Lacey Court Records Search
Lacey court records are handled through Thurston County courts. The city does not operate a separate standalone municipal court building. Instead, the Lacey Violations Bureau processes traffic and city ordinance matters, while Thurston County District Court and Thurston County Superior Court handle the full range of criminal and civil cases for Lacey residents. You can search many cases online through the Odyssey Portal or the statewide search at dw.courts.wa.gov, and order copies directly through the Thurston County Clerk's eCommerce system.
Lacey Overview
Lacey Violations Bureau and District Court
Lacey does not run its own separate municipal court. The Lacey Violations Bureau is located at 420 College Street SE, Lacey, WA 98503. Phone: 360-491-3211. Fax: 360-438-2669. This office processes city ordinance violations and traffic matters for Lacey. For more serious cases, Thurston County District Court takes over.
The Thurston County District Court has limited jurisdiction over misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, DUI, reckless driving, traffic violations, and civil cases under $100,000. The court also handles anti-harassment and domestic violence protection orders, name changes, and small claims up to $10,000. The court is located at 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Building 3, Olympia, WA 98502. Phone: 360-786-5450. Fax: 360-754-3359. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The District Court makes open records available online at weblink.co.thurston.wa.us/DCCASES/. You need the case number and law enforcement agency code to search. The court also offers text message reminders for upcoming court dates and provides LiveChat, email at TCDC@co.thurston.wa.us, and phone support.
| Office | Thurston County District Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Building 3 Olympia, WA 98502 |
| Phone | 360-786-5450 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| TCDC@co.thurston.wa.us |
To request District Court records, complete the court records request form and submit by email to DCpublicrecords@co.thurston.wa.us or by mail to Public Records Officer, Thurston County District Court, 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Building 3, Olympia, WA 98502-6045. Certified copies cost $5 per document. Standard copies cost $0.15 per page. Court recording CDs cost $20 per CD. The Public Records Officer will respond within five business days.
Thurston County Superior Court for Lacey Residents
Felony criminal cases, family law matters, probate, mental health commitments, guardianships, and civil disputes over the District Court limit are handled by Thurston County Superior Court. The courthouse is at 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Building 2, Olympia, WA 98502. Phone: 360-786-5560. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Thurston County was the first county in Washington to co-locate all family and juvenile operations in one facility separate from other Superior Court operations. The Family and Juvenile Court is at 2801 32nd Avenue SW, Tumwater, WA 98512. Phone: 360-709-3000. Five judicial officers serve this court: two Superior Court judges and three court commissioners. The court also operates a Drug Court and Family Recovery Court.
The Superior Court Clerk's Office provides certified copies of court documents and handles records requests. Contact county_clerk@co.thurston.wa.us or call 360-786-5430 for assistance. The online case and hearing search runs through the Odyssey Portal at odysseyportal.courts.wa.gov. Public case and hearing information is free to view. Associated documents are not viewable over the internet but can be viewed at Odyssey Portal kiosks in the Clerk's Office.
Accessing Lacey Court Records Online
The Thurston County Clerk offers an eCommerce system that lets you buy copies of court documents online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service went live in April 2009 and launched an updated "Clerk Documents" feature in March 2025. Visit co.thurston.wa.us/clerk/getdocs.html to get started. You will need the case number to search. Documents for sealed or confidential cases are not available here. Contact tcclerk@co.thurston.wa.us or call 360-786-5430 for help.
For a free statewide search that covers Thurston County District and Superior Court cases, use dw.courts.wa.gov. This portal updates daily at 3:00 a.m. and lets you search by name or case number. It provides reference information only. Copies must be ordered from the court of record. The Washington State Digital Archives also holds Thurston County Superior Court case files for historical research, with non-certified copies at $0.25 per page plus a $1 service charge per document.
Note: You cannot search Pierce County or King County case information through the Thurston County Odyssey Portal. For cross-county searches, use dw.courts.wa.gov instead.
What Records Are Available in Lacey
Thurston County Superior Court handles criminal felony cases, civil matters, family law including divorce and child custody, appeals from lower courts, adoptions, dependency cases, probate and guardianships, and mental health matters for Lacey. Most of these case files are open to the public unless sealed by court order.
Case types that are restricted include adoptions, paternity matters, mental competency proceedings, juvenile dependency files, and other records sealed by court order. You can view restricted records only if you are a party to the case or have a court order granting access. All other open files can be viewed in person at the Clerk's Office at no charge.
When you search the Thurston County case system, you can look up criminal case attorneys, charges, calendars, and hearings. Civil case searches show parties, attorneys, calendars, and hearings. The Odyssey Portal also lists Thurston County's code as 34 for transcript request purposes.
Laws Governing Lacey Court Records
Court records access in Washington is governed by General Rule 31 (GR 31), which says records are open unless a specific exemption applies. Courts must allow free viewing. Copies may be charged at actual cost. GR 31.1 covers access to administrative records maintained by courts, which is a separate category from case files.
RCW 42.56, the Public Records Act, does not apply to court case records. Those are subject to GR 31 and related court rules. RCW Chapter 36.23 defines the responsibilities of county clerks including their role as ex-officio clerks of the Superior Court. Thurston County Clerk Pamela Byrnes manages the official records for Thurston County Superior Court. For questions about access or fees, contact the Clerk's Office directly at 360-786-5430.
Thurston County Court Records
Lacey is in Thurston County. All Superior Court and District Court filings for Lacey residents run through Thurston County. For a full overview of court access tools, fees, and county resources, see the Thurston County page.
Nearby Cities
Olympia and Tumwater are the closest qualifying cities to Lacey. Both also file cases through Thurston County courts.