Puyallup Court Records Database
Puyallup court records are split across three court levels: Puyallup Municipal Court, Pierce County District Court, and Pierce County Superior Court. Municipal court handles misdemeanors, traffic violations, and city code matters within Puyallup city limits. District and superior courts handle civil cases, name changes, family law, and felony matters. This page walks through how to find Puyallup court records, what each court handles, and how to request case documents for Puyallup and the Milton area it serves.
Puyallup Overview
Puyallup Municipal Court Records
Puyallup Municipal Court serves both Puyallup and Milton. The court is located at 929 E Main, Suite 120, Puyallup, WA 98372. Phone is (253) 841-5450. Court hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The court is closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. This is a court of limited jurisdiction, meaning it only handles certain case types. Jurisdiction covers misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, traffic infractions, and city ordinance violations that occur within Puyallup and Milton city limits.
Puyallup Municipal Court does not handle small claims, civil cases, name changes, or anti-harassment orders. Those belong at Pierce County District Court. The court does offer several services online, including photo enforcement, ticket response, finding court dates, jury duty information, probation services, and access to court forms and resources. Language access services are available at no cost through the court.
Public defender applications are available during your first court appearance (arraignment) or online. Applications are accepted at the Clerk's Office on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you need defensive driving for a Puyallup Municipal Court case, online Level 1 is accepted. Level 2 is not accepted online and must be completed in person.
| Court | Puyallup Municipal Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 929 E Main, Suite 120, Puyallup, WA 98372 |
| Phone | (253) 841-5450 |
| Hours | Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
| Jurisdiction | Misdemeanors, traffic infractions, city ordinance violations |
Requesting Puyallup Municipal Court Records
Puyallup Municipal Court case records include citations, case documents, dockets, calendars, and audio recordings. Public access to these records is governed by General Rule 31 (GR 31). Administrative records are governed by GR 31.1. You can submit a request electronically, in person, by mail, or by email using the Court Records Request Form available from the court.
Copy fees at Puyallup Municipal Court are as follows. A copy of a hearing recording costs $20. Certified copies are $5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page per document. Paper photocopies are $0.50 per page. Electronic copies from paper documents are $0.25 per page. Appeal preparation and tapes cost $40. Clerk's services cost $20 per hour or portion thereof. Postage is charged at actual cost.
Puyallup and Milton Municipal Courts are courts of limited jurisdiction and not courts of permanent record. Documents are stored per the Washington Secretary of State's Retention Schedule. Limited documents are kept for three years after final disposition. After three years, hard-copy documents may no longer be available. The JIS docket is the only record kept in perpetuity, so for older cases, the docket may be the only available record of proceedings.
Note: For court case searches across all Puyallup-area courts, use the Washington State Courts Name and Case Search at courts.wa.gov, updated daily at 3:00 a.m.
Pierce County District Court for Puyallup
Pierce County District Court handles cases that fall outside Puyallup Municipal Court's jurisdiction. For Puyallup residents, this means small claims, civil cases under $100,000, name changes, and anti-harassment orders all go to Pierce County District Court. Records requests for District Court cases require the party name, date of birth, case number, and date of incident. Requests can be made online, by mail, or in person.
The mailing address for Pierce County District Court records requests is: Pierce County District Court, Attn: Public Records Officer, 930 Tacoma Ave S, Rm 239, Tacoma WA 98402. Phone is (253) 798-7487. Fax is (253) 798-6310. You can also email PCDCRecords@piercecountywa.gov. The Pierce County Find Case Information page at piercecountywa.gov explains the full request process. District Court cannot provide case information for Superior Court or Juvenile Court cases, so if you need those, you must contact the Superior Court Clerk separately.
Pierce County Superior Court and LINX
Felony cases, divorce, child custody, probate, and major civil matters involving Puyallup residents go to Pierce County Superior Court. The court is based at the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Room 110, Tacoma, WA 98402. Phone is (253) 798-7455. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Phone service ends at 3:30 p.m. Construction at the courthouse may cause longer than usual wait times, so use online resources when possible.
Pierce County uses the LINX system for Superior Court case records. LINX (Legal Information Network Exchange) allows public users to search criminal and civil cases by title or cause number, view case dockets, and access court calendars. Documents filed in 2002 or later can be viewed and printed from public access terminals at the Clerk's Office. Attorney subscriptions allow online document viewing and downloading. Non-certified copies cost $0.25 per page through the portal. Certified copies are available for an additional fee. Documents filed before 2002 may not be online and must be requested from the Clerk's Office.
The LINX search page at linxonline.co.pierce.wa.us is the primary public access point for Pierce County Superior Court cases. You can search Superior Court cases, District Court cases, and municipal court proceedings, along with a jail inmates roster. Enter a cause number with or without dashes. The search results include case summaries and scheduled proceedings.
Pierce County Court Records
Puyallup is in Pierce County. Civil cases, felony filings, and family law matters all flow through the Pierce County court system. For more on Pierce County courts, LINX access, and how to get certified copies, visit the Pierce County court records page.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Puyallup also have court records pages in Pierce County and nearby areas.