Yakima Criminal Court Records Search

Yakima criminal court records are public documents filed with the city's municipal court, Yakima County Superior Court, and Yakima County District Court. This page explains how to find and access those records online and in person. Yakima is the county seat of Yakima County, which means the main courthouse is located right in the city. Whether you're looking for a specific case, need a copy of a court document, or want to understand your options for a formal records request, the resources here are a good starting point.

Yakima Municipal Court

Yakima Municipal Court handles criminal charges and infractions that fall under city jurisdiction. This includes traffic-related offenses, city ordinance violations, and misdemeanor criminal matters filed by Yakima city prosecutors. The court does not handle felony charges. Those go up to Yakima County Superior Court.

The City of Yakima website has contact details for the municipal court, including address, phone number, and public counter hours. Records from Yakima Municipal Court are part of the public record under RCW 42.56 and can be accessed by request.

To request records from Yakima Municipal Court, you can visit the clerk in person or send a written request by mail. Include the full name of the person on the case, a date of birth if available, and the case number if you have it. The court clerk will confirm whether a record exists and what the cost of copies will be before processing your request.

The screenshot below is from the Yakima city website, which provides municipal court information and access to city services for residents and the public.

The city site includes links to court schedules, payment options, and contact information for the clerk's office.

Yakima County Superior Court

Yakima County Superior Court is the main court for felony criminal cases in the city and county. It handles all Class A, B, and C felony charges under RCW 9A, as well as serious domestic violence cases and appeals from lower courts. The court is in Yakima, which makes it accessible for city residents needing in-person access to records or hearings.

Superior Court uses the Odyssey case management system. You can search it at odysseyportal.courts.wa.gov/odyportal. Search by name, case number, or date. The portal shows charge details, hearing dates, case status, and case history. It covers Yakima County Superior Court and is generally up to date with recent filings.

Certified copies of Superior Court records are available from the clerk's office. You can request them in person or by mail. The clerk will tell you the fee before processing. Certified copies include the court's official seal and signature, which is needed for legal, immigration, and official use.

Yakima County District Court

Yakima County District Court handles misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor charges that are not handled by the municipal court. It also has civil jurisdiction over smaller claims. Cases filed here are part of the county system, separate from both the city court and the Superior Court.

District Court records can be searched through the statewide tool at dw.courts.wa.gov. This free search covers many Washington courts including Yakima County. Enter a name and filter by county to find cases. The results include case numbers, charge descriptions, and basic case status for filings in the District Court.

If you're unsure whether a case was filed in the District Court or Superior Court, the statewide tool searches both at once, which makes it a good first stop before digging into the more detailed Odyssey portal.

How to Look Up Yakima Criminal Records

There are several tools you can use to search Yakima criminal court records online. None of them covers every court, so using a combination gives the best results.

The Washington Courts case search at dw.courts.wa.gov is free and covers Yakima County Superior Court and District Court. It's the fastest way to do an initial search by name. Results include case numbers, charges, and case status. It's a good first step.

For more detail on specific felony cases, use the Odyssey Public Portal. This gives access to Yakima County Superior Court with more case-level information than the statewide search. Document-level access and hearing schedules are often available here.

For city-level misdemeanor cases, contact Yakima Municipal Court directly or check the city website for any online tools they provide. Municipal court records don't always appear in county or state portals.

The Washington State Patrol WATCH system at wsp.wa.gov/crime/criminal-history is a separate tool for broader criminal history searches statewide, not just Yakima. It costs $11 online.

Washington State Patrol and Criminal History

The WATCH system run by the Washington State Patrol is distinct from court records. It pulls criminal history data from agencies across the state, including Yakima area law enforcement. Where court records show what was filed in a specific court, WATCH shows a broader view of arrests and convictions.

An online WATCH name-and-DOB search costs $11 and returns results quickly. A mail-in version of the same search costs $32. A fingerprint-based search, which is the most thorough option, costs $58. Visit wsp.wa.gov/crime/criminal-history for submission details and timelines.

Under RCW 10.97, the Criminal Records Privacy Act, arrests that did not lead to conviction have restricted availability in the state system. Juvenile records are further protected under RCW 13.50. These restrictions apply in both the WATCH system and at the court level.

What Records Are Publicly Available

Washington's Public Records Act, RCW 42.56, makes most adult criminal court records open to the public. This covers charging documents, case filings, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and court calendars in Yakima Municipal Court, Yakima County District Court, and Yakima County Superior Court.

Records that are typically restricted include juvenile cases under RCW 13.50, cases sealed by court order, and portions of records containing victim contact information. Mental health court proceedings and some diversion program records also have limited public access. When a court withholds records, it must state the legal basis for doing so.

If what you need isn't available online, you can submit a written public records request directly to the court clerk. Courts must respond within five business days. That response gives you a timeline for when records will be produced, or explains why they are being withheld. For certified copies, you'll need to pay the per-page fee set by the court.

Note: Plain copies are acceptable for personal use, but certified copies are required when records must be submitted in legal or official proceedings.

Criminal Court Records in Yakima - Yakima County

Yakima is the county seat of Yakima County, which means the main courthouse is in the city itself. The county Superior Court and District Court serve the entire county from this location, and the clerk's office handles records requests for both courts.

View Yakima County Criminal Court Records

Nearby Cities

Other Washington cities with criminal court record pages are listed below.