Court records for Yakima County, Washington, are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk and are accessible through online tools, official court portals, and directly at the court clerk's office. YakimaCourt.us allows you to find public information about court records in this county. Additionally, you can use the Washington Courts case search portal, name and case number search system, or contact the Yakima County Clerk's Office in person or by phone.
Yakima Court System Overview
Yakima County is part of the Washington State court system and is served by the Yakima County Superior Court, a court of general jurisdiction. The Superior Court handles criminal, civil, family, probate, and juvenile cases. In addition to the Superior Court, residents may deal with the Yakima County District Court (a court of limited jurisdiction) and municipal courts in the county's cities. Appeals from the Superior Court go to the Court of Appeals, Division III. In the federal system, the county belongs to the Eastern District of Washington.
The main courthouse is located at:
Detailed information about the court's structure can be found in the Washington State Courts directory for Yakima County.
Courts Serving Yakima
Residents of the county are served by several courts of different jurisdictional levels:
Yakima County Superior Court
Yakima County District Court
Yakima County Clerk of Superior Court
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington
For information about Yakima County Courts, use the official county website.
What Types of Cases Yakima Courts Hear
Yakima County courts hear a wide range of cases. Here are the main categories:
- Criminal cases: felonies, misdemeanors, infractions
- Civil cases: claims of any amount, small claims
- Family law: divorce, custody, child support, protective orders
- Probate cases: estate administration, guardianship, conservatorship
- Juvenile cases: juvenile offenses, child protection, adoptions
- Traffic violations and DUI
Details regarding the jurisdiction of each court are revealed in the following sections.
District Court Cases in Yakima
Yakima County District Court is a court of limited jurisdiction that handles misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and civil cases up to $100,000 according to Washington State law. It also includes minor offenses, traffic violations, and DUI cases. The District Court judge conducts preliminary hearings in felony cases, after which the case may be transferred to the Superior Court.
Cases reach the District Court through a complaint filed by the prosecutor or a claim filed by the plaintiff. The judge is assigned according to internal distribution. Criminal procedures are governed by Title 10 RCW.
Magistrate Court Cases in Yakima
Washington State does not have a separate magistrate court at the county level — functions performed by a magistrate judge in other states are handled by District Court and Superior Court commissioners. The District Court handles:
- Misdemeanors and infractions
- Preliminary hearings in felony cases
- Civil claims up to $100,000
- Small claims up to $10,000
- Traffic violations
- DUI cases — from first hearing to sentencing
Superior Court commissioners may conduct hearings on bail, temporary protective orders, and other procedural matters. If your case involves a small claim, file directly with the District Court.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Yakima
Family Law. Yakima County Superior Court handles divorces (in Washington, this is called "dissolution of marriage"), custody cases, child support, paternity establishment, civil protective orders, and termination of parental rights. Detailed information about the divorce process is provided on the Divorce page on the county's website.
Probate Matters. Probate — the court process of managing a deceased person's estate — also falls under the jurisdiction of the Superior Court. It handles cases regarding guardianship, conservatorship, and trusts. Such cases can be searched through the Washington Courts portal under the "Probate" type.
Juvenile Matters. Juvenile cases — offenses, child protection, adoptions — are heard by the Superior Court. Juvenile case records are confidential under Washington law and are not publicly accessible without a court order.
How Cases Move Through the Yakima Court System
- Filing a Case. A criminal case begins with an indictment by the prosecutor; a civil case with a complaint; a family or probate case with a petition. Documents are filed with the clerk of the appropriate court.
- Judge Assignment. The clerk registers the case and assigns a number. A judge is assigned according to the internal workload distribution.
- First Hearing. In criminal cases — arraignment (announcement of charges and defendant's plea). In civil cases — scheduling conference to set the hearing schedule.
- Pre-Trial Phase. Parties exchange evidence (discovery), file motions. In criminal cases, plea negotiations may occur.
- Trial. The case concludes with a verdict by a jury or judge, a settlement, a guilty plea, or a default judgment.
- Post-Judgment. Criminal cases — sentencing. Civil cases — enforcement of judgment or appeal to the Court of Appeals, Division III.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Yakima
Court administration for Yakima County is conducted by the presiding judge of the Superior Court in conjunction with the court administrator. Local court rules for Yakima County Superior Court are published on the Washington State Courts portal.
Regarding public access to records — Washington is a state with a strong Public Records Act (RCW 42.56). Most court records are publicly accessible, except for:
- Juvenile cases
- Sealed cases
- Records restricted by court order
- Some family cases with confidential information
To request public records from the county, use the Yakima County Public Records page. City of Yakima records can be requested through the RecordsApp portal or the City Clerk's office.
Hearings are generally open to the public. You can attend sessions in person at the courthouse. For information on remote participation, contact the court clerk's office at 509-574-2710.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Yakima
- Court Case Search. Washington Courts Case Search allows you to search for Yakima County Superior Court cases by type (civil, criminal, family, probate). Results are for reference — official document copies must be ordered from the court.
- Name Search. Washington State Courts Name and Case Search — search for cases by participant name or case number across all state courts.
- County Public Records. The Public Records page contains a list of frequently requested records with contact information for the relevant departments.
- Inmate Lookup. Yakima County Jail Inmate Lookup — search for individuals in the local correctional facility. For state-level inmate searches, use the Incarcerated Search of the Washington Department of Corrections.
- Warrant Search. The Warrant Search of the Department of Corrections allows checking for secretary's warrants by county, including Yakima.
- Criminal History. Washington State Patrol Criminal History provides criminal background checks based on fingerprints and data from law enforcement and courts.
- Vital Records. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates can be ordered through the Vital Records of the Washington Department of Health. For urgent marriage or divorce records, visit the relevant DOH page.
- Historical Marriage Records. Yakima County Auditor Marriage Records (1896–2008) are available through the Washington State Digital Archives.
- Collision Reports. Collision Reports from the Washington State Patrol allow finding a traffic accident report electronically.
- Yakima City Police Reports. To obtain a copy of a police report, submit a request through RecordsApp or contact the Yakima Police Department.
If you are looking for general information about county court records, start with YakimaCourt.us — it gathers links to public resources for Yakima County.