Skagit County
Named after the Skagit Indian tribe, who were indigenous to the area. Skagit County was created from parts of Whatcom County on November 28, 1883. Its largest city is Mount Vernon, which also doubles as its county seat. A total of 1,820 square miles measures as its landmass. The population as of 2022 was 131,179. Skagit County is known for the broad, fertile valley of the Skagit River, a center for the cultivation of strawberries and tulips.
A District Court, Municipal Courts, and Superior Courts are of paramount importance in the affairs of the court system in Skagit County. The District Court handles vehicle impound hearings, civil claims up to $100,000, misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, small claims filed by an individual (up to $10,000), and business ($5,000). The Superior Courts stand as the highest court in the county. They act as a court of appeal to the Municipal and District Courts. Probate, juvenile, civil, criminal, and mental health cases are all settled here. The Municipal Courts manage noise violations, conduct pre-trial hearings, initial arraignments, DUIs, initial court appearances, and animal control violations.
All administrative records are maintained by the County Clerk's Office and are available for public inspection. Except the clerk gives a reason for denial of granting a court record request, public court records shall, by all means, be disclosable to interested persons. Non-confidential court records are available for:
- Civil Cases
- Criminal Cases
- Infractions Cases
- Probate Cases
- Small Claims Cases
- Restraining Orders Cases
Members of the public can view Judicial Information System (JIS) public case information on the public access terminals in the different courthouses. You will need a paid subscription to a service called JIS-Link. The Washington Courts Online Odyssey Portal also provides you with online information about court records. You may also request court records in bulk; however, you will need to enter a dissemination contract. The clerk makes a photocopy of records available at certain fees. However, records requested by law enforcement, government agencies, and other courts are free of charge. A request for information form is usually filled when requesting court records in addition to person-specific information. Records are usually processed as quickly as possible, and researchers are informed about how long they should wait.