Search Yakima Civil Court Records

Civil court records for Yakima are filed at Yakima County Superior Court, which serves as the county seat courthouse and handles all civil cases for the area.

Where Civil Cases Are Filed in Yakima

Civil court cases for Yakima residents are handled by Yakima County Superior Court. The clerk's office is at Room 323, 128 North 2nd Street in Yakima. Phone: (509) 574-1430. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Because Yakima is the county seat, the main courthouse is located within the city itself. The clerk maintains all civil case files and processes records requests. Walk-in visits are welcome during business hours. Staff can search by party name or case number and pull files from the records room. If you know your case number, bring it. That speeds up the process.

Yakima County District Court is at the same address and handles civil cases where the amount in dispute is $100,000 or less, small claims up to $10,000, misdemeanor criminal cases, and traffic infractions. If you are not sure which court handled a case, the statewide search at dw.courts.wa.gov will show results from both Superior and District courts at once.

How to Search Civil Records Online

The free Washington Courts public case search at dw.courts.wa.gov covers Yakima County and is updated every 24 hours. Search by name, case number, or business name. You can narrow by case type, filing date, and court name. No account is needed. Results show party names, case status, court, and docket entries.

Yakima County also participates in the statewide Odyssey Portal at odysseyportal.courts.wa.gov. Creating a free public account lets you search across all 37 Odyssey counties at once, including Yakima. The portal shows hearing dates, case filings, and case status. It does not display images of documents, but you can use it to identify a case number before requesting copies.

For in-person access, visit the clerk's office at Room 323. You can view public records on site at no charge under Washington General Rule 31. For copies, fill out a Copy Request Form at the counter. The clerk processes most requests within 48 hours.

Types of Civil Records at Yakima County Superior Court

Yakima County Superior Court handles civil cases where the amount in dispute exceeds $100,000, domestic relations matters including divorce and child custody, probate and estate proceedings, guardianship cases, and civil protection orders. Each case file contains the original complaint or petition, all motions and responses, court orders, judgments, and any appeal notices.

Common case types you might search include:

• Civil lawsuits and money judgments
• Dissolution of marriage and legal separation
• Child custody and parenting plans
• Probate, estate administration, and wills
• Guardianship and conservatorship
• Civil protection orders and anti-harassment orders
• Name change petitions
• Foreclosure actions

Certain record types are sealed or restricted from public access under Washington court rules. These include adoption records, juvenile non-offender matters, mental health commitment proceedings, and cases sealed by court order. If you are searching for a record and do not find it, it may be restricted or filed under a different case type than you expect.

Yakima Municipal Court

Yakima Municipal Court is at 200 S 3rd Street, Yakima, WA 98901, phone (509) 575-6049. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The Municipal Court handles misdemeanors, traffic infractions, and city ordinance violations. It does not handle civil lawsuits, probate, family law, or other civil matters. For those records, contact Yakima County Superior Court.

If you received a traffic ticket in the city of Yakima, or were charged with a misdemeanor under a city ordinance, that case is at Municipal Court. If you are looking for a civil lawsuit, divorce, or guardianship, those are at the county Superior Court at 128 North 2nd Street.

Copy Fees and Mail Requests

Paper copies from Yakima County Superior Court cost $0.50 per page with a $1.00 minimum. Electronic copies are $0.25 per page with a $1.00 minimum. Certified copies, which carry an official court seal and deputy clerk signature, cost $5.00 for the first page plus $1.00 for each additional page. Certified copies are often needed for agencies such as banks, the Social Security Administration, or the Department of Licensing.

If clerk staff must research to find records, a $20 per hour research fee applies after the first free search. Court hearing audio recordings are available on CD at tiered rates: $3.00 for 1 to 2 CDs, $6.00 for 3 to 5 CDs, and $9.00 for 6 or more CDs.

To request copies by mail, send a written request to the Yakima County Superior Court Clerk at 128 North 2nd Street, Room 323, Yakima, WA 98901. Include the case number or names of the parties, the specific documents needed, and payment by check made out to Yakima County Clerk. If you are not sure how many pages a document contains, call (509) 574-1430 first so you can send the correct payment.

Legal Help in Yakima

Northwest Justice Project serves Yakima and handles civil legal matters for low-income residents, including family law, housing, and consumer issues. Call (888) 201-1014 or visit nwjustice.org to check eligibility and apply. The organization has offices throughout Washington including eastern Washington.

Washington Law Help at washingtonlawhelp.org provides free self-help guides on civil legal topics including family law, landlord-tenant issues, small claims, and protection orders. All official court forms are available at courts.wa.gov/forms. The Washington State Bar Association runs a statewide lawyer referral service at (206) 443-9722.

View Yakima County Civil Court Records

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