King County Superior Court Clerk

The Superior Court Clerk and DJA Role

King County does not use a separate elected clerk in the way some states do. Instead, the Department of Judicial Administration acts as the Superior Court Clerk. As the Clerk's Office, DJA performs the duties and provides the services of the court for litigants and the public. The current Director and Superior Court Clerk is Catherine Cornwall, who was appointed after serving as Deputy Director of DJA.

DJA operates at three locations: the King County Courthouse in downtown Seattle, the Regional Justice Center in Kent, and the Youth Services Center in Seattle. It keeps Superior Court case files and manages public access to them. It does not handle recorded documents or marriage records, which belong to the Recorder's Office.

KC Script Services

KC Script is the Clerk's online portal, and it does far more than search. Through KC Script you can e-file, submit e-working copies, handle ex parte matters with the Clerk, complete e-service, request records, file civil protection orders, pay criminal fines, verify certified copies, and search cases. The portal lets users view, request, and purchase King County Superior Court records.

Online viewing is governed by court rule. The portal covers adult criminal, civil except certain protection-order types, all family law, probate and guardianship, and unsealed portions of parentage cases for filings from November 2004 forward. All Superior Court records can be ordered in the portal, including restricted records that require authorization.

The portal is a public-service system, not the official record. The Clerk warns that online data may contain errors and can take up to three court days to appear after a filing or hearing. For an official record, you order a certified copy.

KC Script replaced the county's older Superior Court e-filing and e-record systems. Because it is a new platform, prior accounts do not transfer, and even longtime filers need to register fresh. The payoff is that filing, records requests, case search, e-service, protection orders, fine payment, and certified-copy verification now live in one account, rather than being spread across several legacy tools. For most users, one login now reaches the entire Superior Court records workflow.

King County Records Request Workflow

Requesting records through KC Script follows a set workflow. You need an account, since old ECR Online or ERR accounts do not carry over to the new system. Completed records appear under Records Requests or My Messages and stay available for 14 calendar days. The table lists the main parts of the request process.

If a request takes more than five business days, check My Orders, or contact desk.correspondence@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-0691.

How to Request a Certified Copy

A certified copy is the official version of a court document, used for banks, agencies, and legal proceedings. Online viewing is informational, so when you need an official record, you order a certified copy from the Clerk.

1. Create or log in to a KC Script account.
2. Search for the case by number or party name.
3. Open the Documents tab and select the documents you need.
4. Add them to your order and choose certified copies.
5. Pay the fee, or submit a Fee Waiver Request if you qualify.
6. Download the completed record within the 14-day window.

You can also visit a courthouse and request records in person at a public access area. Expedited service is fulfilled within one business day, which helps when a certified copy is needed for a closing or a filing deadline.

King County Clerk Copy Fee Schedule

The Clerk charges set fees by copy type. Online viewing of eligible records is the lowest cost, clerk-assisted copies are higher, and certified and exemplified copies carry a first-page fee plus a per-page charge.

Court reporter notes are not available to the public. Audio CDs run up to 72 minutes per cause number, and a mailed audio request needs $10 postage unless a self-addressed stamped envelope is provided.

Fee Waivers

People who cannot afford copy fees can request a fee waiver. The process runs through KC Script. After creating an account and searching the case, open the Documents tab, click Fee Waiver Request, complete the required documentation fields, and submit for approval. If the Clerk approves the waiver, access lasts 12 months and can include free viewing and copies, including certified copies.

This makes the difference for many self-represented people. A waiver does not just cover one document; it covers access during the approval period, which helps in long cases with many filings. To check the status of a waiver or any order, log in, open My Account, and review My Orders, where you can search by date range or by the Public Portal Request Number in the PPR21-000100 style. Keeping that request number handy speeds up any follow-up with the correspondence desk. The waiver matters most in family and civil cases, where a party may need many filings over many months, and paying per page would add up quickly. An approved waiver removes that barrier for the full year it stays active.

Sealed and Confidential Record Access

Sealed and confidential Superior Court records are not open to the general public. Only eligible parties can reach them. An eligible person appears in person with current government-issued ID or a passport, or submits a KC Script request and meets the Clerk over video to verify identity. The Clerk must confirm your authority to access the case.

Some cases are confidential by statute, such as adoption and certain juvenile matters, and the Clerk may not even confirm that the case exists. Sealed documents cannot be mailed without a court order. If approved, access to an eligible sealed case may last a year, though enhanced sealed documents can need separate, document-by-document requests.

Hearing Audio Requests

The Clerk can provide audio recordings of hearings. These are requested through KC Script and delivered through the portal or a secure file service. Audio costs $25 per cause number for up to 72 minutes. Court reporter notes, by contrast, are not public. When a transcript is needed for an appeal or motion, that is a separate process from ordering the Clerk's audio.

In-Person and Public Terminal Access

Not everyone wants to work online, and the Clerk keeps options for that. There are public records access areas at the courthouse locations where customers can view court documents for free during business hours. This is the no-cost path to read a file, useful for people without an account or a printer at home.

The Clerk also supports a multilingual public. The records pages display interpreter prompts in several languages, including Amharic, Chinese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Customer service is available by phone at 206-296-9300 and by live chat during weekday business hours, plus email at clerksofficecustomerservice@kingcounty.gov. For status questions on a pending records order, the correspondence desk can be reached at desk.correspondence@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-0691 once more than five business days have passed.

Clerk vs Recorder Split

The most common confusion is between the Clerk and the Recorder. The Superior Court Clerk holds court case records, such as divorce decrees, felony judgments, probate orders, and civil filings. The Recorder's Office holds recorded documents and marriage records, such as deeds, liens, and marriage certificates. A divorce decree comes from the Clerk; a marriage certificate comes from the Recorder.

For recorded documents and marriage copies, see the Recorder's Office page and the marriage and divorce records page. For case searches handled by the Clerk, see court records and probate records.