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Spokane County, Washington Court Records

Spokane County court records are files, papers, exhibits, indexes, decrees, judgments, dockets, pleadings, reports, and court case file packets produced by court Authorities in Spokane County to document the initiation of a case, court proceedings, and the finalization of a court case. Record custodians create Spokane County court records to fulfill one of the court system’s fundamental duties: preserving information from court cases. These records are maintained at the court and provided to interested citizens in accordance with Spokane County court rules and Washington public records law.

A significant portion of the court records produced in Spokane County are either civil or criminal case files. Civil case records are documents from the Spokane family court and the civil division of the superior court.

Examples of these civil case documents include adoption records, civil lawsuit files, landlord-tenant disputes, child support records, marriage dissolution documents, and other vital records. A part of the Criminal court records in Spokane County includes law enforcement records, such as criminal history records, federal criminal case files, and arrest records.

Are Spokane County Court Records Public?

Spokane County court records are public records in accordance with the Washington Public Records Act and Washington’s court rules on access to court records (GR 31). These laws provide that most Spokane County court records are public documents, except when they are exempted from public disclosure by a court order or a state/federal statute. Additionally, Access to court records is not absolute and shall be consistent with reasonable expectations of personal privacy. Courts in Spokane County are also required by Washington court rules to facilitate access to court records. Some examples of court records in Spokane that are exempt from public disclosure include:

  • Mental health treatment records
  • Juvenile court records
  • Adoption records
  • Paternity records

Specific Spokane County court records also have special restrictions that require portions of court records involving sexual abuse, domestic violence, or private financial information to be redacted before they are made public.

What Information is Available in Spokane County Court Records?

The following information is usually found within Spokane County court records:

  • Case number
  • Case title
  • Case type
  • Case date filed
  • Incident number
  • The name of the court in charge of the case
  • Case status
  • Hearing information(type of hearing, date , status, case number)
  • Case documents(affidavits , motions , pleadings , citations)

Spokane County Court Records Search

Individuals who are interested in obtaining copies of certified Spokane County court records can search for and request these documents using the following options:

Online Access

Citizens can search for Spokane County court records online using the Spokane County district and superior court portals. These portals allow users to search for records remotely by providing a case number or the names of persons listed on court documents. Individuals can also find detailed information about court hearing dates and trial dates for civil, criminal and probate cases using the portal.

Alternatively, people can also use the Washington County Courts statewide portal to search for court documents created and maintained by the Spokane County Superior Court. Users can search the statewide database by entering the full name of a defendant or petitioner in the case, or the date the petition was filed.

In-Person Access

Anyone can access Spokane County court documents in person by visiting the court clerk’s office during business hours. At the office, individuals will be required to complete a records request form provided by the clerk’s office records management department. Requesters must provide key details about the records they need, such as the case number or the name of an individual named in the court case. Record seekers can also use the public access terminals located at kiosks and in the county courthouse lobby to search for court records, including a list of documents submitted in each case and an index of cases filed.

Mail and Phone Requests

Record seekers can send a mail request for Spokane County court records by writing a letter specifying the details about the court records they need. Requesters must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope that is large enough and has enough postage for copies of the desired document, together with the necessary cost for copies. The request should be sent to the U.S mail address of the Spokane County Clerk’s office:

Spokane County Clerk’s Office

116 West Broadway Ave,

Room 300,

Spokane, WA 99260

Before requesting copies, requesters can call the County Clerk’s Office at 509-477-2211 during business hours to learn the exact cost and the number of pages per document.

Fees for Court Records in Spokane County

The standard fees for requesting court documents from any Spokane County court are outlined in the Washington State Legislature, RCW 36.18.016. The statute states that case files from any Spokane County court are $20. The first page of a certified copy (with seal) costs an additional $5, and each successive page costs $1. Except for Microfilm, which is 50 cents per page, non-certified copies are an extra 25 cents per page.

Spokane County Courthouse Locations

The county court system in Spokane County consists of a superior court, district court, and municipal courts. The superior court is the county’s largest court, with broad jurisdiction over most civil and criminal matters. The superior court also hears appeals from the district and municipal courts. The district and municipal courts have limited jurisdiction and handle misdemeanour and traffic offences, as well as small claims. There are 8 courthouses in Spokane County. Below are the locations of these courthouses:

Spokane County Superior Court

Spokane County Courthouse

1116 W Broadway Avenue, Room 300, Spokane, WA 99260

Phone: 509-477-2211

Spokane County Superior Court - Juvenile

902 N Adams Street, Spokane, WA 99260

Phone: 509-477-4742

Fax: 509-477-2699

Spokane County District Court

Public Safety Building

1100 W Mallon Avenue, PO Box 2352, Spokane, WA 99210

Phone: 509-477-4770

Fax: 509-477-6445

Spokane County District Court - Civil/Small Claims

Broadway Centre Building

721 N Jefferson Street, Spokane, WA 99260

Phone: 509-477-4770 ext. 8

Airway Heights Municipal Court

Physical: 13120 W 13th Avenue, Airway Heights, WA 99001

Mailing: 1208 S Lundstrom Street, Airway Heights, WA 99001

Phone: 509-244-2773

Fax: 509-244-1852

Cheney Municipal Court

611 2nd Street, Cheney, WA 99004

Phone: 509-498-9231

Fax: 509-498-9332

Medical Lake Municipal Court

611 2nd Street, Cheney, WA 99004

Phone: 509-498-9231

Fax: 509-498-9332

Spokane Municipal Court

Public Safety Building

1100 W Mallon Avenue, Spokane, WA 99260

Phone: 509-625-4400

Fax: 509-625-4442

Criminal Records Access in Spokane County

Contrary to popular belief, the Spokane County clerk’s office is not the custodian of criminal records in Spokane County. In fact, criminal record checks cannot be performed at the county level in any county in Washington. However, the Spokane County Clerk’s Office serves as a channel for accepting and forwarding requests for statewide criminal record checks. The clerk’s office can forward criminal record requests to the Washington State Patrol.

The Washington State Patrol is the primary custodian of criminal history reports, fingerprint-based criminal records, and disposition information in Washington. The agency is a state-level body responsible for providing citizens with access to criminal record information compiled from all law enforcement agencies in the state. Individuals who want to access criminal records in Spokane County can do so by submitting requests to the Washington State Patrol online, in person, or by mail.

To make requests, record seekers will need to download and complete the Conviction Criminal History Form and deliver it to the state patrol office in person or by mail. Additionally, requesters will have to pay a $32 record request charge payable by check or money order. Alternatively, record seekers can use the fingerprint-based option and provide their complete set of fingerprints on a fingerprint card; however, there is a $58 fee for fingerprint-based requests.

Online requests for Washington County criminal records can also be performed using the Washington Access to Criminal History (WATCH) portal. The portal is a name-based search tool that can instantly provide a comprehensive criminal history for any subject.

Spokane County Probate Records

In Spokane County, a probate is a court-supervised procedure initiated when a person passes away to distribute their assets and money-known as the estate-to their heirs. Under Title 11 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), the court can appoint a personal representative to administer a deceased person’s estate, pay their debts and taxes, and distribute their assets through the probate process. The probate division of the Spokane County Superior Court creates the Spokane County Probate Records to record the entire probate process.

These documents include financial records and an estate inventory developed during the probate process, as well as wills created by the decedent before the probate began. A few Probate records in Spokane County are public records. Documents such as wills and appointment records become public immediately upon being introduced into the probate courts’ repository; however, financial probate records and documents related to guardianships are kept confidential because they contain private information.

Aside from typical probate matters, the Spokane County Probate Court also handles probate-related cases such as will repository, guardianship, conservatorship, and trusts. Persons interested in obtaining copies of Spokane County probate records can do so by making requests online, in person, or by mail to the Spokane Superior Court Clerk’s office. Depending on how busy the Spokane County Superior Court is, the probate clerk may or may not need appointments, so it’s a good idea to call the office to schedule an in-person visit.
Spokane County Family Court Records

Spokane County family court records are legal documents produced from the family division of the Spokane County Superior Court. The family division of the superior court handles legal matters relating to civil family disputes, adoptions, legal separations, guardianships, child support, and child custody. Most family court records in Spokane County are confidential records. Spokane family court records are made confidential because they almost always contain personal and private information. These records can only be requested successfully by parties who are essential subjects in the family court case.

Persons who want to obtain certified copies of Spokane County family court records can do so in person at the superior court or by mail. In-person visitors must provide a valid ID and a vital record that verifies their eligibility to request, obtain, and view copies of family court documents. Mail requests can be made by downloading and completing the family records request form. The form should include the family case number, a description of the family court case, and the type of family court case. Mail requests should also include a copy of the requester’s valid ID to verify their eligibility to obtain family court documents.

Federal Court Records in Spokane County

Federal court cases that occur in Spokane County fall under the jurisdiction of the Eastern District of Washington. The district court represents the federal judiciary in Spokane County and handles cases arising from federal lawsuits or from violations of federal law by citizens. Anyone interested in obtaining federal court records from the Eastern District of Washington can do so by visiting the county court clerk in person, by phone, or via the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) portal.

Visitors can go to the court during business hours and submit a completed records request form to obtain records in person. For online requests, users can locate and obtain copies of probate court documents by inputting the case number in the PACER portal.

Spokane County Court