King County, Washington Court Records

King County Court Records

Per Washington State Supreme Court's General Rule 31(4), King County court records are any information, document, calendar, docket, order, index, judgment, register of actions, decree, minute, or exhibit relating to a judicial proceeding created, prepared, or maintained by a King County Court. Court record excludes personal notes, drafts, memoranda, or any data about a case or party for or maintained by a judge. The Superior Court Clerk maintains court records in King County based on the provisions of the Local Rules of the Superior Court for King County.

King County court records are critical in the judicial system as they ensure transparency, protect legal rights, promote accountability, support research, and preserve legal and cultural heritage. They provide a transparent account of legal proceedings and protect individuals' rights by giving evidence of arguments and decisions. Hence, court records are deemed a part of King County Public Records and are made available to interested and eligible members of the public on request.

Are Court Records Public in King County?

The Washington Public Records Act and the Washington State Supreme Court's General Rule 31(d) establish access to court records as a fundamental right of the public unless specifically restricted by law. Therefore, court records are available to the public in King County. However, certain court records may be restricted from public access due to privacy concerns. The following types of court records are generally not available to the public:

Juvenile records
Adoption records
Personnel records
Investigative records
Confidential legal advice
Records on pending litigation
Personal identifiers like social security numbers, financial account numbers, and driver's license numbers in a court record

What Do King County Court Records Contain?

King County Court Records are available for public access with some exceptions. The court records in King County typically contain the following components:

Case number
Filing date
Filing type
Case disposition
Participant type
Attorney's name
Case name
Charges
Case status
Document list (sub number, date filed, document name, and additional information)
Events - hearing (date/time, type, additional info, official and location)
Case schedule
Participant information (defendant and plaintiff names)

Where to Conduct a King County Case Lookup

To conduct a case lookup in King County, an inquirer can use the following resources:

How to Conduct a King County Case Records Search

A record seeker can search King County case records online, by mail, or in person at the Superior Court. Here are the available search options:

Online Requests: King County offers access to court records through the KC Script Portal. The portal allows individuals to search and view case information or request/view court records. Records can be requested by inputting the case type, case number, filing date, or party name. No account is required to access case information, but individuals must create one to access court records online. Records viewable through the KC Script portal are adult criminal cases, civil cases (excluding domestic violence and antiharassment protection order cases, probate and guardianship cases, family law cases, and unsealed paternity cases.
In-Person Requests: Individuals can visit the King County Clerk's Office to search for court records in person. The office is open to the public from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm. To search, individuals must provide specific information about the case, such as the case number, party name, or filing date. The Clerk's Office has public access areas that can be used to search for court records for free. Copies of court documents can be requested for a fee, and payment can be made by cash, check, or credit card.
Mail Requests: An individual can fill out the Mail In Copy Request form and mail it to any of the specified locations listed in the form. Mail requests can be paid for using a check or money order. All checks must be written on Washington State Bank paper, bearing the payor's name and address. Make sure to designate the King County Clerk's Office as the recipient of all checks and money orders. All mail requests must include a $10 postage and handling fee unless a self-addressed, stamped envelope accompanies the request. It is important to note that sealed or confidential documents cannot be ordered via mail.

The processing time for court records costs about five business days upon receipt of requests. The fees for court records in King County vary depending on the document type. For example:

Non-certified copy fee is $0.25 for online viewing/download
Non-certified copy fee is $0.50 per page for Clerk-assisted copies
Certified copies cost $5 for the first page and $1 per page subsequently
Exemplified copies cost $9 for the first page and $1 per page subsequently
Research fee cost $30.00 per hour & any portion thereof
Expedited copies cost $30 per case

King County Civil Court Case Records

Civil court case records in King County include legal disputes between private citizens or companies. The Superior Court Civil Department is the custodian of civil cases in King County. The Department handles civil cases like personal injury, breach of contract, and medical malpractice. A record seeker can view or get copies of civil court case records online, by mail, or in person at the Civil Department. Online requesters should click on the Civil Case Search Case Type 2 tool on the KC Script Portal. A search can be conducted by case number or party name.

King County, Washington Criminal Court Case Records

Criminal court case records in King County are official documents that contain information on lawsuits brought by the county against individuals who have broken criminal laws. The Superior Court Criminal Department is the custodian of civil cases in King County. The Department handles all adult criminal cases in King County. These criminal records can be obtained online, by mail, or in person at the King County Superior Court. Online requesters should click on the Criminal Case Search Case Type 1 tool on the KC Script Portal. A search can be conducted by case number or party name.

How to Get Court Records Online for Free

Individuals can use the county's KC Script Portal to obtain court records online for free at Kings County. Here are the steps to follow:

Go to the King County Superior Court Clerk's official website
Scroll to the "Online Services" section and click "Find a Court Record" to access the court's case search tool.
Click the Document tool and the KC Script Portal link under the Online section.
Select the "Search & View Case Information" button in the KC Script Portal.
Select the type of case, such as criminal, civil, or family case search.
Enter the search criteria, such as the case number, filing date, or party information.
Click on "Search" to retrieve the search results.
The search results will display basic information about the case

Courts in King County

Below are the addresses of all the courts in King County:

King County Superior Court

King County Courthouse
516 Third Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: (206) 477-1400
Fax: (206) 296-0986
Email: SCWEB@KingCounty.gov

Maleng Regional Justice Center
401 Fourth Avenue North
Kent, WA 98032
Phone: (206) 477-2600

Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center (CCFJC)
1211 East Alder Street
Seattle, WA 98122-5593
Phone: (206) 263-8634

King Couty Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA) Court
Ninth and Jefferson Building
908 Jefferson Street
Seattle, WA 98104-2433
Phone: (206) 744-7774

King County District Courts

King County District Court East Division - Bellevue
1309 114th Ave. SE.
Suite 100
Bellevue, WA 98004
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (425) 777-9157

King County District Court East Division - Issaquah
5415 220th Ave. SE.
Issaquah, WA 98029-6839
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 296-0591

King County District Court East Division - Redmond
8601 160th Ave. NE.
Redmond, WA 98052
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 296-0592

King County District Court South Division - Auburn
340 E Main St 101
Auburn, WA 98002
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 296-0525

King County District Court South Division - Burien
601 S.W. 149th St.
Burien, WA 98166
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 296-0124

King County District Court South Division - Kent
Maleng Regional Justice Center
401 4th Ave. N.
Kent, WA 98032
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 205-8840

King County District Court West Division - Seattle
516 Third Avenue, Room E-327
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 296-0910

King County District Court West Division - Shoreline
18050 Meridian Ave. N.
Shoreline, WA 98133
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 296-0594

King County Municipal Courts

Black Diamond Municipal Court
25510 Lawson Street
Black Diamond, WA 98010
Phone: (360) 851-4490
Fax: (360) 851-4491

Bothell Municipal Court
10116 NE 183rd Street
Bothell, WA 98011
Phone: (425) 487-5587
Fax: (425) 487-5580
Email: municourt@bothellwa.gov

Des Moines Municipal Court
21630 11th Avenue S, Suite C
Des Moines, WA 98198
Phone: (206) 878-4597
Fax: (206) 870-4387
Email: court@desmoineswa.gov

Enumclaw Municipal Court
Griffin Avenue
Enumclaw, WA 98022
Phone: (360) 825-7771
Fax: (360) 802-0107

Federal Way Municipal Court
33325 8th Avenue S,
Suite 102
Federal Way, WA 98003
Phone: (253) 835-3000
Fax: (253) 835-3020
Email: MC.MuniCrt@cityoffederalway.com

Issaquah Municipal Court
135 E Sunset Way
P.O. Box 7005
Issaquah, WA 98027
Phone: (425) 837-3170
Fax: (425) 837-3178

Kent Municipal Court
1220 Central Avenue S
Kent, WA 98032
Phone: (253) 856-5730
Fax: (253) 856-6730
Email: MunicipalCourt@KentWA.gov

Kirkland Municipal Court
Kirkland Justice Center
11740 NE 118th Street
Kirkland, WA 98034
Phone: (425) 587-3160
Fax: (425) 587-3161
Email: court@kirklandwa.gov

Lake Forest Park Municipal Court
17425 Ballinger Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
Phone: (206) 364-7711
Fax: (206) 364-7712
Email: LFPcourt@cityoflfp.com

Maple Valley Municipal Court
1220 Central Ave S, Kent, WA 98032
Phone: (253) 856-5730
Fax: (253) 856-6730

Renton Municipal Court
1055 S Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
Phone: (425) 430-6550
Fax: (425) 430-6544
Email: rmcourt@rentonwa.gov

SeaTac Municipal Court
4800 S 188th Street
SeaTac, WA 98188
Phone: (206) 973-4610
Fax: (206) 248-4327
Email: municipalcourt@seatacwa.gov

Seattle Municipal Court
Seattle Justice Center
600 5th Avenue
P.O. Box 34987
Seattle, WA 98124
Phone: (206) 684-5600
Fax: (206) 233-0056
Email: smc_publicsvcs@seattle.gov

Tukwila Municipal Court
15005 Southcenter Blvd
Tukwila, WA 98188
Phone: (206) 433-1840
Fax: (206) 433-7160
Email: Court@tukwilawa.gov