Wahkiakum County Court Records

Wahkiakum County court records are maintained by the County Clerk at the courthouse in Cathlamet, the county seat on the Columbia River. Superior Court handles felony cases, civil matters, family law, probate, adoptions, and appeals. District Court handles misdemeanor criminal charges and traffic matters. Wahkiakum is one of Washington's smallest counties by population, but it maintains a full court system under one judge who also serves Pacific County. If you need to find court records in Wahkiakum County, this page explains how to search cases, request copies, and understand the structure of the county's courts.

Wahkiakum County Superior Court Clerk

The County Clerk holds an elected position and serves as the ex-officio clerk of the Superior Court under the Washington State Constitution. The Clerk's presence is required at all court sessions to create an independent record of each hearing, which is available to the public. The Clerk must be present at every hearing or trial to receive and keep a record of all exhibits entered by parties. The office also handles jury management and serves a quasi-judicial function for the issuance of court-related orders.

The Wahkiakum County Superior Court Clerk's Office maintains permanent records for all cases filed in Superior Court. Case types include felony criminal, civil lawsuits, family law, probates, guardianships, and mental or alcohol commitment cases. The office collects and disburses monies for restitution, court costs, child support, trust accounts, garnishments, and court fees. The goal is to protect the integrity and accuracy of all court records while serving the public in a professional and courteous manner.

Wahkiakum County Superior Court

The Wahkiakum County Superior Court is located at 64 Main St, Cathlamet, WA 98612. Phone: 360-795-3558. The court's mission is to serve the public by administering justice and resolving disputes under the law, protecting the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Washington and United States constitutions. Judge Donald J. Richter serves as the Superior Court Judge for Wahkiakum County and also serves Pacific County. Commissioner Heidi L. Heywood serves the court.

Court Administrator Rikki L. Thompson can be reached at rthompson@co.pacific.wa.us or 360-875-9328. The Criminal Docket is held twice monthly at 9:30 a.m. For questions about a specific hearing date or time, contact the County Clerk's office at 360.795.3558. Superior Court handles felony criminal cases, civil cases over $100,000, divorces, adoptions, probate matters, and appeals from lower courts.

The court provides legal information through its website but cannot offer legal advice or legal opinions. The information is meant to help the general public understand the process. Under General Rule 31, Superior Court records are presumptively open to the public, with exceptions for sealed, juvenile, and sensitive records.

Wahkiakum County District Court

The Wahkiakum County District Court processes misdemeanor criminal and traffic charges. Charges are issued by the Washington State Patrol, the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office, the County Prosecutor, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Department of Natural Resources. The court runs on a structured docket schedule rather than daily sessions.

The District Court holds its Criminal Docket twice monthly at 9:00 a.m. The Civil Docket is held once monthly at 2:15 p.m. The Traffic Docket is once monthly at 1:30 p.m. The Show Cause Docket is once monthly at 9:00 a.m. For questions about a specific hearing date or time, contact the District Court at 360.795.3461. You can also use the Washington Courts Find My Court Date tool to check scheduled hearings.

Fees for new cases filed electronically must be paid online. Hand-delivered filings are accepted during office hours. After hours, a drop box outside the exterior night entry door may be used. Filings may also be emailed to the District Court; a reply email will confirm receipt. If emailing is not possible, call the District Court office to make other arrangements. Ex parte orders are accepted in person or by email.

How to Search Wahkiakum County Court Records

The primary way to search Wahkiakum County court records online is through the statewide Washington Courts name and case search. This tool covers Wahkiakum County Superior Court, District Court, and municipal courts. It updates every 24 hours at 3:00 a.m. You can search by person name or case number. Results are reference material and point you to the official court record, which is held by the Clerk at the Cathlamet courthouse.

Copies of case file documents are not available through the statewide search portal. You must order them from the Wahkiakum County Clerk. For in-person requests, visit the courthouse at 64 Main St during business hours. For mailed requests, send to PO Box 157, Cathlamet, WA 98612-0116. Include the case number, party names, and the specific documents you need. Provide a daytime phone number or email for follow-up.

The Washington State Digital Archives may hold older Wahkiakum County court records online. Non-certified copies from the Digital Archives cost $0.25 per page plus a $1.00 service charge per document. Certified copies are $5.00 for the first page, $1.00 per additional page, and $1.00 service charge. Have your case number ready before searching the archives, as they search by case number format.

For the statewide Odyssey Portal, note that case number format matters. Omit hyphens when using Smart Search; enter four digits instead of using the standard hyphen format. The portal covers 37 counties including Wahkiakum. Once you find your case number, the Digital Archives will accept it in standard format for record purchases.

Note: All record requests should identify the records sought with reasonable particularity. Vague requests may delay processing or result in a no-records response.

Court Record Access in Wahkiakum County

Court records in Wahkiakum County are governed by General Rule 31, not the Public Records Act under RCW 42.56. GR 31 establishes the presumption of public access to court records, with defined exceptions. The County Clerk's constitutional responsibilities derive from RCW Chapter 36.23, which designates the elected clerk as the ex-officio clerk of the Superior Court.

Wahkiakum County borders Oregon along the Columbia River. It is one of the least populated counties in Washington. Because the county is small, the court system runs efficiently on scheduled dockets rather than daily calendars. This means that if you need to appear in court or file a document, timing matters more here than in busier counties. Always confirm docket dates before making a trip to Cathlamet.

Sealed and confidential records require court authorization to access. Juvenile records, adoption files, and certain mental health proceedings are not available to the general public under GR 31. For specific questions about what is accessible, call the Clerk's Office at 360-795-3558 before submitting a formal request. The office is closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch each day.

Cities in Wahkiakum County

Wahkiakum County is a small, rural county in southwestern Washington along the Columbia River. Cathlamet is the county seat. No cities in the county meet the population threshold for individual city pages. All Superior Court cases are filed at the courthouse in Cathlamet.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Wahkiakum County. Wahkiakum borders Oregon to the south across the Columbia River.