Washington Criminal Court Records
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A Washington criminal court record is any document, information, exhibit, or other item, as well as any information in a case management system, that the court prepares or preserves in connection with a criminal proceeding. Clerks or administrators' offices are responsible for maintaining these records per the Washington State Court Rules, specifically General Rule (GR) 31, and the Washington Statutes (RCW).
Access to Washington criminal court records promotes transparency and accountability in the justice system. It allows the public to observe how courts operate and how the law is applied, while also providing a platform to scrutinize judicial decisions and safeguard due process.
Are Criminal Court Records Public in Washington?
Yes, criminal court records are publicly accessible in Washington under GR 31. This rule defines "access" as the ability to view or obtain a copy of a court record. While promoting public disclosure, GR 31 also aims to balance this against concerns such as personal privacy, public safety, protection of minors, and fair trial rights by upholding confidentiality where mandated by federal law, state law, court rule, court order, or case law. Exempt or restricted criminal court records include
- Juvenile offender court records (RCW 13.50.050)
- Personal identifiers, such as financial account numbers, driver's license numbers, and social security numbers
- Court records sealed by judicial order
- Victim and witness identifying information (especially in sensitive cases like sexual assault)
- Law enforcement records incorporated into a court file, where dissemination would compromise an ongoing investigation
What Criminal Court Records Contain in Washington
Criminal court records include all documentary materials from a criminal case, such as
- Dockets (which list the parties' names, case number and type, case status, and actions of the court)
- Charging instruments (indictments, complaints, criminal informations)
- Witness and jury lists
- Calendars
- Warrants
- Dismissals
- Subpoenas
- Orders and judgments
- Plea agreements
Note: Confidential case information or documents are generally exempt from public review. Jury lists are a case in point-while jurors' names are public, all other identifying information (contact numbers, home addresses) is restricted. Access to confidential data requires statutory authorization (e.g., being a party to the case) or a court order approving disclosure.
Washington Criminal Court Records Search
Members of the public can access Washington criminal court records through several channels:
| Mode of Access | Where To Go/Access Point | Process/Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| In Person | The Presiding Court (i.e., Where the Case Was Filed or Heard) | Washington courts handle criminal proceedings (in the superior, district, and municipal courts) and appeals (in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals). Public access terminals at courthouses offer free JIS public record case information, including case and document indexes, during business hours. Restricted or sealed files require a government picture ID or a court order. A court directory is available to locate Washington courthouses. |
| Online (Remote Access) | The Washington Administrative Office of Courts offers statewide remote access to district, municipal, and superior court case information via the JIS system, which requires registration and subscription. Additionally, publicly accessible case documents for cases filed after January 1, 2020, in the Washington Supreme Court or Court of Appeals (Division I, II, or III) are free of charge through the Appellate Court Public Document Portal. Appellate courts' opinions, briefs, and orders can also be viewed for free on the judiciary's website by expanding the menu and navigating to "Case Documents." | |
| Unlike JIS, this system is free but offers limited information. It is most useful for pinpointing the court where a case was filed and for retrieving a case number. Searches can be performed by Person (Name), Case (Court Level), or Attorney. Individuals can also use this system to find court dates in the district or municipal courts. | ||
| Local Case Management Systems | Some Washington courts maintain independent case search systems, searchable by name or case number, on their websites. No fee may be charged for viewing records, although this varies by court. Examples include
| |
| Certain superior courts partner with the Washington State Digital Archives to offer electronic access to publicly available court records. Examples include the Snohomish County Superior Court (records from 1950 to present) and Kitsap County Superior Court (documents from 1973 to present). | ||
| Mail/Email | Clerk of Court's Office or Court Administration | A downloadable PDF form (usually on a court's "Case Information" or "Access to Court Records" page) may be available for mailing or emailing court record requests to the records custodian's office. This form often requires the requester's name, contact information, address, and the case specifics (like a participant's name or case number). Applicants will also need to indicate their preferred delivery method and the type of copy desired (e.g., uncertified), include a self-addressed stamped envelope (if mailing the request), and be ready to pay any associated fees. If no form exists, parties may draft a request letter, including personal contact details, a clear description of the record, and payment, and send it to the clerk's office. Copy costs vary by court, but common charges include
Requesters can confirm these charges with the request form (if applicable), the court's online fees schedule, or the custodian. |
Free Access to Criminal Court Records in Washington
Viewing criminal case records at a Washington court through a public terminal is free. Similarly, several remote case management systems maintained by Washington courts offer no-cost access to criminal case information. The exception applies where the requester demands a copy. In such instances, a pre-established fee will be applied based on the number of pages, the type of copy, or the type of document. Typical payment methods include cash, cashier's check, debit/credit card, and money order.
Sealing and Expungement of Criminal Court Records in Washington
Washington courts use a few terms to describe legal processes that lessen the impact of a criminal court record or provide a defendant with a fresh start. According to General Rule 15, which governs these procedures, to seal a criminal court record means to protect a record from examination by the public and unauthorized court personnel. The courts treat a motion or order to seal as a motion or order to "delete, purge, remove, excise, erase, or redact" a record.
On the other hand, the state refers to an expungement as a motion or order to "destroy" a record. Washington defines the term destroy as the obliteration of a court record or file in a way that renders it permanently irretrievable.
How to Seal Criminal Court Records in Washington
The process for sealing a criminal court record in Washington differs depending on the court that heard the case (juvenile or adult) and the case's outcome.
Juvenile Criminal Court Records
Juvenile records are sealed in the following ways:
- Administrative Sealing: An automatic and free court-scheduled process governed by RCW 13.50.260 that occurs after the offender's 18th birthday or the anticipated end date of probation or release from confinement, provided no objections are filed and all sentence terms and conditions are met. Nevertheless, the social file may remain accessible to juvenile justice or care agencies with an investigation/open case concerning the juvenile.
Administrative sealing does not apply if the juvenile was found guilty of a sex offense under Chapter 9A.44 RCW, a most serious offense (as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 (32)), or a drug offense (as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 (22)).
- Motion to Seal: If administrative sealing is not an option, and the charging instrument was filed per RCW 13.40.100 or 13.40.070, the juvenile may file a motion to seal with the court. The motion aims to vacate the original order and findings and seal the official juvenile court file, the social file, and all related records of the court and any other involved agency. Reasonable notice must be provided to the prosecution and any person/agency whose records will be sealed.
Courts typically grant the motion if the defendant has been crime-free for a consecutive period (five years for class A offenses; two years for others), has no pending cases, is not registered as a sex offender, has paid restitution to the victim, and was not convicted of an ineligible offense (e.g., first or second degree rape).
Courts grant motions to seal records of any deferred disposition vacated under RCW 13.40.127(9) before June 7, 2012, if restitution is paid and the defendant is 18 or older at the time of the motion.
- Immediate Sealing: If proceedings result in an acquittal or dismissal, the juvenile court record is sealed immediately. A full and unconditional pardon means the proceedings will be treated as if they never happened.
Adult Criminal Court Records
For adults, GR 15 permits the sealing of court records if a conviction has been vacated (by the defendant's motion) or privacy/safety concerns outweigh the public interest in disclosure. When a conviction is vacated, the defendant can claim it never happened. However, the court file and the case's existence will remain public, and the conviction might be used in future prosecutions.
Guidelines for vacating convictions are available in the Washington Courts' Record Relief Guide (pp. 4 onwards) and the Vacation of Misdemeanor and Gross Misdemeanor Convictions information sheet.
How to Expunge a Criminal Record in Washington
In Washington, juvenile records maintained by any court, prosecutor's office, or law enforcement agency are automatically expunged or destroyed within 90 days of being eligible for destruction (30 days with a pardon). However, RCW 13.50.050(13) specifies identifying information that will not be destroyed. Similarly, sealing a juvenile offender's court record removes associated arrest and disposition records maintained by other criminal justice agencies.
Adult criminal record expungement requires a request to the filing court, provided an express statutory authority permits the record's destruction (GR 15(h)(2)). Records of cases resulting in a conviction or another adverse finding cannot be destroyed.
Regarding criminal history records, RCW 10.97.060 allows the subject of a record to request deletion of nonconviction data from law enforcement agency files upon meeting specific requirements. To delete nonconviction data (eliminate existing information) from the Washington State Patrol (WSP) records, the subject can submit a Request for Deletion/Expungement of Non-Conviction Records to
Identification and Criminal History Section
ATTN: Criminal History Support Unit
PO Box 42633
Olympia WA 98504-2633
This action, however, only deletes state and federal records. A separate request is needed to delete nonconviction data in a local (arresting) police department's possession.
Criminal Records in Washington vs Court Records
RCW 10.97.030 defines criminal records, or criminal history record information (CHRI), as records collated and maintained by criminal justice agencies-other than courts-about an individual's criminal history. These records comprise identifiable descriptions, notations of arrests, detentions, formal charges, and any related disposition, including acquittals, dismissals, sentences, correctional supervision, and release.
Meanwhile, criminal court records originate from prosecutions and are maintained by the courts.
Requesting a Washington Criminal History Record
The Washington State Patrol is the central repository for criminal history records. Per the Washington State Criminal Records Privacy Act, the WSP can release unrestricted criminal history record information (CHRI) to certified criminal justice agencies. Subjects of records can also obtain (and challenge) their complete criminal records, including nonconviction data. However, while the public can receive CHRI, their access is limited to conviction information, arrests less than a year old with dispositions pending, and data concerning registered sex or kidnapping offenders.
How to Request a Washington State Background Check
The WSP provides two methods for members of the public to request a Washington State criminal history report, or background check:
- Online checks through WATCH (Washington Access to Criminal History) for $11, payable by debit/credit card (Visa/MasterCard or American Express). While WATCH only processes name-based checks (and therefore accuracy is not guaranteed), results are delivered instantly.
- In-person or mail checks using the Request for Conviction Criminal History Form and paying the necessary fee. This method allows for both name- and fingerprint-based checks.
One can also ask for a copy of their non-conviction CHRI for personal review by sending a completed fingerprint card and $12 to
Washington State Patrol
Identification and Background Check Section
PO Box 42633
Olympia WA 98504-2633
The results will be forwarded to the address on the fingerprint card.
Alternatively, subjects can visit the WSP's Criminal History Records Section during regular business hours for a record review. This service is free, and fingerprints are required for positive identification. Visitors can inspect their complete CHRI, including nonconviction data, provided the inspection does not exceed 30 minutes.
Active vs Archived Criminal Cases in Washington
Active criminal cases are proceedings currently pending before a criminal court where no disposition (like an acquittal, dismissal, deferred judgment, or otherwise) has been entered. Conversely, archived criminal cases are completed criminal proceedings whose records have surpassed local or state retention and disposition periods.
Records of active cases can be accessed using any of the methods outlined in the "Washington Criminal Court Records Search" section. Archived cases, on the other hand, require a written request to the clerk's office or court administration. Due to retrieval from an off-site storage or archival facility, a longer processing time may be applied for these requests.