Pierce County

Formed on December 22, 1852, Pierce County has a resident population of 928,696 (as of the 2023 census), making it the second-most populous county in Washington State.

Pierce County's trial court system consists of a Superior Court, a District Court, and Municipal Courts. The Superior Court is a general jurisdiction court consisting of a Civil, Criminal, Family, and Juvenile Court. The Civil Court handles personal injury claims, probates and guardianships, contract disputes, and other similar disputes between people and organizations, including adoptions and divorces. The Criminal Court handles felony criminal cases, while the Juvenile Court has exclusive jurisdiction over cases involving young people who break the law or need help because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Lastly, the Family Court handles matters involving child custody, such as modifications of custody arrangements, petitions for parenting plans, relocations, de facto parentage petitions, and relative visitation petitions. The Superior Court also hears appeals on decisions reached in the other courts.

The District Court handles criminal and criminal-traffic misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors, civil matters where the amount in contention is not more than $100,000, small claims of up to $5,000, and traffic and non-traffic infractions. Municipal Courts may also handle misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors, traffic/parking violations in the municipalities where they are located, and municipal or city ordinance violations within these localities. Pierce County also has Therapeutic Courts that offer alternatives to incarceration to reduce recidivism.

Pierce County public court records are records of court proceedings and other court-related activities that occur in Pierce County. These include sworn affidavits, witness testimonies, trial transcripts, depositions, motions, and judgments. The county's Clerk of the Superior Court stores and maintains most of these records, while Juvenile and District Court records are maintained by these respective courts.

The Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts provides an online platform that you can use to search for Pierce County court records. You can also obtain certified and uncertified hard copies of these court records by contacting the appropriate clerk's office. Note that you will be charged a copy fee, which can range from 25 cents to $25, depending on the type of record requested and how it is being copied.

Courthouses in Pierce County

Bonney Lake Municipal Court

Court Name: Bonney Lake Municipal Court
Address: 9002 Main Street E, Bonney Lake WA 98391

Buckley Municipal Court

Court Name: Buckley Municipal Court
Address: 811 Main Street, PO Box 1452, Buckley WA 98321

Eatonville Municipal Court

Court Name: Eatonville Municipal Court
Address: 201 Center Street W, PO Box 309, Eatonville WA 98328

Fife Municipal Court

Court Name: Fife Municipal Court
Address: 3737 Pacific Hwy E, Fife WA 98424

Fircrest Municipal Court

Court Name: Fircrest Municipal Court
Address: 115 Ramsdell Street, Fircrest WA 98466

Gig Harbor Municipal Court

Court Name: Gig Harbor Municipal Court
Address: 3510 Grandview Street, Gig Harbor WA 98335

Lakewood Municipal Court

Court Name: Lakewood Municipal Court
Address: 6000 Main Street SW, Lakewood WA 98499

Milton Municipal Court

Court Name: Milton Municipal Court
Address: 1000 Laurel Street, Milton WA 98354

Orting Municipal Court

Court Name: Orting Municipal Court
Address: 401 Washington Avenue SW, PO Box 489, Orting WA 98360

Puyallup Municipal Court

Court Name: Puyallup Municipal Court
Address: 929 E Main Street, Suite 120, Puyallup WA 98372