Search Seattle Court Docket Records
Seattle court docket records come from two separate systems: Seattle Municipal Court, which operates its own public portal for city ordinance cases and traffic matters, and King County Superior Court, which handles felonies, major civil disputes, and family law for Washington's largest city. This guide walks through both systems, explains what each one covers, and shows you how to find and request the Seattle court records you need.
Seattle Overview
Seattle Municipal Court Public Portal
Seattle Municipal Court runs its own public access portal at courtrecords.seattle.gov. No login is needed to search case information, view courtroom calendars, or look up party records. The portal handles multiple search types: case number, case type, filed date range, party role, party name, and citation information. Vehicle information searches are also available. This level of free public access is broader than what many Washington cities offer.
The court handles misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases involving alleged violations of Seattle ordinances. This includes domestic violence misdemeanors, DUI, theft under city code, traffic and parking infractions, and civil code enforcement matters. Seattle Municipal Court is one of the busiest courts of limited jurisdiction in the state because of the city's size.
Starting in Fall 2025, pro se users can submit written statements through the public portal. Starting April 2025, written statements can be submitted to contest all infractions. This is an important feature for anyone who received a citation and wants to respond without appearing in person.
For older case records not available through the portal, contact the Clerks Office at smc_copy_requests@seattle.gov. For civil case inquiries, reach the Civil Records Clerk at smc_civil@seattle.gov.
Using the Seattle Municipal Court Search Portal
The Seattle Municipal Court portal search page gives you several options. Case Search lets you filter by case number, case type, and filing date. Party Search lets you find cases by party role, name, and associated case information. Attorney Search, citation information lookup, and vehicle information searches are also available from the same portal.
The portal links to external resources including the Seattle Municipal Code, the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), and SMC Court Rules. These are useful if you need to understand the legal basis of a charge or look up a specific ordinance. The portal updates regularly, but for the most current information on a pending case, contact the court clerk directly.
The screenshot below shows the Seattle Municipal Court portal search page where you can look up cases, parties, and citations.
Seattle Municipal Court portal search provides free public access to case information, party records, and courtroom calendars.
No login is required for basic public searches; attorneys and parties with active cases need a login only to file documents through the portal.
Commonly Requested Seattle Court Records
Seattle maintains a list of commonly requested records to help residents find what they need quickly. The Seattle commonly requested records page covers 911 call records, court case files including dockets and judgments, infraction filings data, police reports, collision reports, and more. Court case files such as docket entries, judgments, sentences, and motions are maintained by Seattle Municipal Court.
Infraction filings data is available online via Seattle Municipal Court data reports. This is useful for researchers or legal professionals looking at case patterns. Police reports, incident reports, and collision reports are separate from court records and are handled by the Seattle Police Department through SPD Front Counter Services or the Seattle Police Records Request Center.
The screenshot below shows the Seattle commonly requested records page with a grid of available record types.
Seattle commonly requested records page explains where to get each type of city record including court filings, police reports, and 911 call data.
Using the right portal for each record type saves time; court records go through Seattle Municipal Court, police records through SPD.
King County Superior Court Records for Seattle
Felony cases, civil disputes over $100,000, family law matters, probate, and juvenile cases involving Seattle residents or Seattle addresses are filed in King County Superior Court. This court serves all of King County, with Seattle being the most active jurisdiction by case volume. King County Superior Court uses the KC Script Portal at dja-prd-ecexap1.kingcounty.gov for case searches and document access.
The King County Superior Court Clerk's Office is at 516 Third Avenue, Room E-609, Seattle. Public access terminals are available in the courthouse for in-person searches at no charge. Photocopies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5 for the first page and $1 per additional page. CD recordings of proceedings are $25 per case number (up to 72 minutes) plus $10 for postage and handling. Staff assistance beyond one hour costs $30 per hour.
King County Superior Court maintains courthouse locations in Seattle, Kent, and Juvenile Court. Family law and general civil matters are typically handled at Seattle. Some criminal matters are at Kent. Juvenile dependency and offender cases are at the Juvenile Court location. The KC Script Portal covers all locations.
The screenshot below shows the Seattle Municipal Court case information and records page used by attorneys and parties navigating the court system.
Seattle Municipal Court case information and records page explains how attorneys and pro se parties access case files, calendars, and court forms.
Attorneys filing documents need a login; members of the public can view case information and calendars without registering.
Additional Seattle Court Search Resources
The Washington Courts statewide DW case search covers Seattle Municipal Court and King County courts. If you are not sure which court holds a case, start here. Enter the party name or case number and the system returns results across all participating courts. Note that some Seattle-level case information may redirect you to the Seattle Municipal Court portal or the KC Script Portal for full details.
For statewide criminal history background checks, the WATCH system run by the Washington State Patrol charges $11 per search. It covers convictions and pending dispositions statewide. WATCH is a background check tool, not a case docket tool. Use it when you need a full criminal history rather than the details of a single case.
Note: Juvenile records, sealed cases, and certain domestic relations matters are restricted under court rules and may not appear in standard public searches through any of these systems.
King County Court Docket Records
Seattle is King County's largest city. Felony cases and major civil matters are filed in King County Superior Court and accessible through the KC Script Portal at dja-prd-ecexap1.kingcounty.gov.
Nearby Cities
Other King County cities near Seattle also have court docket resources available through King County and statewide court systems.