With a land area of 2,090 square miles, Snohomish County is considered the 13th largest county in Washington. Its varied topography includes beaches, farmlands, and large forest areas. As of the 2020 census, the county had 827,957 residents, and its seat is Everett City.  

Courts in Snohomish County

Snohomish County’s court system is composed of the Snohomish County Superior Court, District Court, and Municipal Courts.

Snohomish County Superior Court is considered a court of unlimited jurisdiction. Its authority covers all civil matters, felony criminal cases, domestic relation matters, family, and juvenile matters. The court also hears appeals from the District and Municipal Courts. 

The District Courts are courts of limited jurisdiction. The criminal jurisdiction of the courts is limited to misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and traffic offenses. However, they also conduct preliminary hearings for felony cases.  The civil jurisdiction of the District Courts encompasses all claims to money or property or damages for personal injury that do not exceed the sum of $100,000. They also entertain small claims of $5,000 or less when brought by a business or corporation or up to $10,000 when brought by a person. District courts also hear name changes, lien foreclosures, and domestic violence cases. 

Municipal Courts operate in cities in Snohomish County. They hear cases on violations of municipal or city ordinances. Their jurisdiction is limited to misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and infractions. They also can issue domestic violence protection orders and no-contact orders within the municipality they operate in.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Snohomish County

Each court in Snohomish County has a Clerk who maintains the records of the court's cases and proceedings.  Superior Court records are obtainable online through the Washington State Digital Archives, but researchers must provide the relevant case number. Additionally, case information including case number, parties, and summaries are available on the Odyssey Portal - Washington Courts Online Case Search. Interested persons can also obtain Superior Court records by requesting them from the Clerk of the Superior Court in person or via mail. 

To obtain records of the Snohomish District Court, complete the Request for Court Records form and send it via email to the court. Requests can also be made in person at any location of the District Court. Municipal Court records are available at the courthouse where the case was heard.

Types of Public Court Records in Snohomish County

Snohomish County court records consist of records relating to in-court proceedings in the county, including:

• Case files
• Dockets
• Calendars
• Exhibits
• Judgment
• Recordings of proceedings

Court records are generally open to the public unless they are confidential according to statute or sealed by court order. 

Confidential Court Records in Snohomish County

The following Snohomish County court records are not accessible to the public.

• Adoption records
• Mental illness commitment records
• Alcohol and drug treatment commitment records
• Paternity records
• Confidential name change records
• Juvenile non-offender records
• Court records sealed by judicial order

Juvenile Delinquency in Snohomish, WA

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Snohomish County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Washington often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 2502 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Snohomish County. Of that total, 62% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 1560 court cases. Another 5% were dependency cases that accounted for 116 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Snohomish County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Snohomish County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Snohomish County, WA

https://access.wa.gov/

County Seat:	Everett
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1861
Total Square Miles:	2,196
2019 Population:	801,633
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Snohomish County, WA Courts