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Washington · How-To Guide

How do I access court records?

County Superior Court Clerk (county level - each of Washington's 39 counties) / District Court Clerk (county level) / Municipal Court Clerk (city level) / Washington Courts (state level)
Step by Step

How to do it

  1. Identify what type of record you need: Superior Court (felonies, major civil, domestic/family, juvenile, probate), District Court (civil up to $100,000, misdemeanors, traffic), Municipal Court (city ordinances, traffic, misdemeanor within city)
  2. Search online:
  3. WASHINGTON COURTS CASE SEARCH (JIS): dja.wa.gov or courts.wa.gov - Washington's Judicial Information System (JIS) provides statewide case search for Superior Court, District Court, and some Municipal Court cases; accessible at dja.wa.gov/public (JIS public access); search by party name or case number; covers criminal and civil dockets across Washington
  4. WASHINGTON COURTS: courts.wa.gov - Washington State's official court website; appellate court opinions; court directory
  5. COUNTY-LEVEL ONLINE CASE ACCESS: Many larger WA counties (King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, Clark) have their own online case search portals with more detail than the statewide JIS
  6. For full case documents or certified copies: contact the Superior Court Clerk or District Court Clerk in the county where the case was filed
  7. In-person access: visit the courthouse; bring photo ID and case details
Details

What you need to know

Required Docs
  • Valid photo ID (for in-person requests)
  • Case number or full legal name of parties
Fee
JIS online statewide case search: free for basic case information; certified copies: typically $0.50-$2 per page; contact specific court clerk for current schedule
Processing Time
Online: immediate for case information; same day or by mail for certified copies
Online Option
Yes - dja.wa.gov (JIS public access statewide); courts.wa.gov; individual county court portals
Where to Go
County Superior Court Clerk (major civil/criminal); County District Court Clerk (minor civil/criminal); applicable county courthouse
County-specific variations apply

Washington's 39 counties each have their own Superior Court and District Court clerks. King County Superior Court (Seattle), Pierce County Superior Court (Tacoma), Snohomish County Superior Court (Everett), and Spokane County Superior Court are the largest. King County District Court has multiple divisions. Many smaller Eastern Washington counties have very limited staff.

Washington Notes

Important state-specific details

  • JIS (Judicial Information System) public access: good statewide coverage of WA court cases.
  • Marriage records: County Auditor or County Recorder (where license issued); also WA DOH Vital Records.
  • Divorce records: Superior Court Clerk in county where divorce was filed; WA DOH also issues divorce certificates ($25).
  • Criminal history background checks: Washington State Patrol (WSP) - wsp.wa.gov/crime/criminal-history | (360) 534-2000; fee-based.
  • Washington Sex Offender Registry - offsaweb.wsp.wa.gov (offender search available); searchable online; managed by WSP.
  • Juvenile records: sealed; special access rules.
  • Washington Public Records Act (RCW 42.56): among the strongest in the nation; presumption of public access; agencies must respond within 5 business days.
Official Source

State office contact

State Office
Washington State Courts - courts.wa.gov | (360) 357-2121; JIS Public Access: dja.wa.gov; WSP (criminal records) - wsp.wa.gov | (360) 534-2000