Find Court Records in Yakima County

Yakima County court records are kept by the Clerk of Superior Court and the District Court, both located at 128 N 2nd Street in Yakima. You can search case information for free through the Washington Courts statewide case search, which covers Yakima County Superior Court, District Court, and Municipal Court. To get copies of court documents, submit a Copy Request Form to the Clerk's Office or contact the court directly. The courts also provide a Family Court Facilitator for help with family law matters.

Yakima County Clerk of Superior Court

The Yakima County Clerk of Superior Court serves citizens involved with the Superior Court system. The Clerk's Office receives and processes court documents, assists in court proceedings, and maintains court files, records, and exhibits. The office also receipts fees, fines, court-ordered payments, and disburses funds. All documents filed in a Superior Court cause of action are processed, given case numbers, classified, scanned, and indexed in the optical imaging system.

The Clerk handles several types of case records. For civil matters, the office issues writs of garnishment, writs of execution, and warrants for failure to comply with a court order. For criminal matters, the Clerk issues warrants of arrest and subpoenas for witnesses, sends copies of orders to agencies, and safeguards all trial exhibits. Domestic and family law matters include transmitting information to the Washington State Department of Health after a divorce or legal separation is finalized.

Court records can be requested in person or through online forms. Certified copies cost $5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Regular copies may be available at a lower cost. The Clerk is also an ex-officio member of the court, required to be present at all court proceedings to receive and mark documents and exhibits.

Yakima County Superior Court

Yakima County Superior Court has 8 full-time elected judges authorized by law, along with 3 appointed court commissioners who handle additional workloads at multiple court facilities. The Court Administrator's Office manages judicial scheduling, assignments, and budget matters. Superior Court Director Jessica Humphreys oversees administrative operations. The court is located at 128 N 2nd Street, Room 314.

Superior Court handles felonies, civil cases over $100,000, family law matters including divorce and custody, probate, juvenile cases, and appeals from District Court and Municipal Court. The court also hears dependency matters involving children who have been abandoned, abused, or neglected. Mental illness cases involving involuntary commitment are handled with confidentiality protections. Language access services are available at no cost through the court.

If you need to attend a Superior Court hearing by Zoom, contact the Court Administrator's Office at (509) 574-2710 to make the request in advance. The court website includes a "Select Language" option in the lower right corner of each page. Family Court Facilitator Angela Gutierrez assists with family law matters at 128 N 2nd Street, Room 213. Spanish language assistance is available at (509) 574-1894.

Yakima County District Court

Yakima County District Court is a court of limited jurisdiction. It handles traffic and non-traffic infractions, misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor criminal offenses, and civil matters for damages and contract disputes not exceeding $100,000. Small claims cases for money recovery up to $5,000 are also heard here, as are name change petitions. The court is located at 128 N 2nd Street, Room 226, just down the hall from the Superior Court.

The District Court provides online fine payment options for traffic citations. Court forms are available for small claims, protection orders, and name changes. The court maintains a separate probation department and operates specialty calendars for domestic violence and DUI cases. Interpreter services are available for non-English speakers. Fine payment plans may be possible for individuals who show financial hardship.

To get copies of District Court records, contact the District Court directly. The Superior Court Clerk handles only Superior Court files and cannot provide District Court documents. Security screening is required for all visitors entering the courthouse. The court's website provides links to court forms, payment portals, and calendars.

Getting Copies of Yakima County Court Records

To get copies of Superior Court case records, submit a Copy Request Form to the Yakima County Clerk's Office. You can find the form on the Yakima County Courts website or pick it up at the courthouse. Certified copies cost $5 for the first page and $1 per page after that. Regular uncertified copies are available at a lower rate. In-person requests can be handled during business hours.

For District Court case records, contact the District Court directly at (509) 574-1800. The two offices operate separately and each handles only its own records. Municipal Court records from Yakima Municipal Court are handled through that court at 129 North 2nd Street, with phone number (509) 575-3050. Most Yakima Municipal Court requests are filled within 48 hours of receiving the request and can be picked up in person, sent by mail, or delivered by fax or email.

The statewide case search at dw.courts.wa.gov is a good way to find case numbers before submitting a copy request. You can also use the Washington State Court Directory to get full contact information for every court serving Yakima County. Results in the statewide search are reference material and point you to the official record maintained by the relevant clerk's office.

Note: The Washington Courts statewide case search updates every 24 hours at 3 AM. Verify all information with the clerk's office before relying on it for official purposes.

Laws and Rules for Yakima County Records

Court record access in Yakima County follows Washington state court rules, primarily General Rule 31 (GR 31). This rule governs what court records are public, what is restricted, and the process for requesting access. Administrative records within the courts follow the related rule GR 31.1. These rules apply statewide to all Washington courts, including those in Yakima County.

Public records for non-court county departments fall under RCW 42.56, Washington's Public Records Act. However, court records are not subject to the Public Records Act in the same way. They operate under GR 31 as the primary governing framework. The Clerk's duties and responsibilities are set out under RCW 36.23, which covers county clerks across Washington and defines how they maintain and provide access to records.

Certain records are restricted from public access by law. These include dependency cases involving children, mental illness proceedings, sealed court orders, and adoption records. If you request restricted records, the Clerk's Office will inform you what authorization or documentation is needed. The court accommodates people with disabilities under GR 33, which provides an accommodation request process for court participants.

Cities in Yakima County

Yakima County includes the city of Yakima as its county seat and several other communities. All Superior Court filings for the county go through the courthouse at 128 N 2nd Street in Yakima.

Other communities in Yakima County include Selah, Union Gap, Wapato, Sunnyside, Grandview, Toppenish, and Moxee. Superior Court cases for all of these communities are handled at the Yakima County courthouse.

Nearby Counties

Yakima County borders Kittitas, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Benton, Klickitat, and Lewis counties. Each has its own court system. File in the county where you reside or where the case originated.