Find Court Records in Pacific County

Pacific County court records are kept by the County Clerk in South Bend. You can search case information online using the Odyssey Portal, look up cases through the statewide search system, or submit a document request to the Clerk's Office for copies of filings from Pacific County Superior Court proceedings.

Pacific County Superior Court Clerk

The Pacific County Clerk's Office is the official record keeper for Pacific County Superior Court. The Clerk maintains all filings, processes document requests, collects fees, and manages the jury pool. The Clerk is an independent elected official whose role is set by Washington State Constitution and statute. This independence from the judicial branch protects the courts from any appearance of bias in how records are kept or funds are managed.

The Clerk's website is the main portal for document requests, Odyssey Portal registration, eFileWA instructions, protection order filings, and jury service information. Mail correspondence to Pacific County Clerk, P.O. Box 67, South Bend, WA 98586. Email the office at clerk@co.pacific.wa.us. For questions about records, start at pacificcountyclerk.com.

Pacific County Superior Court

Pacific County has one elected Superior Court Judge, Donald J. Richter, who also serves as Superior Court Judge in Wahkiakum County. Judge Richter was appointed in January 2019 by Governor Inslee and brings experience from prosecutorial work in both Pacific and Cowlitz counties. The court has jurisdiction over felony criminal matters, civil cases involving real property and contracts, domestic relations and family law, probate, adoption, juvenile proceedings, dependency cases, and competency matters. The court also hears appeals from lower courts and state administrative agencies.

The Superior Court Judge does not have Judicial Assistants. All contact with the judges must go through the Court Administrator. Court Administrator Rikki Thompson can be reached at ext. 2 or at rthompson@co.pacific.wa.us. Assistant Court Administrator and Court Facilitator Traci Amundson is available at ext. 3 or tamundson@co.pacific.wa.us. The Court Administrator handles fiscal operations, public defender contracts, guardian ad litem services, drug testing information, parenting classes, mediation services, and settlement conferences.

Court records are governed by General Rule 31, which sets the access rules for Washington court records. Most records are public. Sealed records and confidential case types require a court order for access. The Public Records Act under RCW 42.56 does not apply to court records because courts are not agencies subject to that law.

Pacific County Odyssey Portal

The Pacific County Odyssey Portal gives registered users online access to publicly accessible records in Pacific County Superior Court. Records available include criminal, civil, domestic, probate and guardianship, and juvenile offender cases. Elevated access for confidential records is available to attorneys of record who have filed a Notice of Appearance in each applicable case.

To register, the head of the firm, agency, or individual must complete and sign the Master Registration Form and submit the original by mail, in person, or by email to the Clerk's Office. Each user must be named on the form and must review and sign the Subscription Agreement. The annual fee must be paid with the registration. Allow 5 to 10 business days for access to be processed. If approved, you receive an email with a link to set up a password. Your user name is the email address you provided. There is a 3-day window to create the account; if missed, contact the office to reset. The annual fee covers your access for that county for the year.

You can also search Pacific County cases for free using the statewide Washington Courts Name and Case Search, which updates daily and provides basic case information without the need to register.

Requesting Pacific County Court Documents

To get copies of court documents from Pacific County, use the document request process on the Clerk's website. Before submitting, search for your case information through the state courts site to get the case number, sub number, and document description. Once a request is received, the office calculates the total cost and sends you a payment link.

Payment for requests must be made no later than 3:00 p.m. on the day you submit the request. If payment is not received by that time, the request is dismissed and must be restarted. Requests submitted after 3:00 p.m. are processed the next business day. Once payment is confirmed, email clerk@co.pacific.wa.us with proof of payment to receive your documents. The payment link is public.pointandpay.net.

Copy fees are straightforward. Certified copies cost $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. Certified copies cannot be emailed; they are mailed or available for pickup. Standard paper copies run $0.50 per page. Emailed copies are $0.25 per page. The office cannot mail documents to addresses outside the United States. For international requests, you must mail a pre-paid, correctly addressed envelope with the request. A Certificate of Dissolution (the one-page version) cannot be ordered through the Clerk; it is sent directly to the Washington State Department of Health after a dissolution case is finalized.

Note: If you need an Apostille or Certificate of Authentication, visit the Washington Secretary of State's website, not the Clerk's Office.

Electronic Filing in Pacific County

Pacific County accepts electronic filings through eFileWA, the statewide system powered by Tyler Technologies. There are no fees to use eFile and Serve itself. The only costs are statutory filing fees and an e-commerce transaction fee charged with each electronic payment. Register by visiting the eFile WA site and reviewing available training videos, manuals, and FAQs before your first submission.

Some documents cannot be filed through eFileWA. New Petitions for Civil Protection Orders are not accepted electronically; however, subsequent filings in existing cases are allowed. Self-represented parties in dissolution cases (pro se filers) are encouraged to review the Family Law Handbook before filing. Documents are now accepted electronically for ex parte matters. Judicial Bench and Working Copies must follow Local Court Rules for submission. For technical problems with the eFile system, contact Tyler Technologies support at efiling.support@tylertech.com or 800-297-5377. Support hours are 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST on Tyler business days. Court staff have limited ability to help with technical eFile questions.

Protection Orders in Pacific County

People seeking a protection order in Pacific County can file paperwork with the Clerk's Office online or in person. Most types of protection orders have no filing fee. Anti-harassment petitions require a $53 fee. If you cannot afford the fee, speak with the Clerk about options.

The local domestic violence resource is Crisis Support Network, reachable at crisis-support.org or 1-800-435-7276. A forms packet is available at no charge from the Clerk's Office. The Washington State Courts website also provides necessary forms. Petitions must include a Law Enforcement Sheet, a Petition for Protection, and a Temporary Order for Protection. Petitions can be submitted 24 hours a day by emailing PDF documents to clerk@co.pacific.wa.us or in person during regular business hours. The Clerk's Office cannot help fill out the forms.

Nearby Counties

Pacific County sits in the southwest corner of Washington. These counties border Pacific County and each has its own court records system.