Court records of Kittitas County in the state of Washington are maintained by the court clerk and are accessible through online tools, official court portals, and directly at the office. KittitasCourt.us allows you to quickly find public information about county court records. Additionally, you can use the Washington Courts case search portal, Odyssey Portal, or contact the county clerk's office to obtain copies of documents.
Kittitas Court System Overview
The Kittitas County court system is part of the Washington State court structure. At the county level, there is a Superior Court, which is a court of general jurisdiction, and a District Court, which handles cases of limited jurisdiction. The Superior Court judge is James Kirkham; the court administrator is Sarah Keith. Kittitas County belongs to Division III of the Washington State Court of Appeals.
The courthouse is located in Ellensburg, the county seat.
The Superior Court handles criminal cases involving serious offenses, civil lawsuits without monetary limits, family law, probate cases, and appeals from the District Court. The District Court serves minor civil claims, misdemeanors, and traffic violations.
Courts Serving Kittitas
Kittitas County Superior Court
Kittitas County District Court
Ellensburg Municipal Court
Cle Elum Municipal Court
The municipal court of Cle Elum handles city code violations and minor offenses within city jurisdiction.
Federal Court
Kittitas County falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington (Yakima Division).
What Types of Cases Kittitas Courts Hear
Kittitas County courts hear a wide range of cases. Here are the main categories:
- Felonies and misdemeanors
- Traffic violations, including DUI
- Civil lawsuits of any amount (Superior Court) and up to a set limit (District Court)
- Small claims cases
- Family law: divorce, custody, child support, paternity
- Probate cases, guardianship, conservatorship
- Juvenile and child protection cases
- Adoptions
A detailed distribution between the courts is described in the following sections.
District Court Cases in Kittitas
Kittitas County District Court is a court of limited jurisdiction. It handles misdemeanors, infractions, DUI cases, minor civil claims, and traffic violations. Civil cases here are limited to amounts up to $100,000 according to Washington State law (RCW 3.66.020). The court also conducts preliminary hearings in felony cases before transferring them to the Superior Court.
Cases are initiated by a complaint from the prosecutor or a lawsuit filed by the plaintiff. A District Court judge is assigned to the case according to the court schedule. District Court decisions can be appealed to the county's Superior Court.
Magistrate Court Cases in Kittitas
In Washington State, there are no separate magistrate courts in the same sense as in some other states. Functions that are performed by a magistrate in other jurisdictions are handled by the District Court in Kittitas County. The District Court handles:
- Misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, infractions
- Preliminary hearings in felony criminal cases
- Civil cases up to $100,000
- Small claims cases up to $10,000 (RCW 12.40.010)
- Traffic violations
- DUI cases — from the first hearing to the decision
If the amount of a civil claim exceeds the jurisdictional limit of the District Court or the case requires consideration by a court of general jurisdiction, it is filed directly with the Superior Court.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Kittitas
Family Law. Divorce, child custody, child support, paternity establishment, protective orders, and termination of parental rights are all handled by the Kittitas County Superior Court. To order a marriage or divorce certificate, you can contact the Washington State Department of Health or the county clerk where the marriage license was issued.
Probate Cases. Probate — the process of estate administration after a person's death — also falls under the jurisdiction of the Superior Court. This includes guardianship, conservatorship, and trusts. Documents are filed with the court clerk's office.
Juvenile Matters. The juvenile court operates as a division of the Superior Court. Cases involving juvenile offenses and child protection (Child Protective Act) are confidential. Access to records is restricted according to state law.
How Cases Move Through the Kittitas Court System
- Filing a Case. A criminal case begins with an indictment from the prosecutor; a civil case with a complaint; a family or probate case with a petition.
- Judge Assignment. The court clerk registers the case and assigns a judge according to the court's internal rules.
- First Hearing. In criminal cases, this is the arraignment (presentation of charges and determination of bail). In civil cases, it is a scheduling conference.
- Pre-Trial Phase. Parties exchange evidence (discovery), file motions, and may negotiate plea deals or settlements.
- Trial or Resolution. The case concludes with a jury verdict, judge's decision, plea agreement, settlement, or default judgment.
- Post-Judgment. Appeals can be made to Division III of the Court of Appeals or the Washington State Supreme Court through the appellate courts portal. In criminal cases, sentencing and possible appeals follow.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Kittitas
The administration of Kittitas County courts is overseen by court administrator Sarah Keith (phone: 509-962-7533). Information about judges and contacts can be found in the Washington State Courts directory.
Local court rules and standard court forms are available on the Washington Courts website. Before filing documents, it is advisable to check the local rules of the Kittitas County Superior Court.
Public Access. Most court records in Washington are public according to General Rule 31 of the State Supreme Court and the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56). Exceptions include adoption cases, juvenile matters, sealed cases, and some family cases. Access to documents through the Odyssey Portal is provided through the county clerk — extended access requires registration.
Hearings are generally open to the public. They can be attended in person at the courthouse. For information on remote participation, contact the court office at 509-962-7533.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Kittitas
- Online Case Search. Use the Washington Courts Case Search to find cases in Kittitas County Superior Court and District Court. Search results indicate the official case record.
- Court Dates. Check the date of the next hearing through the Find My Court Date tool.
- Superior Court Archived Cases. Cases from 2015 onwards are available through the Washington State Digital Archives, including civil, criminal, probate, and divorce cases.
- Court Clerk Contacts and Transcript Requests. Clerk's email: clerk@co.kittitas.wa.us. A full list of contacts is available on the Office of Public Defense page.
- Criminal History. Fingerprint-based criminal history checks are conducted by the Washington State Patrol.
- Warrant Search. Warrant searches are available on the Washington State Department of Corrections website.
- Inmate Roster. The current inmate roster is published on the Kittitas County Sheriff's website.
- Sheriff's Records. The Sheriff's Records Division accepts public records requests Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
- Public Defender. The Kittitas County Department of Public Defense is located at 205 W 5th Ave, Ellensburg.
- Forms and Self-Help Resources. Standard court forms are available on the Court Forms page.
- Sex Offender Registry. Information is available through the Washington State Sex Offender Registry on the state sheriff's website.
For additional searches of public information about county court records, use KittitasCourt.us.