Search Pierce County Family Court Records

Pierce County family court records are filed with the Clerk of the Superior Court in Tacoma and are searchable online through the county's LINX portal. Dissolution of marriage, child custody, parenting plan modifications, support orders, adoptions, protection orders, and guardianships are all handled by Pierce County Superior Court. This page explains how to find records, where to request copies, and what resources are available for self-represented parties in Pierce County.

Pierce County Clerk of the Superior Court

The Clerk of the Superior Court for Pierce County is located in the County-City Building in downtown Tacoma. The office maintains records of all cases filed in the Superior Court going back to the 1890s. It is split into six functional areas: Administration, Arbitration, Domestic Violence and Relations, Legal Services, Probate and Court Services, and Fiscal Services. For family law cases specifically, the Domestic Violence and Relations section handles the bulk of filings.

Note that due to ongoing construction at the building, wait times at the counter may be longer than usual. The clerk's office encourages use of online resources whenever possible. New fees take effect July 27, 2025; check the fee schedule on the Clerk's website for current amounts.

The Pierce County Clerk of the Superior Court official page lists all services, including records requests, e-filing options, and self-help resources.

The page also includes links to the Family Court Resource Center and the Crystal Judson Family Justice Center for domestic violence cases.

LINX: Pierce County's Online Case Search Portal

Pierce County does not use the statewide Odyssey Portal. Instead, it operates its own case management system called LINX (Legal Information Network eXchange). LINX is the main tool for searching Pierce County Superior Court cases online.

The LINX portal allows users to search criminal, civil, and judgment cases by title or cause number, and view dockets, proceedings, and judgments for public cases.

Public users can search case names, view civil calendars by judge, check the jail roster, and view criminal calendars including in-custody arraignment lists. Documents filed in 2002 or later can be viewed and printed at the Clerk's Office counter using LINX terminals.

The Pierce County records available online page maps which type of record belongs to which agency, so you can confirm whether to go to the Clerk, the Auditor, or the Health Department before submitting a request.

Divorce decrees from 1991 to the present are available through LINX as Superior Court case records. Decrees before 1991 must be requested from the Clerk's Office directly, and some pre-2002 documents may not be digitized and require a Scan Document Request Form.

For a broader overview of all Pierce County court access points, the Pierce County Courts directory lists contacts for Superior, Juvenile, and District Courts with phone numbers and mailing addresses for records requests.

Note that Pierce County Superior Court case information is not accessible through the Odyssey Portal used by most other Washington counties. You must use LINX or contact the Clerk directly.

Family Court Case Types Handled by Pierce County Superior Court

Pierce County Superior Court handles the full range of family law matters. Dissolution of marriage (divorce) and legal separation are the most frequently filed cases and are governed by RCW Chapter 26.09. Washington requires no showing of fault; the only ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. A 90-day waiting period applies after service of the petition before final orders can be entered.

Child custody, parenting plans, and residential schedules are resolved as part of dissolution cases or through separate parentage actions. Parenting plan modifications go back to the same court that issued the original order and require showing a substantial change in circumstances. Child support is calculated using the Washington State schedule under RCW Chapter 26.19. The Superior Court Facilitator at (253) 798-3627 can assist self-represented parties with these calculations.

Adoption cases under RCW Chapter 26.33 are filed with the Clerk, but those files are sealed and not accessible by the public. Family court jurisdiction for appointments of guardians ad litem and courthouse facilitator programs is established under RCW Chapter 26.12. Dependency cases involving child abuse or neglect are governed by RCW Chapter 26.44 and handled in the Juvenile Court division at 5501 6th Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98406, reachable at (253) 798-7973.

Protection orders in Pierce County can be filed in Superior Court or District Court. The Crystal Judson Family Justice Center at (253) 798-4166 provides assistance to domestic violence victims navigating protection order filings. Pierce County Superior Court has multiple judicial departments; each has its own procedures for scheduling hearings and requesting remote appearances by Zoom.

Filing Fees and Copies

Pierce County follows state-set filing fee schedules, which are subject to change. New fees take effect July 27, 2025. As a general reference, dissolution of marriage filings have run around $314 to $364 depending on whether children are involved. Modification filings are typically $56. Confirm exact amounts on the Clerk's website before you file.

Copy fees at Pierce County: non-certified copies are $0.50 per page in person, or $0.25 per page online through LINX. Certified copies cost $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 per additional page. Most copy requests are processed within a few business days. For transcript requests, contact the court reporter assigned to the relevant judicial department. For electronic recording copies from commissioner or high-volume courtrooms, call (253) 798-7717.

Mail or in-person records requests go to: Pierce County Clerk, Records and Copies, 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Room 110, Tacoma, WA 98402-2177. E-filing is available through LINX and the statewide eFileWA system. Attorneys are required to e-file in most civil case types. Self-represented parties may also register for an e-filing account. Each PDF document must be separate, no larger than 30 MB, letter size, no color or highlighting. E-filing support: Tyler Technologies at 800-297-5377 or efiling.support@tylertech.com, 7 AM - 7 PM CST.

Divorce Certificates and Vital Records

Divorce decrees for Pierce County cases are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk's Office. For certified copies of the official state divorce certificate (a one-page summary document), use the Washington State Department of Health. The DOH issues certified divorce certificates for events from 1968 to the present at a base fee of $25 per copy.

The DOH vital records portal covers both marriage and divorce certificates statewide. VitalChek expedited service is available; mail orders take 6-8 weeks.

For pre-1968 records, contact the Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov. Pierce County maintains marriage records dating back to the 1880s; some older records exist only in archived formats. Marriage licenses are issued by the Pierce County Auditor's Office at 2401 S. 35th St., Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409. Marriage certified copies cost $3.00 per copy from the Auditor. Both parties must appear in person with valid photo ID to get a marriage license, and there is a three-day waiting period before it is valid.

Legal Help and Court Resources in Pierce County

Pierce County has more legal aid infrastructure than most Washington counties, given its size. The Family Court Resource Center is on the first floor of the County-City Building at 930 Tacoma Avenue S., Tacoma, WA 98402, phone (253) 798-3627. Staff there can help self-represented parties understand procedures and forms, though they cannot provide legal advice.

Other key resources in the county include:

• Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers: 621 Tacoma Avenue South, Suite 303, Tacoma, WA 98402, (253) 572-5134
• Pierce County Law Library: County-City Building, Room 100, Tacoma, WA 98402, (253) 798-3250
• Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association Lawyer Referral: (253) 383-3432
• Crystal Judson Family Justice Center (domestic violence): (253) 798-4166
• Center for Dialog and Resolution (mediation): (253) 572-3657
• CLEAR legal aid hotline for low-income residents: 1-888-201-1014

Washington Law Help also has free guides on divorce, custody, support, and protection orders in multiple languages. Free downloadable forms are at courts.wa.gov/forms, including interactive Guide and File interviews that walk you through creating customized court packets. JIS-Link at courts.wa.gov/jislink provides subscription-based access to court records for attorneys and researchers at $0.145 per transaction.

Cities in Pierce County

All family court filings for cities and communities throughout Pierce County go through the Superior Court Clerk at 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, regardless of where the parties live within the county.

Other communities in Pierce County without individual pages include Bonney Lake, Buckley, DuPont, Fife, Fircrest, Gig Harbor, Milton, Orting, Roy, Ruston, Steilacoom, Sumner, and Eatonville. All of these communities file family court cases with the Pierce County Superior Court Clerk in Tacoma.

Nearby Counties

Family law cases must be filed in the county where you live; if you are near a county line, confirm your county of residence before you file.