San Juan County Court Dockets
San Juan County court docket records are kept by the County Clerk at the courthouse in Friday Harbor, Washington. This island county maintains both Superior Court and District Court case files covering criminal, civil, family law, and probate matters. You can request documents by visiting the clerk's office in person, sending a request by email or mail, or using the statewide case search tools linked from this page. Use the resources below to find case numbers, hearing schedules, and how to obtain copies of filed court documents in San Juan County.
San Juan County Overview
San Juan County Superior Court Clerk
The San Juan County Clerk's Office is at 350 Court Street #7, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. The clerk is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but closes from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. That midday break is easy to miss if you're making the ferry trip over, so plan accordingly. For Judge's Working Copies, call the Superior Court Administrator at 360-378-2399. Any electronically submitted filings received after 4:30 p.m. are processed the next court day.
The clerk handles a broad mix of case types. The court calendar runs throughout the week with dedicated slots for different matter types. Mondays carry criminal law and motion at 9:30 a.m., followed by dependency or therapeutic court at 1:15 p.m. (alternating), juvenile criminal at 2:30, and juvenile civil at 3:15. Tuesdays focus on protection orders at 9:00 a.m. and civil law and motion at 10:30 a.m. Special set hearings are only scheduled through court administration. If your matter doesn't fit a standard calendar slot, contact the Superior Court Administrator at 360-378-2399 to check availability.
GR 17 governs fax filings. Documents over 10 pages may not be filed by fax without prior court approval. Fax filings must be letter size, 8.5 x 11 inches. The clerk does not accept fax filings for oversized documents unless the judge has signed off in advance.
| Office | 350 Court Street #7, Friday Harbor, WA 98250 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 360-378-2163 |
| Hours | Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed 12:00–1:00 p.m.) |
| Filing Cutoff | 4:30 p.m. for same-day processing |
Requesting Court Docket Documents
San Juan County uses a structured request process for obtaining copies of court records. Court files can be viewed in person during office hours from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Restricted or sealed files require a valid ID or a court order to view. To request copies, fill out the San Juan County Superior Court Clerk's Office Document Request form and return it in person or by email. If you don't have a case number, call 360-378-2163 with the case name and ask for a confirmation code to proceed.
Copy fees in San Juan County vary by format. Non-certified copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies run $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. Authenticated or exemplified copies carry an additional $6.00 authentication fee on top of the per-page costs. Electronic copies sent by email are $4.00 plus $0.25 per page, and payment must arrive before the clerk sends the files. Audio recordings of hearings cost $25.00 per individual hearing. Processing takes up to five business days for copy requests and seven business days for recording requests. Out-of-town requesters can mail a check or money order with a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Payment options include cash, check, or money order payable to the San Juan County Clerk. Credit card payments are handled through Point and Pay, which requires the case number at checkout.
The county's document request page lists all forms and fee schedules for obtaining copies of Superior Court case files.
Judicial Administrative Records vs. Court Case Records
San Juan County operates a two-track system for accessing court documents. Court case records (case files, dockets, calendars) are not subject to GR 31.1 and must be requested directly from the County Clerk. Judicial administrative records, which cover the management side of the court rather than individual cases, are handled through a separate process governed by GR 31.1. These are also not subject to the Public Records Act under Chapter 42.56 RCW, but a presumption of access still applies.
To request judicial administrative records, use the administrative records request form and submit it by email, mail, or fax to 360-370-7485. The Public Records Officer is Jane Severin, the Superior Court Administrator, reachable at 360-370-7480. A response is required within five business days. Fees for administrative records differ from case copy fees: copies and scanning are $0.15 per page, CDs are $20.00, USB drives are $25.00, fax pages are $1.00 each, and research time beyond the first hour is billed at $30 per hour. Viewing records at the courthouse is free.
If a request is denied, an internal review is available within 90 days. After the internal decision, external review by civil action or a visiting judge must be sought within 30 days.
The county's judicial administrative records page explains the two-track access system and details fees for each type of request.
San Juan County District Court Records
The District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic infractions, small claims, and civil cases up to $100,000. For District Court records requests, the county publishes a records request resource page that links to the relevant forms including the fillable Records Request Form, the Obtaining Judicial Branch Public Records guide, and the Frequently Asked Questions document. District Court records are also governed by GR 31, with the same presumption of access that applies in Superior Court.
The District Court records process links directly to Access to Court Records General Court Rule 31 and Access to Judicial Administrative Records General Court Rule 31.1. These rules define what is public, what can be restricted, and how to seek review if a request is denied. Familiarity with GR 31 is helpful before submitting a request, since it tells you what to expect in terms of response time, fee justification, and appeal rights.
The San Juan County Clerk's Office page lists current services including passport applications, upcoming court calendars, and jury duty information alongside records access tools.
Note: The statewide Washington Courts Case Search can help you locate a case number before contacting the clerk's office directly.
Statewide Court Docket Search Tools
San Juan County Superior Court cases are accessible through the Washington Courts Odyssey Portal, which provides public case and hearing information for participating counties. You can search by party name using the Smart Search feature, or look up by case number. Attorneys and frequent users can register for enhanced portal access. For broader statewide lookups across district, municipal, and appellate courts, the Washington Courts Case Search at dw.courts.wa.gov provides name and case number searches updated approximately 24 hours after court entry.
The Washington State Digital Archives holds older Superior Court case files for many counties. These records can be browsed by case number or keyword and purchased online. If you already found the case number through the Odyssey Portal or the statewide case search, use it when searching the Digital Archives to narrow results quickly.
Both the Odyssey Portal and dw.courts.wa.gov carry a disclaimer that results should be verified against the official court record. The clerk's office in Friday Harbor remains the authoritative source for complete, certified copies of any San Juan County court docket file.
Cities in San Juan County
San Juan County is a rural island county in northwest Washington. Friday Harbor, the county seat, is the main hub for court services. No cities in the county meet the population threshold for individual city pages.
Nearby Counties
San Juan County neighbors these Washington counties, each with their own court docket access systems.