Access Spokane Family Court Records
Spokane family court records are filed and maintained by Spokane County Superior Court, which serves as the court of general jurisdiction for all family law matters in Spokane County, including dissolution, child custody, parenting plans, child support, and protection orders for residents of Spokane, the second largest city in Washington. You can search case records online through the Washington Courts Odyssey portal or the statewide search tool, and the Spokane County Clerk's office handles copy requests and in-person record access.
Spokane Overview
Spokane County Superior Court
Spokane County Superior Court handles all family law cases for Spokane and every community in Spokane County. The court is the place to file for dissolution, legal separation, custody, parenting plans, child support, spousal maintenance, adoptions, protection orders, and guardianship matters. Spokane is the county seat, and the Superior Court serves the whole county from its Spokane location.
Court locations and contact details are listed at the Spokane County court website at spokanecountycourt.org. The Spokane County Clerk's Records page at spokanecounty.org/192/Clerks-Records covers how to request records, what fees apply, and how to get information about a case. The case information FAQ at spokanecounty.org/1905 is also useful for first-time visitors.
| Court | Spokane County Superior Court |
|---|---|
| Court Locations | spokanecountycourt.org |
| Clerk Records | spokanecounty.org/192/Clerks-Records |
| Odyssey Portal | odysseyportal.courts.wa.gov |
| Statewide Search | dw.courts.wa.gov |
| Document Viewer | cp.spokanecounty.org/courtdocumentviewer |
The Spokane County Court Document Viewer is another online tool specific to Spokane County that lets you view court documents online. Use the Odyssey portal to find case numbers and docket information first, then the document viewer to look at the actual filings for cases that are publicly accessible.
Search Spokane Family Court Records Online
The Odyssey portal at odysseyportal.courts.wa.gov is the main tool for searching Spokane County Superior Court cases. Family court records for Spokane residents are in this system. Search by party name or case number. Smart Search helps with partial names. Results show case status, docket entries, party names, and hearing dates for cases that are not sealed or confidential. Attorneys registered in the system can also e-file documents through the portal.
The Odyssey portal gives Spokane residents access to Spokane County Superior Court case data, including docket histories and party information for non-confidential family law cases.
The statewide search at dw.courts.wa.gov is useful if you need to search across all Washington courts at once. For Spokane Municipal Court case records specifically, note that the statewide tool directs you to the Spokane Municipal Court eCourt portal for the most current data. Family law cases do not appear in the Municipal Court system, only in the Superior Court.
Statewide Court Search for Spokane Cases
The Washington Courts central search at dw.courts.wa.gov covers every Washington court in one place. Spokane County Superior Court cases appear there. This tool is free and does not require an account. Use it to find cases across multiple courts or when you are not certain which county handled a matter.
After locating a case in the statewide search, contact the Spokane County Clerk to request copies or get more detail on the case file and documents.
The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov is a separate tool for older records not in the online court systems. Select Spokane County from the dropdown to search historical Superior Court cases. This is useful for genealogy or finding records from before the Odyssey era.
Spokane Municipal Court
Spokane has its own Municipal Court, which operates separately from the Superior Court. Spokane Municipal Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, gross misdemeanors, traffic infractions, and certain civil matters within Spokane city limits. It does not handle family law matters. Dissolution, custody, and child support cases go to Spokane County Superior Court, not the Municipal Court.
Spokane Municipal Court uses an eCourt system for case management and online filing. The public portal at ecourt.spokanecity.org allows case searching and provides information about Municipal Court proceedings. To file in a case, you need login credentials and must be an active case participant. Attorneys must file a written Notice of Appearance under SPMCrRLJ 4.1. Request login credentials by completing the appropriate form and emailing it to mcadmin@spokanecity.org. Spokane Municipal Court is at 1100 W Mallon Avenue, Spokane, WA 99260. Phone: 509-625-4400.
Spokane Municipal Court's eCourt portal covers municipal court matters only; for family law cases, Spokane residents must use Spokane County Superior Court, not the Municipal Court system.
Filing a Family Law Case in Spokane
Spokane residents filing for dissolution do so under RCW Chapter 26.09. Washington is a no-fault state. You state that the marriage is irretrievably broken and do not need to prove fault or wrongdoing. File a Petition for Dissolution and Summons at Spokane County Superior Court. Pay the filing fee at that time. After the other party is served or signs a Joinder, a mandatory 90-day waiting period starts before the court can enter a final dissolution order.
Cases with minor children require parenting plans and child support calculated under state guidelines. Courts may require parents to complete a parenting seminar. Under RCW Chapter 26.12, courts can appoint guardians ad litem to protect children's interests in contested custody cases. If the case is contested, mediation may be ordered before a judge hears the matter.
Free forms are at courts.wa.gov/forms. Washington Law Help at washingtonlawhelp.org has free self-help guides in multiple languages. The Northwest Justice Project at (888) 201-1014 helps low-income Spokane County residents with legal aid referrals.
Certified Records and Additional Resources
Certified divorce certificates are ordered from the Washington Department of Health at doh.wa.gov. Records from 1968 to the present cost $25 per copy. No identification is required to order. The certificate shows names, date of decree, and county. VitalChek expedited service is available for an additional fee. This is a vital record certificate from DOH. It differs from a court-certified copy of the actual order, which must be requested from the Spokane County Clerk.
JIS-Link at courts.wa.gov/jislink is a subscription service for attorneys and other legal professionals who need regular court data access. It costs $0.145 per transaction with a $13 monthly minimum. The system undergoes daily maintenance from 3:00 to 6:00 AM and is not available during that window.
Spokane County Family Court Records
Spokane is in Spokane County. All family law cases go through Spokane County Superior Court. See the county page for full clerk info and resources.
Nearby Cities
Spokane Valley is just east of Spokane in the same county and uses the same Superior Court for family law.