Washington Court Case Lookup

A court case in Washington is a claim or controversy brought to the state court system for resolution by a judge or jury. Private citizens, organizations, public agencies, or the government can file court cases in Washington. These cases are of two main categories: criminal (homicide, theft, controlled substances, disorderly conduct, etc.) or civil (e.g., breach of warranty, tort, unlawful detainer, legal separation). When considering any matter brought before it, a Washington court will hear arguments and evidence from the case parties and decide according to law.

A Washington court case lookup refers to the process of obtaining court case information from the custodial agencies that generate them during a proceeding. The lookup process is overseen by respective court clerks in the courthouses where these cases are heard.

Are Court Cases Public Record in Washington?

Yes. Washington court cases are open to the public in line with Article I, Section 10 of the Washington State Constitution and General Rules (GR) 31. This means that any interested person or entity can obtain information on court cases from the state's court system, including case documents, transcripts, pleadings, orders, exhibits, and judgments. However, court cases restricted by federal or state law, judicial order, court rule, or case law are not available for public viewing or copying in Washington. Examples include sealed court records, adoption records, juvenile non-offender records, and alcohol and drug treatment commitment records.

Note: The Washington Public Records Act does not govern access to court cases; court rules and common law control access instead. Individuals can read the Access To Court Records Brochure for more information on public access to Washington court cases.

How to Conduct a Washington Court Case Lookup

Individuals who want to perform a court case lookup in Washington can use the Judicial Information System (or JIS), the statewide case management system maintained by the Washington Administrative Office of the Courts.

Members of the public can access JIS via public access terminals maintained at courthouses, or they may log in to the JIS-Link service that enables remote access to the JIS. Note that case lookups performed at the public access terminals carry no charge, but subscribers of JIS-Link must pay an amount per transaction. More details are available on the JIS-Link page.

Besides JIS, the Washington courts offer a free search engine that individuals can query to find out where to obtain case information from all court levels. For example, several superior courts use the Odyssey Portal to disseminate case information - a detail found on the search engine site. Also, certain local courts (like the courts in Pierce County) maintain independent case management systems on their websites. Case management systems maintained by courts in Washington are typically accessible with a case party's last and first name or a case number.

Can I Get Washington Court Case Documents Online?

Yes. However, only some Washington courts provide a means to obtain court case documents online. Others ask requesters to visit the courthouse or submit a written request to the clerk's office.

For courts that offer online access (like the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court), individuals can access their case management systems to retrieve case documents. However, users of the Washington AOC's Judicial Information System (JIS) should note that JIS does not allow the printing or downloading of court case documents. It only displays case information, including a list of documents filed in a case.

How to Conduct a Washington Court Case Search by Name

The Washington courts provide a case search application that can be used to find court cases with a case party's name. A search on the application can be carried out as follows:

Access the search engine.
Select the "Person Search" tab.
Enter the defendant or plaintiff's first and last name. (Middle name is optional.)
Click "Search".

The search engine pulls information from the municipal, district, superior, and appellate courts. Thus, it allows for a statewide search and is a good starting point when one does not know where to find the official case records for a case initiated in Washington. Information contained in the search results includes:

A presiding court's name
The case number
A case party's full name (including their role in the case)
The filing date

One may also find out if a judgment has been rendered in a court case, view the case docket/summary, see future court appearance dates (if viewing a municipal, district, or appellate court's docket), and find the address and contact information of the presiding court.

Note: If the presiding court provides remote access to case information, an individual can access its case management system to perform the name search. The system will only display cases filed in that court. Nevertheless, an option remains to visit any courthouse with a public access terminal to access the Judicial Information System (JIS), as explained above, to conduct a Washington court case search by name.

What is a Court Case Number?

A court case number is an identification device that courts use for cases. The clerks of the courts assign this number to each case filed in their offices. The number helps court officials, case parties, and interested members of the public to distinguish one case from another and find case-related information and documents.

How to Conduct a Case Number Search in Washington

As mentioned earlier, some courts in Washington provide electronic case management systems that the public can access online at no cost. These online databases typically have a case number search function, which enables interested individuals to conduct a case number search to find case information and, sometimes, case documents.

Thus, someone possessing the case number of a court case filed in Washington should check the applicable court's website for a case search system. Should the presiding court not have one, the inquirer can visit the courthouse to request or perform the case number search. One may also contact the court clerk's office for alternative search options.

How to Remove Court Cases From Public Record in Washington

Although most court cases are open to the public in Washington, parties in a court case - if eligible - may remove their court cases from public record under Rule 15 of the Washington Court General Rules. This court rule provides for the sealing, redaction, or destruction of case records.

According to GR 15, to seal a court case in Washington means to protect it from public or unauthorized examination. To destroy a court case means to make it "permanently irretrievable". Meanwhile, to redact a court case means to bar the review of certain sections of the case record.

Case parties or litigants who want to seal, destroy, or redact their court cases must file a written motion to seal in the court that tried the case. This action requests a hearing to determine if a record should be sealed or redacted.

Notably, Washington cases are only sealed when the court vacates a conviction or finds compelling safety or privacy concerns that outweigh the public interest in leaving the file open. Also, the courts do not destroy records of court cases unless a statute expressly permits it. For instance, no state law allows the destruction of adult criminal case records where a defendant was convicted, or the case resulted in certain adverse findings. However, juvenile records that meet the criteria outlined in RCW 13.50.270 can be destroyed. More details about removing court cases from public record in Washington can be found in GR 15, the state judiciary's guide, or by consulting a legal professional.

How to Check a Court Case Status in Washington

One method to check the status of a court case in Washington is to search (using a litigant's name or case number) the online case management system offered on a court's website. In the search results, one can find out if a case is active, terminated, or otherwise disposed. If such a website does not exist, the interested individual can visit the court to find the case status via public access terminals. A person may also contact a court clerk's office for this information.

How to Find Supreme Court Decisions in Washington

Decisions ("opinions") rendered by the Washington Supreme Court are available on the state judiciary's website by clicking the Opinions tab. On the site, interested persons can find recent opinions filed within the previous 14 days, search for published and unpublished supreme court decisions within a year range, view opinions reported for filing, and more.

However, the opinions available on the site are slip opinions, which, being changeable by court order, are not always the supreme court's final decisions. One should find current opinions in the official reports, which can be accessed on a free website.

What Percentage of Court Cases Go to Trial in Washington?

The courts in Washington do not disclose the overall percentage of court cases that go to trial. The last study undertaken by the courts in 2002.) identified only the portion of criminal cases that make it to a trial in the superior courts - less than 5%. Upon reviewing annual caseload reports published by the judiciary (for example, the trial and non-trial numbers of the superior courts in FY 2022), this percentage is not far off in the present day. With such numbers reported, it can be determined that only a small percentage make it to a jury or judge trial in Washington.

How Long Does a Court Case Last in Washington?

Each court case filed within the Washington court system is distinct from the others as to the facts, the type/severity, the litigant's case history, the court of jurisdiction, and so on. For this reason, while courts generally resolve to close cases as quickly as possible, there is no standard timeframe for a case to be closed. Cases that involve complex questions of the law often require more time to resolve, as the court may need to schedule hearings to treat the raised issues. Hence, it may take several months or a few years to resolve a complex court case. Simpler cases (such as a traffic infraction), on the other hand, generally spend less time on a court's docket.

How to File a Case in Court in Washington

The procedure for filing a case within the Washington court system differs by case type (whether the case is civil or criminal). To file a civil case in Washington, one must submit a complaint or petition to a court having jurisdiction over the dispute or matter. This petition can be submitted at the courthouse or online (if the court provides an e-filing option). Along with the petition, the suing party must also pay a fee to the court. The filing fee differs by the court and civil case type (for example, the cost to file a small claims petition differs from the cost to file a landlord-tenant dispute). A petitioner may request a filing fee waiver from the court, but this may only be granted if the party can prove financial incapacity.

After filing a civil case in court, the plaintiff (party suing) must inform the defendant (the side being sued) of the court case by serving them with a copy of the petition and a court summons. Per the law and civil court rules, the defendant only has a short time (typically 20 days) to respond to the service. A defendant who fails to answer may lose the case to the plaintiff.

Once the filing and service of process stages are completed, the case enters the pre-trial stage. If the parties do not settle at this stage, the case proceeds to a trial, where a judge or jury will decide the facts based on evidence and law.

Note: Civilians cannot file criminal cases in Washington; only the prosecuting attorney (or prosecutor) can file such cases on behalf of the state, a city, or a county.

What Does It Mean if a Court Case Was Resolved Before the Trial Date?

For any case filed in a court of law, the involved parties can allow the court to enter a ruling after a trial or settle the case outside the court. Settlement before the trial date could mean that the parties used alternative dispute resolution methods like mediation or arbitration to reach a mutual understanding. It could also mean that the case was dismissed through one party's motion or by order of the court.