Richland Criminal Court Records

Richland criminal court records are public documents held by Richland Municipal Court, Benton County Superior Court, and Benton County District Court. Richland is part of the Tri-Cities area in southeastern Washington and sits within Benton County. This page explains how to find and access criminal case records online, what each court covers, and how to submit records requests for documents not available through online search tools.

Richland Municipal Court

Richland Municipal Court handles city-level criminal cases including misdemeanor charges, traffic violations, and ordinance infractions filed within the city of Richland. This is where first appearances on city misdemeanor cases happen, and where fines and dispositions for lower-level charges are recorded. The court does not handle felonies, which go to Benton County Superior Court instead.

The City of Richland website is the starting point for finding municipal court contact details. The court operates during regular business hours and handles both criminal and traffic cases. To request records, contact the court clerk directly. You can visit in person or mail a written request. Include the name, date of birth, and case number if available.

Certified copies from Richland Municipal Court carry the court's seal and are required for legal proceedings. Plain copies cost less but may not be accepted in formal settings. The clerk's office will confirm the fee before producing any copies.

The Washington Courts statewide case search at dw.courts.wa.gov is shown below. This portal covers many Washington courts including county-level courts in Benton County, and is a good starting point for case lookups.

The statewide case search is a free tool that covers Benton County Superior Court and District Court records. It does not include Richland Municipal Court records, which must be requested directly from the city court.

Benton County Superior Court

Benton County Superior Court handles felony criminal cases for the entire county, including Richland. This court has jurisdiction over Class A, B, and C felonies under RCW 9A, including assault, robbery, drug trafficking, and other serious charges. It also handles appeals from lower courts and serious domestic violence cases.

Benton County Superior Court uses the Odyssey system. You can search it at odysseyportal.courts.wa.gov/odyportal. The portal is free and doesn't require registration. Search by name, case number, or date range. Results include charges, hearing dates, case status, and sometimes document-level detail.

The Benton County Courthouse is in Kennewick, the county seat. Richland residents needing in-person access to Superior Court records must go to Kennewick. The clerk's office there handles records requests, certified copies, and public records inquiries for the Superior Court. Mail requests are accepted for those who can't visit in person.

Benton County District Court

Benton County District Court handles misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor charges at the county level that fall outside the scope of city municipal courts. It also handles civil cases under $100,000 and small claims. If a crime happened outside Richland city limits but within Benton County, the District Court likely handled it.

District Court records can be searched through the statewide Washington Courts tool at dw.courts.wa.gov. Select Benton County and search by name. The tool returns results for both District Court and Superior Court cases in the county, making it efficient when you're not sure which court level to check.

For cases not appearing in the statewide search, older records or records from certain court programs may only be available by contacting the clerk directly or submitting a formal public records request.

How to Search Richland Criminal Records

Searching for Richland criminal records typically starts with the statewide tool and then moves to more specific portals if you need more detail. Here's how to approach it.

Start at dw.courts.wa.gov. This covers Benton County Superior Court and District Court. Enter the person's name and filter by Benton County. Case numbers, charge descriptions, and status will appear for matching records.

For felony case detail, use the Odyssey Public Portal. This gives access to Benton County Superior Court filings with more depth than the statewide search. Document lists, hearing schedules, and detailed case history are often available here.

For city-level misdemeanor cases, contact Richland Municipal Court directly at www.ci.richland.wa.us. Municipal court records don't always appear in county or state tools.

For a statewide criminal history check, the Washington State Patrol WATCH system at wsp.wa.gov/crime/criminal-history offers name-based searches for $11 online.

Washington State Patrol Criminal History

The Washington State Patrol maintains the WATCH system, a statewide criminal history database separate from court records. WATCH compiles arrest and conviction data from law enforcement agencies across Washington, including those serving Richland and Benton County. It can show records from multiple jurisdictions in one search.

An online name and date-of-birth search costs $11 and returns results quickly. A mail-in version of the same search costs $32. The most thorough option is a fingerprint-based search at $58, which takes additional processing time. Each search type has its own submission instructions on the WSP website.

RCW 10.97, the Criminal Records Privacy Act, limits access to arrests that did not result in conviction. These may not appear in public WATCH results. Juvenile records are separately protected under RCW 13.50. These restrictions apply whether you're searching WATCH or requesting records directly from a court.

Public Records Access in Richland

Washington's Public Records Act, RCW 42.56, makes most criminal court records open to the public without requiring a stated reason. This covers adult criminal filings at Richland Municipal Court, Benton County District Court, and Benton County Superior Court. Charging documents, case filings, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and court schedules are generally public.

Some records are restricted. Juvenile cases filed under RCW 13.50 are not publicly available. Cases sealed by court order are not accessible. Victim contact information is routinely redacted from publicly released documents. Some mental health court and diversion records have limited availability. Courts must cite a specific exemption when withholding records.

If what you need isn't online, submit a written public records request to the court clerk. Each court in Benton County has its own process but must respond within five business days under state law. That response may be the records, an estimated timeline, or a denial with the legal reason for withholding. Certified copies require a per-page fee set by the court.

Note: If you're requesting records for use in court, immigration, or other legal proceedings, ask for certified copies. Plain copies are not accepted in most official proceedings.

Criminal Court Records in Richland - Benton County

Richland is in Benton County, and county felony and misdemeanor cases are handled at the Benton County Courthouse in Kennewick. The county clerk manages Superior Court records and responds to public records requests for the county court system.

View Benton County Criminal Court Records

Nearby Cities

Other Tri-Cities area and Eastern Washington cities with criminal court record pages are listed below.