Spokane County
Spokane County was established in 1858, annexed by Stevens County in 1864, and then recreated on October 30, 1879. Situated east of the Cascade Range and on the western slope of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains (next to the Idaho border), it is Washington's fourth-most populous county, with a population estimate of 551,455.
Spokane County's trial court system comprises Superior, District, and Municipal Courts. The Superior Court is further split into Criminal, Civil, Family, and Juvenile court divisions and has jurisdiction over a wide range of criminal and civil matters. However, this court typically handles cases outside the jurisdiction of the lower courts, such as felony offenses, civil cases involving more than $100,000, family law cases, probates, guardianships, juvenile delinquency, and juvenile dependency matters. The Superior Court also operates a Behavioral Health Adult Felony Therapeutic Courts division that offers eligible offenders an alternative to incarceration in the form of structured, pretrial release, rehabilitation programs.
The District Court, on the other hand, has limited jurisdiction and typically handles misdemeanor criminal offenses, civil matters under $100,000 (including small claims cases of up to $10,000), name changes, protection orders, and traffic infractions. Similarly, the Municipal Courts are also limited jurisdiction courts that handle criminal misdemeanors, civil infractions, and local ordinance violations.
Spokane County public court records refer to documents created or received by the county's courts during legal proceedings. These records include depositions, motions, dockets, court orders, trial transcripts, summonses, settlement agreements, and judgments. The county's courts have dedicated clerks who are tasked with maintaining these records and making them accessible to interested parties.
You can access and obtain official copies of Spokane County court records in person by contacting the appropriate court clerk's office. Non-certified copies typically cost 25 cents per page for paper copies and 50 cents for documents copied from microfilm, while certified copies (with seal) cost $5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Keep in mind that additional charges may apply.
Spokane County also provides two online platforms for accessing court records: the Spokane County Court Viewer portal (for Superior and District Court records) and the eCourt Portal (for Municipal Court records). Likewise, the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts offers an online platform that you can use to access these records.
