Access Grant County Family Court Records
Grant County family court records are maintained by the County Clerk at the Superior Court in Ephrata. The clerk manages all Superior Court records and financial transactions, including family law case files. The office holds dissolution filings, parenting plan orders, child custody and support records, protection orders, guardianship files, and adoption documents. You can search case information online through the Washington Courts Odyssey Portal, or go to the courthouse in Ephrata to request copies in person. Grant County is a large central Washington county that includes Moses Lake and surrounding communities. For any family court case lookup or certified copy request, the Grant County Superior Court Clerk is the right starting point.
Grant County Overview
Grant County Superior Court Clerk
The Grant County Clerk manages all Superior Court records and financial transactions for the county. The clerk's office in Ephrata stores the full range of family court documents: dissolution petitions and decrees, parenting plans, custody orders, child support records, domestic violence protection orders, minor guardianship files, and sealed adoption records. The clerk processes in-person and written requests for records. Staff can search by party name or case number.
The official clerk page at grantcountywa.gov/302/Clerk has contact details and information on the records request process. Fees apply for copies of documents, with higher fees for certified copies. Grant County covers a large geographic area in central Washington. If you live in Moses Lake or another part of the county and need court records, the clerk's office in Ephrata is the official location for all Superior Court filings.
| Office | Grant County Superior Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address |
Grant County Courthouse 35 C Street NW Ephrata, WA 98823 |
| Phone | (509) 754-2011 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | grantcountywa.gov/302/Clerk |
The screenshot below shows the Grant County Clerk page on the official county website, where you can find contact information and records request guidance.
The Grant County Clerk's official page is the main reference for contacting the clerk's office and learning how to request family court records in Ephrata.
Search Grant County Family Court Records Online
Start at dw.courts.wa.gov, the Washington Courts central case search. It links to the Odyssey Portal and lets you search Grant County Superior Court records by party name or case number. Results show docket entries, party names, hearing dates, and case status for non-restricted matters.
The screenshot below shows the Washington Courts central search engine for finding Grant County family court case records online.
Use dw.courts.wa.gov as your first stop for online searches of Grant County family court cases. It connects to the Odyssey Portal system.
The Odyssey Portal provides direct access to Grant County Superior Court case data. Use the Party Name Search with Smart Search. When searching by case number, omit hyphens. The portal shows non-confidential dockets and schedule information. Sealed records, minor-related cases, and certain domestic violence files may not be accessible online. Contact the Grant County Clerk for anything that cannot be found through the portal.
The screenshot below shows the Odyssey Portal interface for searching Grant County Superior Court family court records and dockets.
The Odyssey Portal is the core online tool for searching Grant County family court case filings, docket entries, and hearing schedules.
Legal professionals who need broader access can use the JIS-Link subscription service. It provides display-only access to district, municipal, and superior court records statewide. The fee is $0.145 per transaction with a $13 monthly minimum. Legacy records may be incomplete for courts that moved to newer systems. For complete current records in Grant County, direct contact with the clerk is recommended.
Grant County Family Court Filing Process
All family law matters in Grant County go through the Superior Court in Ephrata. This covers dissolution, legal separation, child custody, parenting plan modifications, child support, adoptions, and minor guardianships. Washington State law governs all of these proceedings. The primary dissolution statute is RCW Chapter 26.09. It covers filing requirements, the mandatory waiting period, mediation procedures, property division rules, child support calculations, parenting plan requirements, and relocation notice procedures.
To file a dissolution in Grant County, one party must be a Washington State resident or military member stationed in the state. No minimum county residency time is required. Washington is a no-fault state; neither spouse needs to prove fault. The only basis for dissolution is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. The petitioner files a Petition for Dissolution and Summons with the clerk. The other party must be properly served. If both agree on all terms, they can file an agreed final order after the mandatory 90-day waiting period. Contested cases may involve temporary orders, mediation, and trial proceedings.
Washington requires a 90-day waiting period from the date the petition is filed and served before a dissolution can be finalized. The waiting period cannot be waived or shortened. Property division follows Washington's community property rules. Community property is generally everything acquired during the marriage. Separate property, such as gifts or inheritances kept distinct from marital assets, may be treated differently. Child support is calculated using the Washington State Child Support Schedule. Grant County courts follow all of these statewide rules.
Family court jurisdiction in Grant County is governed by RCW Chapter 26.12. This chapter sets out the structure of family court in Washington Superior Courts, including the designation of family court judges and commissioners, guardian ad litem appointment rules, parenting seminar requirements, the courthouse facilitator program, and the address confidentiality program for domestic violence survivors. Grant County courts follow all of these requirements.
Note: Grant County covers a large area. If you live in Moses Lake or another community far from Ephrata, plan for travel time when filing documents or attending hearings in person.
Grant County Family Court Record Contents
Family court files at the Grant County Clerk's office contain every document submitted to the Superior Court during a case. A dissolution file typically includes the Petition for Dissolution, the Summons, financial declarations from both parties, any temporary orders, a parenting plan if minor children are involved, a child support order, and the final Decree of Dissolution. The decree is the official document that ends the marriage and sets out all terms approved by the court. Certified copies are often needed for legal purposes like name changes or updating beneficiary designations.
The clerk also holds records for legal separations, custody modification cases, domestic violence protection orders, child support enforcement filings, minor guardianship records, and adoption files. Most family court filings in Grant County are public records. Adoption records are sealed under RCW Chapter 26.33 and not available to the public. Certain domestic violence records may have access restrictions to protect party safety.
Key information typically found in a Grant County dissolution record:
- Full names of both spouses and marriage date
- Date the petition was filed and date of service
- Division of community property and debts
- Parenting plan and child residential schedule
- Child support amount and payment schedule
- Spousal maintenance if ordered
- Date the Decree of Dissolution was entered
Divorce Certificates and Historical Grant County Records
The Washington State Department of Health provides certified divorce certificates for cases filed in the state from 1968 onward. Each copy costs $25. No proof of relationship is required. To order, provide both parties' names, the county, and the approximate year of the decree. Orders can be placed through the DOH vital records ordering page. Mail processing takes about 6 to 8 weeks. VitalChek is available for faster service. The state certificate confirms the divorce but does not contain the full decree or other case documents. For those, you must contact the Grant County Superior Court Clerk.
The screenshot below shows the Washington State DOH portal for ordering certified Grant County divorce records.
Order a certified Grant County divorce certificate through the DOH vital records portal for any case filed from 1968 to the present.
For records before 1968, contact the Grant County Clerk or search the Washington State Digital Archives. The Digital Archives holds historical court records and vital records from counties across the state, including pre-1968 materials and territorial court files. The collection is searchable by record series and keyword, making it useful for genealogical research or locating older family court filings from Grant County.
Legal Resources for Grant County Family Court
All standard family law forms are available free at courts.wa.gov/forms. The site includes forms for dissolution, custody, child support, parenting plans, domestic violence protection orders, minor guardianships, and adoptions. The Guide & File interactive tool helps you fill out forms step by step. Translated forms in multiple languages are also on the site. Local Grant County court rules may require additional local forms or cover sheets. Ask the clerk's office what you need before submitting your filing package.
Washington Law Help offers free self-help guides for all major family law topics. This includes dissolution, custody, child support, protection orders, parenting plan modifications, relocation notices, and guardianship procedures. The site is available statewide in multiple languages. For Grant County residents in Moses Lake or other areas far from the courthouse, Washington Law Help provides a way to access legal guidance online without a trip to Ephrata.
For legal representation, the Washington State Bar Association offers a statewide attorney referral service. Legal aid organizations such as the Northwest Justice Project serve low-income residents in Grant County and surrounding areas with free family law assistance. The courthouse facilitator program, authorized under RCW Chapter 26.12, may provide limited free help at the Grant County Courthouse for people handling their own family court cases.
Cities in Grant County
Grant County includes several communities spread across a large area of central Washington. All family court filings for the county go through the Grant County Superior Court in Ephrata.
Other communities in Grant County include Quincy, Mattawa, George, and Royal City. All dissolution and family court matters are handled at Superior Court in Ephrata regardless of where in the county you live.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Grant County. Check your address to confirm which county you reside in before filing a case. File in the county where you live.