less than 20).
• If the analyzer also models acceptance timing:

  • “Rejected” logic should key off the 20-day acceptance window after service.

Second test (should trigger a timing flag)

Now rerun after changing only one input:

• Move Offer served on to 19 days before trial (one day later than the first test).

What you should see

• The analyzer should indicate the offer was served fewer than 20 days before trial, which would conflict with the service timing requirement in RCW 4.84.280.

Adjusting outputs: how inputs change results

• Change only Offer served date → timing output changes (economic comparison may or may not change).
• Change only Trial date → timing output changes.
• Change Offer amount or Judgment amount → economic comparison output changes, while timing may remain flagged/unflagged based on the date math.

Related reading

• Offer of Judgment Analyzer Guide for Alabama
• Offer of Judgment Analyzer Guide for Arizona
• Offer of Judgment Analyzer Guide for Colorado