Chelan County Court Records

Chelan County court records are official documents created when civil or criminal cases are filed at any courthouse in the county. They include all documents submitted to or created by court clerks in the course of legal proceedings. They are preserved for documentation purposes and legal precedence. Court records are typically sought for research, academic, and evaluation purposes. General contents of court records include exhibits, orders, dispositions, docket information, pleadings, and summonses. This documentation may exist in various formats, including paper, audio or video recordings, and images.

Are Court Records Public in Chelan County?

Yes. Chelan County court records are classified as "public records" under the Washington Public Records Act (Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 42.56.010). Under this Act, public records are defined as "any writing containing information relating to the conduct of government or the performance of any governmental or proprietary function prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics". This Act affords any member of the public the right to inspect, review, and copy court records.

However, the provisions of this Act do not override any person's right to privacy (RCW 42.56.050). These include situations such as when the disclosure of information about a person named in a court record would be highly offensive to them or the information is not of ultimate concern to the public. Generally, court records may be exempted from public disclosure if

• The record of interest is restricted from public dissemination by a subpoena.
• Such records contain identifying information about juveniles.
• They may reveal the identity of domestic violence victims, confidential informants, or witnesses.
• They contain case information about juvenile delinquency or dependency.
• There is potential for disclosed information to risk the safety of any named persons.
• They pertain to sealed or expunged cases.

Chelan County Court Records Search

Members of the public can find Chelan court records using any of the following:

• Online tools offered by the court where a case was filed
• Online statewide search tools, e.g., Odyssey Portal
• The clerk's office of the originating courthouse
• Third-party aggregate databases.

Chelan County Courts

Chelan County's court system comprises the superior court, district court, and Wenatchee Violations Bureau. The county's district court adjudicates matters that would otherwise be filed at municipal courts. Superior courts in the State of Washington have general jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. The superior court has a juvenile court, which adjudicates matters involving minors.

On the other hand, district courts have limited jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases; e.g., they do not adjudicate civil cases involving amounts greater than $100,000. Likewise, criminal cases adjudicated to this court are limited to misdemeanor cases, preliminary criminal case hearings, and traffic infractions—the addresses and contact information of the county courts are as follows:

Chelan County Superior Court
350 Orondo Avenue
Suite 501
Wenatchee WA 98801
Phone: (509) 667-6380
Fax: (509) 667-6611

Chelan County Superior Court - Juvenile
316 Washington Street
Suite 202
Wenatchee WA 98801
Phone: (509) 667-6350
Fax: (509) 667-6583

Chelan County District Court
350 Orondo Avenue
Wenatchee, WA 98801
Phone: (509) 667-6600
Fax: (509) 667-6456

Wenatchee Traffic Violations Bureau
140 South Mission Street
P.O. Box 519
Wenatchee, WA 98801
Phone: (509) 888-4210
Fax: (509) 888-4219

Chelan County Criminal Records

Chelan County criminal records are official compilations of arrests, detentions, and convictions involving county residents and law enforcement agencies. Criminal records in Washington are public records, except non-conviction records. Chelan County arrest records are classified under the county's criminal records. The dissemination of these records is regulated by Section 10.97.050 of the Revised Code of Washington and other agency-specific rules. Certain parties are generally eligible to access records, including

• Record subjects
• Law enforcement agencies
• Certain employers expressly authorized by law
• Criminal investigation agencies
• Individuals and agencies for statistical and research purposes.

Eligible individuals can obtain copies of Chelan County criminal records from the Washington State Patrol (WSP). Record subjects may request a copy of their criminal history report from this agency online using the Washington Access to Criminal History (WATCH) website. The WSP also allows researchers to request their criminal history information by mail and in person at their office.

To request records by mail, inquirers must complete a request form and submit it along with applicable fees to the Identification and Background Check section of the agency. In-person requests may be name-based or fingerprint-based. Name-based requests cost fees ranging from $10.00 to $32.00, while the fees for fingerprint-based requests cost $16.00 to $58.00.

Required details for record requests are the name and date of birth of the record-bearer. For further information, contact:

Washington State Patrol,
Identification and Background Check Section
P.O. Box 42633,
Olympia, WA 98504–2633.

Get Chelan County Civil Court Records

Civil court cases in Chelan County are filed at the superior and district courts. Each court has specific rules and methods for accessing records for civil cases filed in its respective courts. Generally, certain civil case records, including juvenile dependency, mental health, adoption, and paternity proceeding records, are confidential.

Access to case records at the Superior Court requires that an inquirer fill out a court record request and submit it to the Chelan County clerk's office. This can be done by sending an email (to superiorcourt.clerk@co.chelan.wa.us), by Fax: (at (509) 667-6611), or in person at:

Chelan County Superior Court Clerk,
350 Orondo Avenue
Suite 501
Wenatchee WA 98801.

The clerk charges nominal fees for this service. Similarly, requesters at the district court must complete a record request form and submit it to the district court clerk's office by email (at DistrictCourt.Clerk@co.chelan.wa.us), Fax: (at (509) 667-6456), or in person at

County Courthouse,
4th Floor
350 Orondo Avenue
Wenatchee WA 98801.

For remote access to court records, inquirers may use the Odyssey Portal. This website covers multiple counties and may be searched using a record number or a case party's name. Access to records on this site is free.

Chelan County Marriage Records

The Chelan County Auditor's Office maintains a record repository for all marriages whose licenses were issued in the county. This office allows interested persons to purchase records for $3.00 each, payable by cash, check, or credit card. Requests may be made at the office or via mail. Mail requests require check payments and a processing time of two working days after receiving the order.

Online requests may be made through the Washington State Digital Archives, while phone orders may be made to the state's Department of Health at (860) 236-4313. These agencies typically provide records for all counties in the state. Alternatively, record seekers may query the superior court clerk with marriage details, such as the parties involved and the marriage date.

Chelan County Divorce Records

Chelan County divorce records can be obtained from the Washington Department of Health (DOH) or the Chelan County Superior Court clerk's office. Records from the clerk's office may be requested in person, online, or by phone. The DOH maintains records for all divorces in the state from 1968 to the present. Any person can apply for these records for a fee of $25.00 per document. Additional fees may apply depending on the shipping or ordering method.

Note that records are not immediately available at this office following a divorce, as it may take up to five months for them to receive the most recent divorce records from superior court clerks. Mail requests take six to eight weeks to process.

Chelan County Birth and Death Records

The Chelan-Douglas Health District's Vital Records office maintains Chelan County's death and birth certificates and may facilitate a public search for eligible parties. Eligible applicants for these records include record subjects, their child, parent, sibling, grandparent, legal guardian, authorized representative, and legal representative. Records obtainable from this office are those for births and deaths that occurred from 1907 to the present.

Information required for a birth certificate request includes:

• Subject's name
• Mother's maiden name and father's name
• The child's date and city of birth.

For death records, the following is required:

• Full name of the deceased
• Mother's maiden name and father's name
• Date of death (or a 10-year period to search)
• City of death.

Requests by mail may be done by completing a birth certificate order form or death certificate order form and sending it to

Chelan-Douglas Health District
Vital Records
200 Valley Mall Parkway
East Wenatchee, WA 98802.

In-person research can also be done at this address. The required processing time is usually two business days plus mail time. All fees are payable through checks or money orders and must be included in the request mail sent to the address mentioned above.

Chelan County Probate Court Records

Chelan County does not have a probate court. Matters otherwise handled by probate court, including trusts, wills, and guardianship, fall within the jurisdiction of the Chelan County Superior Court. Note that a large number of probate cases are confidential. As such, inquirers should contact the court clerk's office to confirm the public availability of the sought record and any applicable request procedures and fees.

Eligible parties may request records in person at the superior court clerk's office or use other remote options provided. Document images may be viewed using public access terminals at the court clerk's office. A $5.00 fee applies for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page of record reproduced.

Chelan County Property Records

Property records are official instruments that contain information about real estate and taxable properties. Chelan County property records include all plats, liens, mortgages, and other relevant documents that provide legal, ownership, tax, valuation, location, and size of properties located within the county.

The Chelan County Assessor offers a free online property lookup website for interested parties to find information about real properties in the county. This online database can be searched using a property's address, parcel ID, or owner's name. Further queries may be directed to the assessor's office by phone at (509) 667-6365 or at the office location at:

350 Orondo Avenue
Suite 206, Wenatchee.

Chelan County Court Records Online

Many private sources provide online access to court records. While these services usually require fees, many websites allow users to access case information for free. Third-party websites offer additional convenience due to their multi-jurisdictional coverage and additional search features. For example, Washingtoncourtrecords.us covers information for various counties in multiple states and can be searched using basic information like a case party's name. However, users are advised to verify the authenticity of information obtained from these sites.