What are Jefferson County Public Records?
The Washington Public Records Act RCW 42.56.010 defines Jefferson public records as any physical or digital information received, stored, created, or issued by a public agency concerning a government function. Thus, public records in Jefferson County may exist as books, charters, maps, videotapes, audio recordings, emails, and SMS.
Per the state’s Public Records Act, public agencies have the legal right to prevent the release of certain public records to the public. Examples of redacted public documents are:
- Personal information on children in the custody of the Department of Early Learning and other agencies serving the needs of children and students;
- Welfare cases of identifiable members of the public;
- Personal data about students, residents of public institutions, and public health clients in the custody of public agencies;
- Specifications for competitive bidding yet to be approved by a government agency;
- Meetings concerning technological or scientific innovations in which the owner has a proprietary interest;
- Proposed or existing structural plans and security plans of a government-owned real property;
- Portions of documents that contain access codes or authorization codes for security systems of a property;
- Operational guidelines, response plans, and policies maintained or created by law enforcement or public health agencies;
- Non-judicial physical or mental health proceedings that may violate the privacy of identifiable persons;
- Criminal records and files, the disclosure of which would constitute an invasion of privacy;
- Public documents specifically exempt from disclosure by common law or statutes;
- Documents on collective bargaining or labor negotiations;
- Adoption or child custody files which are compiled for civil or criminal law enforcement purposes;
- Investigatory files, such as pretrial or presentence files collated for civil or criminal law enforcement purposes;
- Documents on pending litigations or files which are not part of court records.
In addition to government agencies, county public records may also be obtained from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. Users are able to search third-party websites remotely for multiple records at a time with just the name of the record subject and their last known location, including the city, county or state. Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.
Jefferson County Crime Statistics
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs maintains an online database of all reported crimes and arrests in the state. Record seekers can find Jefferson County crime statistics on the online database. Per the database, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office recorded a total of 877 crimes in 2020. The accumulated figure consists of index and non-index crimes. The listed crimes include 2 rapes, 20 aggravated assaults, 1 robberies, 181 burglaries, 192 larceny thefts, and 11 motor vehicle thefts. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office did not record a murder or arson case in 2020.
Meanwhile, Jefferson County reported 467 index and non-index crimes in 2016. Compared with the 2019 crime statistics report, Jefferson County's crime rate increased by 61 percent.
Are Jefferson County Criminal Records Public?
Jefferson County's criminal records are not accessible to all members of the public. Custodian agencies will only issue copies of criminal records to the record subject and authorized government entities.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office enables record bearers to access copies of their criminal records. Hence, record subjects seeking to obtain a criminal record must visit the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office at:
79 Elkins Road
Port Hadlock, WA 98339
To obtain criminal records from the Sheriff's Office, record seekers must provide a valid photo ID, a $10 search fee, and a request letter. Furthermore, the request letter must contain the record subject's legal name, the purpose of the request, date of birth, last known address, and email.
Likewise, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) maintains online and offline access to all criminal records in Jefferson County. Record seekers can access online copies of criminal records by creating or login into an existing account on the Washington Access to Criminal History (WATCH) platform.
Note that only the record subject and authorized agencies can receive a complete criminal history record from the WSP. In contrast, public members may request and obtain criminal records containing limited information. Also, note that it costs $10 to conduct a name-based search for criminal records, while a fingerprint-based search costs $58. Furthermore, requesters may opt to receive criminal records from the WSP via mail request.
To receive criminal records via mail, record seekers must follow these steps:
- Complete a Request for Conviction Criminal History;
- Include a $32 money order or check for a name-based check. Requesters must attach a $58 payment fee for a fingerprint-based search;
- Include a filled out fingerprint card for fingerprint-based checks;
- Attach a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID;
- Send the documents mentioned above to:
Washington State Patrol,
Identification and Background Check Section
P.O. Box 42633,
Olympia, WA 98504-2633.
How to Obtain Jefferson County Police Reports and Arrest Records
Record seekers can find police reports and arrest records from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
As the record custodian of all documented arrests and crime incidents, the Sheriff's Office is responsible for issuing copies of Jefferson County arrest records and police reports to the members of the public.
Requesters can obtain these documents by visiting the Sheriff's Office.
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Jefferson County
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs maintains an online searchable portal for all sex offenders residing and registered in the state. Thus, record seekers can search and obtain information on sex offenders in Jefferson County via the online portal. To receive sex offenders' information on the platform, requesters must input the offender's legal name and location.
How to Find Jefferson County Inmate Information
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office hosts an online database of all inmates incarcerated within the county's correctional facilities. Record seekers can obtain inmate records on the platform by filling out these details:
- The inmate's name;
- Subject number;
- Booking Date;
- Booking Number;
- Housing Facility.
The online platform contains the inmate’s sentencing details, crimes, photographs, and the location of the correctional facility.
Jefferson County Court Records
The Jefferson County court system comprises a District Court and Two Superior Courts. The county courts have jurisdiction over specific court records. For example, the Jefferson County District Court handles all criminal and court cases. That said, record seekers can find Jefferson County Courts at the following locations:
Jefferson County Superior Court
Jefferson County Courthouse
1820 Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 1220
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Phone: (360) 385-9395
Fax: (360) 385-5672
Jefferson County Superior Court - Juvenile and Family
Jefferson County Courthouse
1820 Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 1220
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Phone: (360) 385-9190
Fax: (360) 385-9191
Jefferson County District Court
Jefferson County Courthouse
1820 Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 1220
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Phone: (360) 385-9135
Fax: (360) 385-9367
Are Jefferson County Court Records Public?
Jefferson County court records are mostly accessible to the public. However, the county's courts have the legal right to seal or remove portions of court documents from public view.
A County Court may seal court documents if it violates a record bearer's right to privacy or confidentiality. Child adoption or juvenile court records are mostly exempt from public view.
How to Obtain Jefferson County Civil Court Case Records
Jefferson County civil court case records are accessible to interested persons via the Clerk of the Jefferson County District Court. The Clerk is responsible for maintaining and issuing copies of civil court documents to interested persons or entities. Record seekers can request and obtain civil court records via mail or in person request to the Clerk of the District Court.
Requesters must follow these steps to access civil court records via mail:
- Complete a Request to Review Case File Records;
- Next, include the required request fee as a money order or check;
- Send the completed form and fee to the address below:
Jefferson County District Court
P.O. Box 1220
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Phone: (360) 385-9135
In contrast, requesters can obtain civil court records from the Clerk of the Jefferson County District Court at:
1820 Jefferson Street
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Phone: (360) 385-9135
How to Obtain Jefferson County Criminal Court Case Records
The Jefferson County District Court enables public access to criminal court records in its custody. Interested members of the public can access these records from the Clerk of the County's District Court via mail or in-person requests.
Requesters must adhere to these guidelines when requesting for criminal records via mail:
- Complete a Request to Review Case File Records;
- Next, include the required request fee as a money order or check;
- Send the completed form and fee to the county district court.
What are Jefferson County Vital Records?
Jefferson County vital records are government-verified data on life events, such as birth, death, marriage, and divorce. These life events are public records and are mostly accessible to interested persons or entities.
However, custodian agencies may limit access to vital records to the record subject and requesters with a legitimate interest in the document. The Jefferson County Superior Court - Juvenile and Family is the custodian of divorce records. In contrast, marriage, birth, and death records are under the purview of the Jefferson County Auditor's Office.
Jefferson County Divorce Records
Jefferson County divorce records are data on all dissolution of legally-recognized unions in the county. The Jefferson County Superior Court - Juvenile and Family Division provides access to divorce records via a statewide online platform. To obtain Jefferson County divorce records, interested persons must input the case number into the search box.
Note that the platform maintains and disseminates divorce records from 2010 to the present.
Jefferson County Marriage Records
Jefferson County marriage records are government-verified data on all marriage events in the county. The Jefferson County Auditor's Office, via the Washington State Archives, maintains online records of marriage events from 1872 to the present. To access Jefferson County marriage certificates on the online platform, record seekers must fill out the following information:
- Record subjects' full names;
- Marriage year.
Jefferson County Birth Records
Jefferson County birth records are government-verified documents on all birth events in the county. The Jefferson County Public Health is the record custodian for all documented birth events from 1907 to the present. Birth records created before 1907 are accessible online from the Washington State Center for Health Statistics.
Moreover, only individuals with specific relationships to the record bearer can receive a certified copy of the Jefferson County birth record. For this reason, requesters must present a valid government-issued photo ID to obtain birth records.
Jefferson County birth records are accessible to eligible persons via mail or fax requests to the County's Public Health Department. To obtain birth documents via mail or fax, requesters must follow these steps:
- Download and complete a Washington State Certified Birth Certificate Application;
- Include a $25 search fee as a money order or check payable to Jefferson County Public Health;
- Attach a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID;
- Send the required documents to:
Jefferson County Public Health
615 Sheridan Street
Port Townsend, WA 98368.
Fax: (360) 385-9401
Jefferson County Death Records
Jefferson County death records comprise information on all reported death events. Record seekers can find and obtain Jefferson County death records from the Jefferson County Public Health. The Jefferson County Health issues copies of death certificates to persons with a legitimate right to the document. Thus, requesters must present a valid ID before accessing Jefferson County death records.
Jefferson County death records are obtainable via mail or in-person requests to the Jefferson County Public Health. To obtain death certificates via mail or fax, record seekers must use these steps:
- Download and complete a Death Certificate Request Form;
- Include a $25 search fee as a money order or check payable to Jefferson County Public Health;
- Attach a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID;
- Send the required documents to the department of public health
