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.
