| Superior Court Clerk | Superior Court Clerk — Washington County (McGrath Judicial Complex) |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | McGrath Judicial Complex, 4800 Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI 02879 |
| Phone | Superior Court Clerk (401) 782-4121 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (Rhode Island Judiciary posted courthouse hours) |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.20 per page (R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-29-12 sets $0.20 per page for copies made by recording and certifying officers; the Judicial Records Center charges $0.20 per page on its self-service copier) |
| Certified copy fee | $3.00 per document for a certified copy of a court record; $25.00 for a certified Family Court final judgment or divorce decree |
Washington County — also called "South County" — has no county government. Its courts sit together at the McGrath Judicial Complex in the Wakefield village of South Kingstown, but each keeps a separate docket: the Superior Court clerk handles felonies and larger civil suits, the District Court, 4th Division clerk handles misdemeanors, arraignments, and smaller civil and small-claims cases, and the Family Court, Washington County Division clerk handles divorce, custody, and juvenile matters.
There is no county probate office. Westerly, South Kingstown, Narragansett, Charlestown, and the county's other towns each run their own probate court through the town clerk.
Case status for any of the McGrath courts, like every other Rhode Island court, is searchable through the statewide Judiciary Public Portal rather than a county-specific site.
Search Washington County court records online
Superior Court Clerk
Superior Court Clerk — Washington County (McGrath Judicial Complex)
- Cost
- Free to view the docket at the courthouse or through the Judiciary Public Portal; fees apply for copies
- Coverage
- Felony criminal, larger civil, and equity cases filed in Washington County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
Clerk: Brenden Oates. Address: 4800 Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI 02879. Phone: (401) 782-4121.
Other courts
District Court, 4th Division (McGrath Judicial Complex)
- Cost
- Free to view the docket; fees apply for copies
- Coverage
- Misdemeanors, felony arraignments, small claims, and civil cases up to $10,000 for Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Narragansett, New Shoreham, Richmond, South Kingstown, and Westerly
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
Address: 4800 Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI 02879. Phone: (401) 728-4131.
Other courts
Family Court, Washington County Division (McGrath Judicial Complex)
- Cost
- Free to view the docket; fees apply for copies
- Coverage
- Divorce, custody, child support, domestic abuse, and juvenile cases for Washington County
- Records
- Family
Address: 4800 Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI 02879. Phone: (401) 782-4111. Juvenile and abuse/neglect records are confidential.
What is available online
The Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal shows docket entries, parties, and hearing information for non-confidential Superior, District, and Family Court cases filed at the McGrath Judicial Complex, along with every other court sitting statewide. Document images are limited and probate records are not included at all — those stay with each town clerk.
Which clerk has your record
In Rhode Island, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Rhode Island page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Court | Felony criminal cases; Civil actions over $10,000; Equity, land condemnation, and naturalization petitions | Clerk of the Superior Court for that county's division |
| Family Court | Divorce, custody, and child support; Domestic abuse petitions; Juvenile delinquency and abuse/neglect cases | Clerk of the Family Court for that division |
| District Court | Misdemeanors and felony arraignments/bail; Civil actions up to $10,000 and small claims; Landlord-tenant matters | Clerk of the District Court for that division |
| Workers' Compensation Court | Workplace injury and disability claims | Clerk of the Workers' Compensation Court |
| Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal | Civil (non-criminal) traffic citations; Some municipal ordinance violations | Clerk/Administrator of the Traffic Tribunal |
| Probate Courts (municipal) | Wills and estates; Guardianships; Name changes | Town or city clerk acting as clerk of the probate court (a separately elected probate clerk in Providence) |
Request records in person or by mail
Washington County clerk offices
McGrath Judicial Complex, 4800 Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI 02879
Phone: Superior Court Clerk (401) 782-4121
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (Rhode Island Judiciary posted courthouse hours)
Superior Court records. Request copies in person at the McGrath Judicial Complex's Superior Court clerk's office, or by mail with the case number, the documents needed, whether certified copies are required, and payment or a request for a fee quote.
District and Family Court records. Request from the respective clerk's office in the same building at 4800 Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI 02879.
Probate records. Contact the clerk of the probate court in the town where the person lived (for example, the Westerly or South Kingstown town clerk), not a county office.
Older records. Closed Washington County case files no longer needed for active court business may be transferred to the Judicial Records Center in Pawtucket.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.20 per page (R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-29-12 sets $0.20 per page for copies made by recording and certifying officers; the Judicial Records Center charges $0.20 per page on its self-service copier) |
| Certified copy | $3.00 per document for a certified copy of a court record; $25.00 for a certified Family Court final judgment or divorce decree |
Per-page and certification amounts are those posted in the Judicial Records Center policies and set by R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-29-12. The Records Center also charges a $15.00 per hour search fee after the first free hour for staff research, and it does not accept personal checks. An individual clerk's office may quote a different total for copies of active case files it still holds on-site, so confirm the amount before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Court records are open by default under the Rhode Island Judiciary's Rules of Practice Governing Public Access to Electronic Case Information, but several categories are removed from public view:
The Rhode Island guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Washington County clerk's office?
No single one. Washington County's courts — Superior, District (4th Division), and Family — each have a separate clerk's office, all at the McGrath Judicial Complex in Wakefield.
Where do I search for a case filed in Washington County?
Use the Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal for docket information on any non-confidential case statewide, then contact the specific clerk's office for copies.
Where is probate handled in Washington County?
By the town where the person lived — Westerly, South Kingstown, Narragansett, and the rest — through that town's own probate court, usually clerked by the town clerk.
How do I check a small-claims or misdemeanor case from Westerly?
Check the District Court, 4th Division, at the McGrath Judicial Complex in Wakefield, or search the case on the Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal.
Sources
- Rhode Island Judiciary — Courthouse and Facility Locations (addresses, hours) — https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/Pages/default.aspx
- Rhode Island Judiciary — Contact the Court (clerk phone directory) — https://www.courts.ri.gov/about/Pages/contact-the-court.aspx
- Rhode Island Judiciary — Superior Court Main Contacts — https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/superiorcourt/Pages/Main-Contacts.aspx
- Rhode Island Judiciary — District Court — https://www.courts.ri.gov/courts/districtcourt/pages/default.aspx
- Rhode Island Judiciary — About the Family Court — https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/familycourt/Pages/about-the-family-court.aspx
- Rhode Island Judiciary — Judicial Records Center — https://www.courts.ri.gov/programs-services/Pages/judicial-records.aspx
- Rhode Island Judiciary — About — https://www.courts.ri.gov/about/Pages/default.aspx
- Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal — https://publicportal.courts.ri.gov/PublicPortal/
- Rhode Island Judiciary — Access to Case Information — https://www.courts.ri.gov/Public-Resources/Pages/case-information.aspx
- Rhode Island Attorney General — Get a Background Check (BCI) — https://riag.ri.gov/i-want/get-background-check
- Rhode Island Judiciary — Judicial Records Center Policies and Procedures (fees) — https://www.courts.ri.gov/programs-services/Pages/Policies-and-Procedures.aspx
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-29-12 — Certification and search fees (copy fee per page) — https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE9/9-29/9-29-12.htm
- Rhode Island Judiciary — Supreme Court Opinions — https://www.courts.ri.gov/Search/Pages/supreme-court-opinions.aspx
- R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 12-1.3 — Expungement of Criminal Records — https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE12/12-1.3/12-1.3-3.htm
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-1-12 — Destruction/sealing of records after acquittal — https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE12/12-1/12-1-12.htm
- United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island — https://www.rid.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Rhode Island counties.