Washington Civil Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Washington Civil Court Records

The Washington Court System has four different kinds of courts, each with its area of jurisdiction. These include the Courts of Limited Jurisdiction, the Superior Courts, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court is the highest court level in Washington and is also known as the court of last resort. It upholds the constitution, interprets legislation, and implements the government's executive branch.

Following the Supreme Court comes the State Court of Appeals. It can affirm, reverse, amend, or reverse lower court rulings as an appellate court. This court also hears and resolves all pleas from Superior Courts, except for those cases expressly reserved for the Supreme Court.

The trial courts that hold the most authority are the Washington Superior Courts. These courts are responsible for hearing and deciding all civil cases, including appeals from lower courts.

Courts of Limited Jurisdiction are the courts that come after the Superior Courts. These courts include District Courts and Municipal Courts. Municipal Courts serve towns, whereas District Courts serve specific areas.

Can you get access to Washington Civil Court Records? The Washington Public Records Act assures that individuals can get access to these records. However, this statute also restricts public access to some civil court records, mostly prohibited by judges ruling, court orders, case law, and federal law.

What Are Washington Bankruptcy Records?

The Washington Bankruptcy Records provide extensive financial and personal information about the individual or corporation who files for bankruptcy in the state,

A debtor can start the bankruptcy process in this state by filing a petition at the Washington Eastern Bankruptcy Court or the Washington Western Bankruptcy Court.

Most people who file for bankruptcy in this state do one of the following:

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

This type of bankruptcy filing, often known as the fresh start bankruptcy, enables debtors to liquidate and sell their non-exempt property to pay creditors.

In Washington, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy usually gets over in 3 to 6 months.

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

This chapter of bankruptcy allows individuals and corporations to restructure and reorganize their resources.

Chapter 11 bankruptcy permits a debtor to reorganize if creditors accept and the courts approve a plan. With this type of bankruptcy, debtors can also propose a method for liquidation or stop running their business.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

A Chapter 13 bankruptcy permits debtors to retain the valued property, such as a car or a home, that might have otherwise been subject to foreclosure or repossession.

In Washington, those who file under this chapter must have a steady income and the ability to construct a payment plan. This plan allows individuals to return all their obligations or a portion of their debts within 3 to 5 years.

Washington Bankruptcy Records may include Chapter 9, Chapter 12, and Chapter 15 bankruptcies, in addition to the ones listed above.

How to Find Washington Bankruptcy Records?

You can get bankruptcy records in all formats directly from the Washington Bankruptcy Courts. To obtain copies of these records, you can go to the courthouse in person or ask for case information online or by mail.

You can use the public terminals in the Court Clerk's Offices to get hard copies of these records. You can also ask to have these records sent to you by mail in these offices.

For mail requests, you have to send a written request that includes the case number, the debtor's name, and any other important information about the documents.

In addition, you can acquire these documents by using the Voice Case Information System (VCIS), which is linked to the Bankruptcy Court's electronic case file system.

However, the VCIS gives only basic information, including:

  • The debtor's name
  • Case number
  • The debtor's attorney and contact information
  • The creditors' meeting date
  • Trustee's name
  • Case status
  • The presiding judge's name
  • Filing date
  • Release date

If you want access to bankruptcy records filed before May 17, 2001, in that case, you can contact the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) or visit the department's website to obtain a record copy.

What Are Washington Property Lien Records?

Part of the Washington Civil Court Records, a property lien is an interest placed on an estate to ensure the owner pays back a debt.

Once affixed to a property, it provides insurance, permitting the legal seizure of the property to satisfy obligations by a person or organization. Title 60 Revised Code of Washington Code is responsible for enforcing property liens in this state.

There are different kinds of property liens in Washington, but the most common ones are:

Tax Lien or Tax Deed

Washington Code RCW 84 states that the County Treasurer must start tax foreclosure on any real property with a tax bill more than three years later. The Treasurer's Office and Prosecutor's Office submit a Certificate of Delinquency to the County Superior Court to start the foreclosure.

Judgment Lien

This property lien allows creditors to seize a debtor's real property in case of a breach of contract.

When the debtor's estate is in the same district, establishing a judgment lien is automatic in this state. But the lender must file this lien with the asset's county clerk if the debtor's investment is in another district.

Washington law prohibits judgment liens on personal property and limits them to real estate for ten years.

Mechanic's Lien

Under a mechanic's or construction lien, people who work and provide professional services, materials, or equipment for the remodeling or repair of the owner-occupied principal residence and are not paid can use the property to get paid.

Mortgage Lien

A mortgage lien applies to those who acquire a home through a loan.

To secure the loan, the lender accepts the lien. If the debtor doesn't pay, the lender can take the property to cover the debt.

This property lien will remain attached to a Washington property until the debt payment.

UCC Lien

Commonly accepted laws and regulations control the enforcement of this sort of property lien. If a party lends money under the UCC, the lender can seize the borrower's business assets to recover the debt in case of business failure.

In Washington, you can use a UCC form to file these property liens with the Secretary of State's Office.

Most UCC liens are only good for five years. However, the lender may submit a lien extension request.

How To Check Washington Property Lien Records?

Each Washington department administers the county's public records, including property lien. Therefore, you can check these records at the county auditor's recording department.

You can use the relevant office's public computers to search for and view property liens in Washington. You can also pay for document copies of these records in these offices.

Alternatively, you can submit a request via phone or mail. You can find mailing addresses and phone numbers on the office's website.

The county auditor's website also has an overview of records with crucial data and scanned documents. Depending on the county, the database may be free or paid.

If you wish to obtain UCC liens, you can access the Department of Licensing's (DOL) Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) database.

You can search for these liens and receive copies by completing and mailing an Information Request Form to the agency. You can visit DOL's fees and payment options section to know the applicable fee.

What Are Washington Civil Driving Violation Records?

The Washington Civil Driving Violation Records include a motorist's driving and traffic history. These records usually include a person's infractions and driver's license suspensions.

Some common examples of civil driving violation records in Washington are:

  • Faulty vehicle equipment
  • Speeding
  • Not wearing a seat belt
  • Driving without insurance
  • Jaywalking
  • Parking overtime
  • Texting while driving
  • Illegal U-turn

These minor infractions consist solely of traffic tickets issued by state or local authorities. Thus, it does not result in imprisonment.

However, those guilty of these violations may be subject to fines, community service, traffic school, and demerit points on their driving records.

How To Look Up Washington Civil Driving Violation Records?

If you want to look up a civil driving violation record for free, you must ask the proper court and department in person or online.

In Washington, it is necessary to attend the court with jurisdiction over the case to perform a physical search.

The court does not charge a price for viewing traffic records; however, you must pay a fee if you desire to receive a copy of a document or if you want the court employees to search for you.

You can also visit the local DOL office to obtain these documents. On the Drivers Licensing Office Locations page of the department's website, you can find the addresses of the offices.

Additionally, you can look up traffic records online through the DOL's License eXpress (LX) system. By signing up or logging in, record-holders can review their records within 24 hours of payment. Also, once the report is ready, you can print it immediately or save it later.

What Are Washington Legal Judgment Records?

The Washington Legal Judgment Records are the formal papers generated when a court rules an order or ruling regarding a particular case.

According to the state's statute, a judgment is the court's ultimate assessment of the parties' rights and obligations in a case. It includes the court's decision and enforceable requests for the plaintiff and defendant.

The rules for entering, enforcing, and collecting judgments in the state's judicial district are in Titles 4 and 6 of the Revised Code of Washington. These statutes also describe each party's case-related responsibilities.

How To Look Up Washington Legal Judgment Records?

To look up legal judgment records in Washington, you can ask the person in charge of the documents in person, by mail, or by using the online resources on the webpage of the court of interest.

If you want to get these records in person, you can use the self-service option on the public access terminals in the courthouses.

Additionally, you can subscribe to JIS-Link, a web-based subscription platform administered by the Administrative Office of the Courts, to access these documents.

Depending on how you want to access these records, you must download and fill out a request form with relevant information. However, court procedures may vary in this state.

You can look at the Washington court directory to find out how to contact local courts or find their websites.

When you get these records, you can expect the following:

  • Parties involved
  • The conflict
  • The account presented by the prosecution and defense
  • The rights and duties of the parties after the hearing
  • A summary of the parties' arguments
  • The facts that the court found.

What Are Washington Small Claims Records?

In the Small Claims Records of the Washington Civil Court Records, you can find all the information generated about a small claims case.

Small Claims Court, a department of the District Courts in Washington, hears civil claims for money recovery up to $10,000 or $5,000 for businesses.

This court offers a quicker, less expensive, and less formal manner of settling low-dollar disputes.

In Washington Small Claims Court, the most common types of cases heard are:

  • Neighbor conflicts
  • Landlord-tenant security deposit disputes
  • Faulty product purchase
  • Car accidents
  • Bad checks

The filing of a claim with the District Court Clerk initiates a small claim proceeding.

In Washington, there is no clerk in Small Claims Court. District Court officers oversee the Small Claims Courts since they are a particular branch of these courts.

Before the court decides a matter, parties must pay minimal filing fees and court costs, observe local restrictions, and attend court on their trial day. At any time before trial in a small claims dispute, plaintiffs and defendants can settle out of court.

After filing, dockets, pleadings, and judgments will all become part of the Washington Small Claims Records.

How To Look Up Washington Small Claims Records?

When looking for Washington Small Claims Records, the courthouse that handled the case is the first place to inspect.

In this state, most courts have a public access terminal that you can use to look at records. You can also pay a small fee to get copies of these records from the Court Clerk's Office.

Like in Washington Legal Judgment Records, it is also possible to access these documents online through JIS-Link. On this system, you can sign up to see indexes of Small Claims Court cases and records.

Some state courts also keep their separate systems of public records. For instance, you can use the King County District Court search tools to locate such files.

To obtain these courts' websites, addresses, and phone numbers, visit the Court Directory.

What Are Washington Divorce Court Records?

In Washington, divorce proceedings begin with the delivery and filing of divorce papers. In addition, you or your spouse must meet the residency criteria of the state where you wish to file and have legal reasons for the divorce.

The Washington Superior Court's Family Court or Civil Courts handles divorces. You can read this handbook about divorce in Washington to learn about alimony, eligibility requirements, property and debt divisions, and more.

In the same way, you can get all the court forms you need on this page.

There are three different kinds of Washington Divorce Court Records, which are as follows:

Divorce Certificate

This kind of divorce court record only has the most basic facts about divorce. It lists the names of the two people who got divorced and the divorce date and place.

One party often requests a divorce certificate to change their name. It is also needed if one person wants a new marriage certificate.

This record is public in Washington unless the judge seals them.

Divorce Decree

This type of divorce court record has more information than divorce certificates. Along with information about the divorce decree, it also has details about the judgments in the case, a case number, and the prosecutor's signature.

The judgments in this document include the following information:

  • Child support
  • Alimony
  • Child custody
  • Allocation of property

In Washington, anybody can acquire this type of divorce court records by contacting the Superior Court Clerk of the county where the divorce occurred.

Divorce Records

Washington divorce records are more detailed than divorce certificates and decrees.

It contains all the same information as the two preceding documents and other dissolution of marriage records, like every file, report, and transcript from the case.

Similar to other divorce documents in Washington, these documents are available to the public. However, only the parties and their attorneys can get certified copies of these records.

How To Look Up Washington Divorce Court Records?

There are three ways to get Washington Divorce Court Records: online, over the mail, and in person.

You can access these details online through the Washington County Superior Court search portal. Most County Superior Courts employ the Odyssey Portal, where you can look up records using the names of the parties and the case number.

To find these records by mail, you must fill out a request form and send it along with the proper identification and fees.

Alternatively, you can access these documents through the Department of Health. To get these records, you can go to the Customer Service Counter of the department.

What Are Washington Probate Court Records?

The Washington Probate Court Records are documents submitted in a Probate Court after a person's death.

Probate is the legal process for carrying out a deceased person's will. This process settles the dead person's estate, giving assets and property to successors and beneficiaries.

Some of the probate-related documents you can find in Washington Probate Court Records are as follows:

  • Accounts
  • Inventories
  • Bonds
  • Wills
  • Petitions

In this state, you can file a petition for probate with the Superior Court of the county where the decedent resided at the time of death.

Most probates in Washington take between six months and a year to finish. However, it can take longer if there is a will dispute or unusual assets or obligations.

You can review Title 11 of the Revised Code of Washington for further information on the probate procedure. This law will also assist you in grasping your rights and responsibilities as a surviving family member or estate personal representative.

Where can you find Washington Probate Court Records? The Superior Court Clerk's Office is the place where you can get these records. Remotely, you can check for some documents or information using the Washington County Superior Court online search portal.

How To Look Up Civil Court Cases in Washington?

You can get Washington Civil Court Records online or by mail. You can also go to the county clerk's office that handled your case.

You can find the court's mailing address and email address in the Court Directory to get these documents by mail or email.

You can look up a court record through the Washington Courts online search portal. You can visit theOdyssey Portal to view most civil court records remotely. This portal gives you access to records and documents in the Superior Court Case Management System.

You can access these records on this portal as registered or unregistered users. This portal allows registered users to view complete records, while unregistered users can only access non-confidential case details.

Nonetheless, you can obtain these records without registering if you navigate to the portal's Smart Search tool and follow the on-screen instructions.