What are Seattle Public Records?
Under the Washington Public Records Act, Seattle public records refer to information collated, stored, and updated by custodial agencies. Public records may consist of writings, recordings, pictures, emails, magnetic tapes, and pictures. Seattle public records are exempted from public view if it falls into the following categories:
- Violates the right of privacy of the record bearer.
- Not of legitimate concern to the public.
- Interferes with an ongoing law enforcement investigation or court proceedings.
Seattle Crime Statistics
The Seattle Police Department provides the data and statistics for all crimes reported within the city. More so, it provides an annual summary report of all crimes recorded. The 2018 crime statistics report reveals Seattle recorded a total number of 43,298. This includes 5,052 violent crimes and 38,246. The violent crimes include 32 murders and Non-negligence manslaughters, 292 rapes, 1,649 robberies, and 3,079 aggravated assaults. In addition to this, property crimes include 7,895 burglaries, 26,219 larcenies-thefts, 4,042 motor vehicle thefts, and 109 arsons. Compared to 2016 crime statistics, Seattle saw a slight increase in the total number of reported crimes. The total number of murder and Non-negligence manslaughter cases rose by 68 percent, while larcenies reduced by two percent.
Are Seattle Criminal Records Public?
Members of the public have limited access to Seattle's criminal records. Criminal records accessible to the public are restricted to only information on convictions and arrest records of less than one year. However, the custodial agency in charge of Seattle criminal records provides certified criminal justice agencies with unrestricted criminal records information. The Washington State Patrol Criminal Records Division is the custodial agency for Seattle criminal records. Requesters may request and obtain criminal records via online, mail-in, in-person services. Criminal records cost $32 per search, and requesters may receive criminal records by sending the completed request form to the:
Washington State Patrol, Identification and Background Check Section
P.O. Box 42633
Olympia, WA 98504-2633
How to Obtain Seattle Police Reports and Arrest Records
The Seattle Police Department provides access to Seattle police reports and arrests records via its online database. Interested persons may view and obtain copies of police reports or arrest records by creating a Socrata account and logging into the state's database. Furthermore, authorized requesters may sign in through the city of Seattle's records platform.
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Seattle
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs collates and regularly updates an online database of all convicted sex offenders in Seattle and the state in general. The database categorizes sex offenders into tiers (Tier I, II, III) depending on the severity of their sex-related offense. Requesters can search for sex offenders by name, city, offender status, and zip codes.
How to Find Seattle Inmate Record
The King County Jail Inmate Lookup Service is an online search platform that contains the names of all inmates currently incarcerated within the county. Members of the public can search Seattle inmate records using the offender's BA# or CCN#. Furthermore, requesters can search using the offender's first and last name.
How do I Visit an Inmate in King County Jail?
Visitation to the King County Jail is solely through video/remote calls. Families and friends of the inmates must sign up for the Securus Video Visitation software before communicating with the inmates.
Court Records
A part of the King County Judicial District, the King County Superior Court provides access to different types of Seattle court records. They include administrative records, probate records, traffic records, civil records, and criminal records.
Location of Courts in Seattle
The City and County are home to four Superior Courts, eight District Courts, and 24 Municipal Courts. The courts’ contact details are listed below:
King County Mental Illness Court
Ninth and Jefferson Building
Harborview Medical Center
908 Jefferson Street
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: (206) 744-7774
King County Superior Court
King County Courthouse
516 3rd Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: (206) 296-9300
King County Superior Court
Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center
401 4th Avenue North
Kent, WA 98032
Phone: (206) 296-9300
King County Superior Court - Juvenile
Youth Services Center
1211 East Alder Street
Seattle, WA 98122
Phone: (206) 477-6770
King County District Court East Division - Bellevue
Bellevue Courthouse
1309 114th Avenue Southeast
Suite 100
Bellevue, WA 98004
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (425) 777-9157
King County District Court East Division - Issaquah
Issaquah Courthouse
5415 220th Avenue Southeast
Issaquah, WA 98029
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 296-0591
King County District Court East Division - Redmond
Redmond Courthouse
8601 160th Avenue Northeast
Redmond, WA 98052
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 296-0592
King County District Court South Division - Auburn
Auburn Courthouse
340 East Main Street
Suite 101
Auburn, WA 98002
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 296-0525
King County District Court South Division - Burien
Burien Courthouse
601 Southwest 149th Street
Burien, WA 98166
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 296-0124
King County District Court South Division - Kent
Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center
401 4th Avenue North
Kent, WA 98032
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 205-8840
King County District Court West Division - Seattle
King County Courthouse
516 3rd Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 296-0910
King County District Court West Division - Shoreline
Shoreline Courthouse
18050 Meridian Avenue North
Shoreline, WA 98133
Phone: (206) 205-9200
Fax: (206) 296-0594
Black Diamond Municipal Court
25510 Lawson Street
P.O. Box 599
Black Diamond, WA 98010
Phone: (360) 886-7784
Fax: (360) 886-5354
Bothell Municipal Court
10116 Northeast
183rd Street
Bothell, WA 98011
Phone: (425) 487-5587
Fax: (425) 488-3052
Clyde Hill Municipal Court
Kirkland Justice Center
11740 Northeast
118th Street
Kirkland, WA 98034
Phone: (425) 587-3160
Fax: (425) 587-3161
Des Moines Municipal Court
21630 11th Avenue South
Suite C
Des Moines, WA 98198
Phone: (206) 878-4597
Fax: (206) 870-4387
Enumclaw Municipal Court
1339 Griffin Avenue
Enumclaw, WA 98022
Phone: (360) 825-7771
Fax: (360) 802-0107
Federal Way Municipal Court
33325 8th Avenue South
Federal Way, WA 98003
Phone: (253) 835-3000
Fax: (253) 835-3020
Hunts Point Municipal Court
Kirkland Justice Center
11740 Northeast
118th Street
Kirkland, WA 98034
Phone: (425) 587-3160
Fax: (425) 587-3161
Issaquah Municipal Court
135 East Sunset Way
P.O. Box 7005
Issaquah, WA 98027
Phone: (425) 837-3170
Fax: (425) 837-3178
Kent Municipal Court
1220 Central Avenue South
Kent, WA 98032
Phone: (253) 856-5730
Fax: (253) 856-6730
Kirkland Municipal Court
Kirkland Justice Center
11740 Northeast 118th Street
Kirkland, WA 98034
Phone: (425) 587-3160
Fax: (425) 587-3161
Lake Forest Park Municipal Court
17425 Ballinger Way Northeast
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
Phone: (206) 364-7711
Fax: (206) 364-7712
Maple Valley Municipal Court
1220 Central Avenue South
Kent, WA 98032
Phone: (253) 856-5730
Fax: (253) 856-6730
Medina Municipal Court
Kirkland Justice Center
11740 Northeast 118th Street
Kirkland, WA 98034
Phone: (425) 587-3160
Fax: (425) 587-3161
Mercer Island Municipal Court
9611 Southeast 36th Street
Mercer Island, WA 98040
Phone: (206) 275-7604
Fax: (206) 275-7980
Municipal Court of Pacific and Algona
100 3rd Avenue Southeast
Pacific, WA 98047
Phone: (253) 929-1140
Fax: (253) 929-1195
Newcastle Municipal Court
9611 Southeast 36th Street
Mercer Island, WA 98040
Phone: (206) 275-7604
Fax: (206) 275-7980
Normandy Park Municipal Court
21630 11th Avenue South
Suite C
Des Moines, WA 98198
Phone: (206) 878-4597
Fax: (206) 870-4387
North Bend Municipal Court
135 East Sunset Way
P.O. Box 7005
Issaquah, WA 98027
Phone: (425) 837-3170
Fax: (425) 837-3178
Renton Municipal Court
1055 South Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
Phone: (425) 430-6550
Fax: (425) 430-6544
SeaTac Municipal Court
4800 South 188th Street
SeaTac, WA 98188
Phone: (206) 973-4610
Fax: (206) 973-4629
Seattle Municipal Court
Seattle Justice Center
600 5th Avenue
P.O. Box 34987
Seattle, WA 98124
Phone: (206) 684-5600
Fax: (206) 233-0056
Snoqualmie Municipal Court
135 East Sunset Way
P.O. Box 7005
Issaquah, WA 98027
Phone: (425) 837-3170
Fax: (425) 837-3178
Tukwila Municipal Court
6200 Southcenter Boulevard
Tukwila, WA 98188
Phone: (206) 433-1840
Fax: (206) 433-7160
Yarrow Point Municipal Court
Kirkland Justice Center
11740 Northeast 118th Street
Kirkland, WA 98034
Phone: (425) 587-3160
Fax: (425) 587-3161
Are Seattle Court Records Public?
A considerable percentage of Seattle court records are open to the public. Although court records under the following category - mental illness cases, adoption cases, domestic violence cases, and Juvenile cases, are exempted from the public view.
Can You Look Up a Seattle Court Case Online?
King County Superior Court Clerk's Office provides online access to King County Court cases via an online search database. Besides providing online access, the Superior Court Clerk's Office also allows requesters to search for court records via in-person services.
How to Obtain Seattle Civil Court Case Records
Seattle civil court case records are available online. The King County Superior Court Clerk's Office provides an online platform that public members can utilize to search for civil court cases. Interested persons must create an account on the online platform before they can access civil court records. To obtain search results, requesters must pay a $1 convenience fee, $2.49 credit card fee, and a $10 postage fee, which will be added to the request. Furthermore, non-certified civil court records cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $5.0 for the first page and $1 for subsequent copies.
How to Obtain Seattle Criminal Court Case Records
Interested persons can obtain Seattle criminal court cases from an online search platform maintained by the King County Superior Court Clerk's Office, the custodian agency for all court records. Requesters must create an account on the platform before accessing criminal court records. To obtain search results, requesters must pay a $1 convenience fee, $2.49 credit card fee, and a $10 postage fee, which will be added to the request. Furthermore, non-certified civil court records cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $5.0 for the first page and $1 for subsequent copies.
What are Seattle Vital Records
Seattle's vital records are official documents detailing information on the occurrence of life events in the city. These vital records include death records, marriage records, birth records, and divorce records. Seattle’s vital records are collated and maintained by custodial agencies at the county and state levels. Furthermore, these custodial agencies restrict the availability of vital records to only eligible requesters.
Where and How To Obtain Seattle Divorce Records
Interested persons may request certified copies of Seattle divorce records from the King's County Recorder's Office - the custodian agency for all vital records. Requesters can access divorce records from August 1, 1991, while records prior to 1991 are only available in the King County Archives. To obtain divorce records via online search, visit King County's online platform. Requesters can search for divorce records on the platform by inputting the record subjects' names, document type, and divorce date. To obtain divorce records in person, visit the:
The Community Service Center
King County Administration Building
500 Fourth Avenue
Suite 430
Seattle, WA 98104
To make a mail request for divorce records, download and fill out the Divorce Records Request Form. Include the specified fee, and submit the completed form to the:
King County Court House
516 Third Avenue
6th Floor
Seattle, WA 98104
Where and How to Obtain Seattle Marriage Records
The King County Recorder's Office maintains and provides access to certified copies of Seattle marriage records from August 1, 1991, to the present. Requesters can obtain marriage records before 1991 from the King County's Archive Office. To obtain records preceding 1991, send a writing request containing the recording numbers (if available), the date, and location to the email: archives@kingcounty.gov.
Certified divorce records cost $3 per copy and $1 for additional pages. The King County Recorder's Office provides online access to Seattle marriage records. Requesters can access marriage records by inputting the record bearers' names, document type, and the marriage date into the search platform. To make a mail request for marriage records, requesters must download and fill out the Marriage Records Request Form. Include the specified fee, and submit the completed form to the:
King County Court House
516 Third Avenue
6th Floor
Seattle, WA 98104.
Where and How to Obtain Seattle Birth Records
The King County Vital Statistics Office is the primary custodian for Seattle birth records. Only requesters with a specific relationship to the record bearer can gain access to these records. More so, requesters are required to submit proof of identification to back up their request for birth records. To obtain birth records via mail, record seekers will need to download and fill out the Birth Records Request Form, and mail it to the:
Vital Statistics
HMC Box 359784
325 9th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104-2499
Requesters can also obtain birth records via in-person services. In-person services usually take less than 20 minutes to get birth records. To obtain birth records, visit the Harborview Medical Center at:
Ninth & Jefferson Building
2nd Floor
908 Jefferson Street
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone 1: (206) 897-5100
Phone 2: (800) 325-6165
Fax: (206) 897-4580
Birth records cost $25 per requested copy. More so, requesting birth records incurs an $8 search fee. All fees must be made payable to the Vital Records Office.
Where and How to Obtain Seattle Death Records
The King County Vital Records Office keeps track and maintains all Seattle death events recorded in the city from 1944 to the present. Requesters can obtain Seattle death records via mail-in or in-person requests. Furthermore, requesters must provide the following information: the full name of the deceased and place and date of death. Death records cost $20. More so, searching for death records attracts an $8 fee. To order Seattle death records in person, residents can visit the Harborview Medical Center at:
Ninth & Jefferson Building
2nd Floor
908 Jefferson Street
Seattle, WA 98104
To obtain birth records via mail, requesters will need to download and fill out the Birth Records Request Form, and mail it to the:
Vital Statistics
HMC Box 359784
325 9th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104-2499
