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Washington Court Records & Case Lookup
Washington Courts preside over 2.3 million lawsuits every year. These figures consist of over 240,000 incoming cases for civil cases, 253,000 criminal cases, and 59,000 domestic relations cases. Similarly, the courts handle over 32,000 juvenile cases and over 1.7 million traffic-related lawsuits yearly.
The Washington Public Records Act (PRA) ensures public access to state court records. Per the Act, all public records relating to the performance of any governmental agency and all records retained by any governmental agency are considered public documents. Consequently, court records maintained by the Washington Judiciary are public records, open to the public for inspection and copying.
However, not all court records are publicly available. The Act restricts access to some court records to protect individual privacy, safety, and sensitive information. Likewise, certain portions of a court record may be redacted to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. Generally, confidential information and personal identifiers on court documents are redacted, making the information available to the public.
State of Washington Court System
The Washington State court system is structured to address a wide range of legal matters from local disputes to complex state-level cases. The state court system comprises the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Trial Courts.
The Washington Court of Appeal is the intermediate appellate court. Its primary function is to hear appeals from the state's trial courts. It reviews most appeals before the case reaches the Supreme Court to ensure that the law was applied correctly198 and the proceedings were fair. The appellate courts do not re-access witness credibility or admit new evidence. Instead, they access the written court records to determine if the trial court interpreted the law correctly. The Supreme Court is the "Court of last resort". It determines the outcome of a case based on facts recorded at the trial court.
Washington Trial Courts
The trial courts are the entry point of most cases in the state's judicial system. They hear cases for the first time and make their findings of facts based on testimony and evidence presented during trial. They are known as courts of general jurisdiction. The trial courts in Washington include:
Superior Courts in Washington State
The Superior Courts in Washington are the state's primary trial courts of general jurisdiction. They preside over a wide range of criminal and civil cases, including felonies, civil disputes exceeding $100,000, juvenile cases, probate issues, and family law matters. The Superior Courts handle complex cases and hear appeals from lower courts of limited jurisdiction.
Each county in Washington state has at least one Superior Court, supporting access to courts in urban and rural areas throughout the state. Larger counties or counties with high demands have Superior Courts in multiple locations across the state.
District Courts in Washington State
District Courts in Washington state are limited jurisdiction courts that preside over certain civil, criminal, and traffic cases. The civil jurisdiction of the civil court hears matters with dispute amounts below $75,000. The criminal jurisdiction of the District Court handles gross misdemeanor criminal cases and traffic infractions. It also conducts preliminary hearings for all criminal cases.
District Courts have a Small Claims Department that hears civil matters for amounts under $5,000. Each of Washington's 39 counties is served by a District Court, with more populous counties operating multiple court locations, with increased case volume.
Municipal Courts in Washington
Washington's Municipal Courts are limited jurisdiction courts. They preside over matters related to city ordinances, traffic violations, and certain misdemeanor criminal offenses occurring within cities or municipalities. Municipal Courts maintain public safety and order by ensuring citizens are held accountable for local infractions. Located within city limits, Municipal Courts are typically found in city courthouses or municipal buildings, offering convenient access for locals dealing with city legal matters.
What are the Specialty Courts in Washington?
Washington specialty courts focus on treatment, rehabilitation, and expedited processing rather than punishment to help avoid repeat offenders. Also known as problem-solving courts, specialty courts address the root cause of criminal behavior and offer programs to help tackle the underlying cause of such behavior. Washington state specialty courts include:
- Juvenile Drug Court
- Family Treatment Court
- Adult Drug Court
- Therapeutic Courts
- Mental Health Courts
- Community Courts
- Veterans Therapeutic Courts
- DUI Court
- Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts
- Family Therapeutic Court
- Early Childhood Courts
- Human Trafficking Courts
Washington State Court Records vs. Federal Court Records
Washington state court records and federal court records document judicial proceedings. However, they differ in jurisdiction, case types, access points, court-level systems, and accessibility. Washington courts have jurisdiction over cases falling under Washington state laws. Washington state court records are accessible through local courthouses and state online portals. The Clerks of Courts at the local courthouses are the record custodians and permit in-person access to court records.
Federal courts preside over matters involving U.S. Federal law, disputes between states, and cases where the U.S. government is a party. Federal court cases include immigration, federal crimes, bankruptcy, intellectual property, and securities regulation. Federal court records are accessible online through Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER). The database provides nationwide access to federal court records. Likewise, federal court records are accessible at the federal courthouses in Washington-
- The U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Washington and
- The U.S. District Courts for the Western District of Washington
What Are Public and Non-Public Court Records in Washington
State of Washington public court records are generally accessible to the public. Residents may view and access the records on request. Nonetheless, certain court documents are restricted from the public. Restricted or redacted court records are non-public records. They are hidden from the public to protect sensitive information and the privacy of the record holder.
| Record Type | Public Records | Non-Public Records |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Court Records | Most criminal court records are publicly accessible | Juvenile criminal court records |
| Civil Court Records | Complaints, orders, bankruptcy filings, and judgments | Business proprietary information, trade secrets, personal identifiers such as tax identification numbers and financial account records |
| Family Court Records | Divorce petitions, child support decisions, visitation and child custody orders, | Paternity records, adoption records, medical records, confidential divorce settlements, child abuse records, and domestic violence records |
| Probate Records | Estate filings, executor appointments, asset inventory records, wills, and claims against the estate | Sealed wills, mental health records, confidential settlements, and deceased medical records |
| Traffic Case Records | Citations, final judgment, tickets | Substance abuse evaluation records, juvenile traffic records, personal identifiers such as driver's license numbers |
How To Seal or Expunge Washington Court Records
Sealed court records are documents restricted from the public, in whole or in part, due to the information contained in the report. Sealed arrest records are hidden from public access, and only the person named in the court document, their legal representatives, and authorized officials may access the record. Expunging court records involves permanently deleting the record as though it never existed. Per Washington Expungement laws, court records may only be sealed. The state does not provide for the destruction of criminal or civil convictions.
Nonetheless, not all criminal offenses in court records are eligible for sealing in Washington. Persons convicted of the following crimes cannot have their court records sealed:
- Class A felonies such as murder or rape
- Sex offenses
- Violent crimes resulting in significant bodily harm or death
- Multiple convictions
- Offenses involving domestic violence
- Driving under the influence (DUI) convictions
How To Seal Court Records in Washington
Sealing or "Vacating" in Washington refers to the process of setting aside a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor conviction. When a court record is vacated in Washington, it is removed from the public criminal records; it does not destroy the record. Vacation of court records is only available for the following offenses:
- Misdemeanors and gross misdemeanor convictions
- Some non-violent Class B and Class C felonies
- Non-violent juvenile offenses
- Arrests without charges or the charges were dismissed or acquitted
The waiting period before individuals may petition the courts to vacate the records depends on the type and severity of the conviction. The waiting period commences after the individual has completed all terms of their sentences, including fines, jail time, probation, and parole. It is 3 - 5 years for misdemeanor convictions and 5 -10 years for felony convictions. However, offenses such as violent crimes, sex offenses, and DUIs are not eligible for vacating.
The process of sealing court records in Washington requires the record holder to file a petition with the court where the case was tried. After filing, the petitioner must serve other parties to the case with a notice of their intention to seal the records. The judge reviews the petition and may require the petitioner to appear in court for questioning. After reviewing the facts, the court may grant the petition to seal the records.
How To Access State of Washington Court Records?
State of Washington court records are generally accessible to the public. The Washington judiciary maintains a centralized database to access court records. In addition, most courts maintain their websites where users can access case filings and docket information.
Furthermore, visiting the courthouse where the case was heard allows public access to court records. Most court records are accessible at no cost. However, varying fees apply to retrieve copies of the record.
Online Access to Washington Court Records
Washington online court records are accessible through:
- The Odyssey Portal - Washington Courts Online Case Search. The portal provides access to court records from the Superior Courts only. The platform allows users to search by party name, case number, or attorney information. However, the platform provides access to Superior Court records for 37 counties only. Court records for Kings and Pierce County Superior Courts are accessible through their websites.
- Washington Courts Case Search: Access to records from the Districts and Municipal Courts is available online through Washington Courts Case Search. Similarly, Kings County District Court records are accessible via e-Filing Access.
In-Person Access to State of Washington Court Records
The Clerk of Court is the record custodian for court records in the state. Court records are available at the courthouses where the case was filed. Most courts in Washington provide computer terminals at the courthouse to access public court records. In addition, record seekers may walk into the courthouse to request the court records. Most courthouses require record seekers to have all relevant information about the desired case. Some courthouses may require searchers to present government-issued identification cards before accessing the records at the courthouse.
How to Request Judicial Administrative Records?
Judicial administrative records are documents and files generated by the courts and judicial offices relating to the internal functioning and operations of the judicial system. The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) under the Washington Judicial Branch grants access to judicial administrative records.
Requesting the records by completing the Request for Administrative Public Records forms. It costs $0.15 per page of record photocopied and a $30.00 per hour charge for the staff time used to search the record after the first free hour.
How To Access Older and Archived Court Records in Washington
Accessing older and archived court records in Washington may require visiting the courthouse where the case was tried or using the state's archived resource. Older court records may not be digitized. Therefore, knowing the jurisdiction where the records are retained and contacting the clerk of courts to determine the availability and location of the records may be the most efficient way to access older or archived records. Some courthouses stored older records on-site, while others archive the records at an off-site facility.
The Washington State Archives is the primary repository for archived court records. Retrieving archived court records requires the record seeker to identify the record details and use the information to query the database. Alternatively, the Washington State Digital Archives provides electronic access to digitized historical records. Record seekers may use the case number, names, or court details to narrow down results.