Find Civil Court Records in Spokane County
Spokane County civil court records are kept by the County Clerk at the courthouse on West Broadway Avenue and can be searched online through the Odyssey Portal and the Spokane County Court Viewer.
Spokane County Court Quick Facts
- County Seat: Spokane
- Superior Court Address: 1116 W. Broadway Avenue, Spokane, WA 99260
- Phone: (509) 477-2211
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
- Non-Certified Copies: $0.50 per page
- Electronic Copies: $0.25 per page
- Certified Copies: $5.00 first page, $1.00 each additional
- Online Access: Free through Odyssey Portal and Court Viewer
How to Search Spokane County Civil Records Online
Spokane County offers two separate online tools for searching court records. The first is the Odyssey Portal at odysseyportal.courts.wa.gov. This statewide system lets you search by party name, case number, or attorney across all courts that participate in the network. Results show case type, filing date, and a list of documents on file. Access is free at any time.
The second tool is the Spokane County Court Viewer at cp.spokanecounty.org/courtdocumentviewer. This system is specific to Spokane County and lets you view Superior Court and District Court documents directly. You can search by case number or party name and view filed pleadings, court orders, and judgments. Access is free and available 24 hours a day. The Court Viewer is updated regularly as new documents are filed.
Washington Courts case search at dw.courts.wa.gov also covers Spokane County records and is useful if you need to search across multiple counties or courts.
In-Person Access at the Courthouse
The Spokane County Clerk's office is at 1116 W. Broadway Avenue in Spokane. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The office closes during the noon hour. Plan your visit accordingly.
Public access terminals are available in the courthouse for viewing records at no charge. If you need paper copies, non-certified copies cost $0.50 per page. Electronic copies sent by email are $0.25 per page. Certified copies, which carry the court's official seal, are $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. Staff can help locate case files by name or case number.
Spokane County Superior Court
Superior Court in Spokane County handles civil cases where the amount at issue exceeds $100,000. The Clerk maintains records of every proceeding, including all hearings, trials, and rulings. Case types covered include civil lawsuits, domestic relations, probate, juvenile matters, and felony criminal cases.
Domestic relations records include divorce filings, legal separation, parenting plans, and child support orders. Probate records cover wills, trusts, guardianships, and estate matters. The court also handles monetary judgments filed in Superior Court, emancipation petitions for minors aged 16 and older, and adoption filings made in the county where the adoptive parents lived. Paternity establishment records are maintained here as well.
Mental illness commitment records are kept by the Clerk. These are restricted records and are not available for public inspection without a court order. Juvenile offender, dependency, and truancy records are also maintained but carry restrictions on who can access them.
District Court
Spokane County District Court handles civil cases where the claim does not exceed $100,000. Small claims cases are capped at $10,000. District Court also covers misdemeanor criminal matters, traffic infractions, and protection orders. Records from District Court are accessible through the Spokane County Court Viewer and the statewide Odyssey Portal.
The Court Viewer system covers both Superior Court and District Court documents, making it one of the more complete county-level search tools in Washington. You can search across both court levels in a single session without switching systems.
What Civil Court Records Include
Civil court records document the full course of a legal dispute. A case file typically includes the initial complaint or petition, responses from opposing parties, motions filed by either side, court orders issued during the case, and the final judgment. Contract disputes, property matters, and tort cases all generate these documents.
Domestic relations files contain dissolution decrees, parenting plans, child support calculations and orders, and modification requests filed after the original decree. Probate records document will admissions, estate inventories, creditor claims, and final distribution orders. Guardianship cases include petitions, background information, and approved care plans. Most civil records are public. Sealed cases, adoption files, mental illness records, and juvenile dependency matters are restricted.
Copy Fees
Non-certified paper copies cost $0.50 per page. Electronic copies are $0.25 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each page after that. These fees apply to both Superior Court and District Court records.
Viewing records through the Odyssey Portal or the Spokane County Court Viewer is free. You can check case indexes and document lists at no cost. To get copies of actual documents, you need to go through the Clerk's office or order through the online systems if that option is available for a given document.
Legal Framework
Washington court records are governed by General Rule 31 (GR 31), which sets the access standards for all courts in the state. Most civil case documents are open to the public. Records involving minors, sealed matters, and certain sensitive proceedings are restricted by law.
The Washington Revised Code, Title 2.32 covers court clerk duties, including how records are kept and what fees apply. These statutes apply uniformly across all Washington counties. The Spokane County Clerk follows these rules alongside any local court rules specific to Spokane County Superior Court.
Legal Help in Spokane County
Northwest Justice Project provides free civil legal help to low-income residents. Call the CLEAR hotline at (888) 201-1014 or visit nwjustice.org. Washington Law Help at washingtonlawhelp.org covers topics including family law, housing, and consumer debt.
Court forms for civil matters are free at courts.wa.gov/forms. The Washington State Bar Association lawyer referral service at wsba.org connects people with attorneys for civil litigation, family law, and probate. Spokane County Legal Services and Spokane Volunteer Lawyers Program also serve residents who need civil legal assistance but cannot afford an attorney.
Cities in Spokane County
Two cities in Spokane County meet the population threshold and have their own civil court records pages.
Other communities in the county include Cheney, Medical Lake, Airway Heights, and Liberty Lake. These cities are served by the same Spokane County courts.