Washington Court Records
How Washington's courts are organized, where their records are kept and how to search them.
Washington's courts share a statewide index, so the public can search case names and numbers across superior, district, municipal and appellate courts for free.
Documents themselves usually come from the county clerk or the court that heard the case.
Washington's court records search is an index, not a document system. It shows case names, numbers and charges, and you then contact the court for documents. Many county clerks, such as King County's, offer online access to superior court documents, often for a per-page fee.
How Washington's courts are organized
Washington has two appellate courts and two levels of trial courts.
Washington Supreme Court
Nine justices hear appeals they choose to review and some direct appeals.
Court of Appeals
Three divisions hear most appeals from the superior courts.
Superior courts
The general jurisdiction trial courts, hearing felonies, larger civil cases, family law, probate and juvenile cases.
District and municipal courts
Hear misdemeanors, traffic, small claims and smaller civil cases.
Searching Washington court records online
Washington's statewide index is the place to start.
- Washington Courts searchFree statewide name and case search across superior, district, municipal and appellate courts.
- Washington CourtsOpinions, court directories, forms and self-help.
Getting records from the clerk's office
Superior court records are kept by the county clerk. District and municipal court records come from those courts. Copies and certified copies are available for set fees.
Deeds are kept by the county auditor or recorder.
County clerks in Washington are elected officials who keep superior court records. District and municipal courts keep their own records. Copies and certified copies are available for set fees.
- Washington court directoryFind any Washington court.
What is public, and what is not
Washington General Rule 31 governs access to court records. Most are public, but juvenile, adoption and mental health records are confidential. General Rule 15 governs sealing.
Washington allows people to vacate many convictions after a waiting period, which removes them from public criminal history.
Washington General Rule 31 makes most court records public, with exceptions for juvenile, adoption, mental health and some family records. General Rule 15 governs sealing, and Washington allows people to vacate many convictions after a waiting period.
- Washington Law Help: Vacating recordsFree information about vacating a criminal record.
Older and archived records
Historical superior court records are held by the Washington State Archives, which has regional branches and a large Digital Archives.
The Washington State Archives' regional branches hold historical superior court records, and its Digital Archives has indexed many historical court and probate records.
- Washington State ArchivesHistorical state and county records.
Criminal history and background records
A court file tells you what happened in one case in one court. A criminal history record (often called a rap sheet) pulls together arrests, charges and outcomes reported from across the state, so it is a different product kept by a different agency.
The Washington State Patrol keeps the state's criminal history records and sells public name-based searches through WATCH.
- WATCHWashington Access to Criminal History: public, name-based record checks for a fee.
- Washington sex offender registryPublic search of registered sex offenders.
- Washington Department of CorrectionsInformation about people in Washington state custody.
Federal court records in Washington
Federal cases, including federal crimes, bankruptcies, and lawsuits over federal law or between citizens of different states, are not filed in Washington's state courts. Washington is divided into 2 federal judicial districts, and each has its own clerk's office:
Federal case files are searched through PACER, the federal judiciary's records system. PACER charges a small fee per page, but you pay nothing if your charges stay under the quarterly fee-waiver threshold, court opinions are free, and every federal courthouse has public terminals you can use at no cost. Many PACER documents have also been copied into the free RECAP Archive on CourtListener. Appeals from Washington's federal courts go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Tips for a faster search
- The statewide index shows case names and numbers; contact the court for documents.
- Superior court documents come from the county clerk.
- Vacated records will not appear in WATCH.
- Use the statewide index to find the case, then go to the county clerk for documents.
- Have the full names of the parties, the county and a rough date range ready. A case number is the fastest way in if you have one.
- Online indexes are not the official record. If a decision depends on it, get a copy (or a certified copy) from the clerk's office that holds the file.
Legal help and law libraries
Clerks and law librarians can explain how to find a record, but they cannot give legal advice. These organizations can point you in the right direction:
- Washington State Law LibraryPublic law library in Olympia.
- Washington Law HelpFree legal information and help finding legal aid.
This guide is general information about public records, not legal advice. Court websites, fees and rules change, so confirm details with the court before you rely on them. Civics-Online.org is not affiliated with any court or government agency.