Mason County Family Court Records
Mason County family court records are kept and maintained at the Superior Court in Shelton. The court handles dissolution, legal separation, custody, parenting plans, child support, guardianship, adoption, probate, and protection orders. Mason County Clerk Charles Rhodes manages all case files at 419 N 4th Street. Case index information is publicly available through the Washington State Courts website. Copies of documents are available by phone or mail request, but Mason County documents are not accessible online. You must contact the clerk directly to request records from this county.
Mason County Overview
Mason County Superior Court and Clerk
Mason County Superior Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction. It handles felony criminal matters, civil cases, domestic relations, family law, guardianship, probate, juvenile matters including dependency cases, and appeals from lower courts. The court is located at 419 N 4th Street, P.O. Box X, Shelton, WA 98584. Court administration can be reached at (360) 427-9670 extension 348.
Mason County Clerk Charles Rhodes was elected and took office January 1, 2023. The clerk is an elected position under the Washington State Constitution. The clerk serves as the administrative and financial officer of the Superior Court. By being independent of the judicial branch, the clerk protects the integrity of the court record and gives the public unrestrained access to a fair, accurate, and independently established record of court decisions and judgments.
| Address | 419 N 4th Street, P.O. Box X, Shelton, WA 98584 |
|---|---|
| Court Admin Phone | (360) 427-9670 ext. 348 |
| Clerk | Charles Rhodes (elected January 1, 2023) |
| Website | masoncountywa.gov/departments/superior_court_clerk |
The screenshot below is the Mason County Superior Court Clerk homepage with the clerk's mission statement and contact information.
The clerk's page explains the role of the clerk as an independent elected official and links to the Superior Court page for additional hearing and docket information.
How to Access Mason County Family Court Records
The index of Mason County public cases is available online at courts.wa.gov. You can use that to look up a case number. However, the actual documents are not available or viewable online. Mason County records must be requested by telephone or U.S. mail. The clerk does not accept email or fax requests for records.
When you contact the clerk, they can provide the status of a specific case, the case file for your review, general information on court rules and procedures, and court-approved forms. Court staff cannot tell you whether to file a case, give legal advice, or predict what a judge will decide. They also cannot change a judge's order or let you speak to a judge outside of court.
Copies of documents are available on written request. Payment for services must be made in advance. The clerk does not accept personal checks. Check the fee schedule on the clerk's website for current copy costs. Bring a valid ID if you visit in person.
The screenshot below is from the Mason County Superior Court Clerk services page, which outlines record access options and what the staff can and cannot help with.
The services page is the best place to understand exactly what to expect when you contact the Mason County clerk for family court record requests.
Mason County Court Hearings and Dockets
Afternoon ex parte dockets in Mason County are held Monday through Thursday at 3:30 PM and Friday at 3:00 PM. All paperwork, including the petition, motion, and proposed order, must be delivered to the Clerk's Office by 2:00 PM on the day of the hearing. Ex parte hearings may be attended in person or virtually. For most other hearings, check whether remote appearance is available or required. See the Superior Court page at masoncountywa.gov/departments/superior_court for administrative orders and current hearing policies.
Family law cases in Mason County follow RCW Chapter 26.09 for dissolution and RCW Chapter 26.12 for family court proceedings. Adoption cases are governed by RCW Chapter 26.33. Washington is a no-fault state. Either party can file for dissolution by showing the marriage is irretrievably broken. The mandatory 90-day waiting period applies after the petition is filed and served.
The screenshot below shows the Mason County Superior Court page with administrative orders and hearing policies.
The Superior Court page also lists administrative orders for criminal matters, civil and domestic matters, dependency, juvenile, protection orders, and mitigation hearings, all with their effective dates.
Court Facilitator for Mason County Family Law
The Superior Court Facilitator in Mason County helps clients who do not have attorneys with filing paperwork on domestic and custody cases. This is a valuable free resource for people handling their own cases. The facilitator can help with form selection, form completion, court procedures, and referrals to legal resources. To use the facilitator, you need to make an appointment.
If you need an attorney and do not know where to start, call the Lawyer Referral Program of the Thurston County Bar at (360) 923-4844. They can give you the name of an attorney practicing family law in the area. Free guides on divorce, custody, parenting plans, child support, and protection orders are available at washingtonlawhelp.org. Court forms are available at no cost at courts.wa.gov/forms. All forms must be printed single-sided per GR 14.
Mason County District Court Records
Mason County District Court is also located at 419 N. 4th St., Shelton, WA 98584. District Court handles misdemeanors, infractions, small claims, civil cases, and protection orders. It does not handle dissolution or custody cases, but it does keep its own set of public records. To request District Court records, fill out a Court Records Request form and deliver it to the court by mail, in person, or by fax to 360-427-7776. You can also email the completed form to the Public Records Officer.
District Court copy fees are: $0.25 per page for electronic copies, $0.50 per page for paper copies, $5.00 for the first page of certified copies plus $1.00 for each additional page, and $20.00 for duplication of court proceedings on CD. Payment must be received before copies are sent. For administrative records, staff research and preparation costs $30.00 per hour with no charge for the first hour, billed in 15-minute increments.
The screenshot below shows the Mason County District Court public records page with request procedures and fee details.
Access to court records is governed by Washington Court General Rules GR 31, GR 15, and GR 22, which set out what is public, what can be sealed or redacted, and the special rules that apply to family law and guardianship case records.
Cities in Mason County
Mason County's main communities include Shelton (the county seat), Belfair, Allyn, and Union. All family court cases for residents of Mason County are filed at the Superior Court in Shelton. No cities in Mason County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.
Nearby Counties
If you are unsure which county handles your family court case, check the address where you live. File in the county where you or your spouse resides.