| County Clerk (Superior Court) | Thurston County Clerk (Superior Court) |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Thurston County Clerk's Office, 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Building 2, Olympia, WA 98502 (Family and Juvenile Court files: 2801 32nd Ave SW, Tumwater, WA 98512) |
| Phone | 360-786-5430 |
| Hours | Office hours Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; in-person customer service counters are closed (since January 20, 2026). Public document-viewing terminals in the lobbies: 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. daily. |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.50 per page (non-certified) at most superior court clerks; some counties charge $0.25 per page |
| Certified copy fee | $5.00 for the first page, $1.00 for each additional page |
Thurston County, home to the state capital in Olympia, keeps its Superior Court records with the Thurston County Clerk, an elected officer who serves as the administrative and financial officer of the Superior Court. The Clerk's Office is split across two locations: civil and criminal files are kept at the Lakeridge Drive campus in Olympia, while family and juvenile matters are handled at the Family and Juvenile Court in Tumwater. Both locations offer public computers for viewing documents at no charge.
Thurston County is unusual among Washington counties in that the Clerk's Office closed its in-person customer service counters on January 20, 2026, citing budget reductions. Public terminals remain open in the lobbies for document viewing, but copy orders, filings, and questions are routed online, by email, or by mail. The county built its own Clerk Documents web app so that most public documents can be purchased and downloaded without visiting the courthouse.
District Court, located in Building 3 on the same Lakeridge Drive campus, hears misdemeanors, infractions, small claims, protection orders, and name changes, and keeps its own records in a separate WebLink case-file system. Municipal court cases from Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater are held by those cities and are not in either county system.
Search Thurston County court records online
County Clerk (Superior Court)
Thurston County Clerk (Superior Court)
- Cost
- Free case search and free document viewing on lobby terminals; $0.50 per page for plain copies (paper or electronic), $5.00 first page plus $1.00 per additional page for certified copies
- Coverage
- Superior Court felony, civil, family law, probate, guardianship, and juvenile case files for Thurston County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
In-person customer service counters have been closed since January 20, 2026; requests are handled through the Clerk Documents app, by email (tcclerk@co.thurston.wa.us), or by mail. Lobby public terminals remain open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Other courts
Clerk Documents (Thurston County online document purchase)
- Cost
- $0.50 per page for plain copies; $5.00 first page plus $1.00 per additional page for certified copies
- Coverage
- Purchase and download of most public Superior Court documents by cause number; certified copies bought online include a verification page
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
A free account is required. The app is a JavaScript web application, so it may not load in very old browsers. Sealed and confidential documents are not available online.
Other courts
Odyssey Portal (Thurston County Superior Court)
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Case and hearing information for Thurston County Superior Court — parties, attorneys, charges, calendars, and hearings
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
Public case information is free, but the Clerk's Office says associated documents are not viewable over the internet through Odyssey; use the Clerk Documents app or lobby kiosks for documents. Attorneys may register for subscription access.
Other courts
Thurston County District Court
- Coverage
- Misdemeanors, infractions, civil cases and small claims, protection orders, and name changes filed in Thurston County District Court
- Records
- Criminal, Civil, Traffic
District Court records are kept separately from the Superior Court Clerk in a WebLink system that requires the case number and the law enforcement agency to look up a file. Located in Building 3, 2000 Lakeridge Dr SW, Olympia; phone 360-786-5450; in person 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., closed during lunch.
What is available online
Thurston County Superior Court case and hearing information — party names, attorneys, charges, and calendars — is free on the Odyssey Portal. Documents themselves are not shown through Odyssey; most public documents can be purchased and downloaded through the county's Clerk Documents app after creating a free account, or viewed free of charge on the public terminals in the Clerk's Office lobbies. Sealed and confidential documents are never available online; a party to the case can book a Records Coordinator appointment to view them. District Court case files are in a separate WebLink system.
Which clerk has your record
In Washington, 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 Washington page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Courts (one per county, some counties share) | Felony criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family-law cases; Civil cases above $100,000 (or any amount not limited to district court) | Clerk of the Superior Court for the county |
| District Courts | Misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors; Civil cases up to $100,000; Traffic and non-traffic infractions | District Court Clerk/Administrator for the county |
| Municipal Courts | Misdemeanors under city ordinance; Traffic infractions issued by city police; City code violations | Municipal court clerk for that city |
Request records in person or by mail
Thurston County clerk offices
Thurston County Clerk's Office, 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Building 2, Olympia, WA 98502 (Family and Juvenile Court files: 2801 32nd Ave SW, Tumwater, WA 98512)
Phone: 360-786-5430
Hours: Office hours Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; in-person customer service counters are closed (since January 20, 2026). Public document-viewing terminals in the lobbies: 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. daily.
Online. Search the Odyssey Portal for the cause number, then go to Clerk Documents (clerkdocs.thurstoncountywa.gov), register a free account, search by cause number, preview the documents, add them to a cart, and check out. Plain copies are $0.50 per page and certified copies are $5.00 for the first page plus $1.00 for each additional page; certified copies bought online come with a certification page that lets a recipient verify the document on the Clerk's website.
By email. For documents not available online, email tcclerk@co.thurston.wa.us with the case number, case name, and the documents you want. The Clerk replies with a page count, cost, and a payment link; once paid, plain copies are emailed and certified copies are mailed.
By mail. Send the case number, a list of the specific documents, a cashier's check or money order (no personal checks), and a self-addressed stamped envelope to Thurston County Clerk's Office, 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Building 2, Olympia, WA 98502. The office does not offer express mailing unless you pay for and provide the express envelope.
In person. The customer service counters are closed, but the public computers in both Clerk's Office lobbies (Olympia and Tumwater) allow free viewing of any non-confidential case file from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
District Court records. Contact Thurston County District Court in Building 3 at 360-786-5450 or use its online Records Requests link; the court's WebLink system requires the case number and the citing law enforcement agency.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Washington |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.50 per page (non-certified) at most superior court clerks; some counties charge $0.25 per page |
| Certified copy | $5.00 for the first page, $1.00 for each additional page |
Superior court clerk fees are set by RCW 36.18.016; district and municipal court fees are set by RCW 3.62.060. Both statutes set the $5.00 first-page / $1.00 additional-page certified-copy fee, but counties vary on the non-certified per-page rate, search fees for older records, and add-ons like expedited service or electronic delivery — confirm the current amount with the specific clerk before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Washington court records are presumed open under General Rule 31 (GR 31), but several categories are not available in any public search:
The Washington 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
Can I still walk into the Thurston County Clerk's Office to get court records?
The in-person customer service counters have been closed since January 20, 2026 because of budget cuts. You can still use the free public terminals in the lobbies (8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) to view case files, but copies must be ordered through the Clerk Documents app, by email, or by mail.
How do I buy a copy of a Thurston County Superior Court document online?
Go to clerkdocs.thurstoncountywa.gov, create a free account, search by cause number, and add the documents to your cart. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page and certified copies cost $5.00 for the first page plus $1.00 per additional page.
Are Thurston County court documents on the Odyssey Portal?
Case and hearing information is, but the Clerk's Office says documents are not viewable over the internet through Odyssey. Use the Clerk Documents app to purchase documents or view them free on a lobby kiosk.
Where are Thurston County misdemeanor and traffic records?
In Thurston County District Court, Building 3 at 2000 Lakeridge Dr SW, Olympia, which keeps its own WebLink case-file system separate from the Superior Court Clerk. Tickets issued by Olympia, Lacey, or Tumwater police may instead be in that city's municipal court.
Sources
- Thurston County Clerk — https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/county-clerk
- Thurston County Clerk — Obtaining Copies of Documents Filed in Superior Court — https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/county-clerk/info/obtaining-copies-documents-filed-thurston-county-superior-court
- Thurston County Clerk — Searching for Case and Hearing Information — https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/county-clerk/info/searching-case-and-hearing-information
- Thurston County Clerk — Contact Us — https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/county-clerk/clerks-office/contact-us
- Thurston County District Court — https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/district-court
- Washington State Court Directory — Thurston County — https://www.courts.wa.gov/court_dir/orgs/293.html
- Washington Courts — About the Courts — https://www.courts.wa.gov/
- Washington Courts Case Search — https://dw.courts.wa.gov/
- Odyssey Portal — https://odysseyportal.courts.wa.gov/odyportal
- Washington Appellate Courts Public Document Portal — https://acdocportal.courts.wa.gov/PublicAccess/search_ca.html
- WATCH — Washington State Patrol Criminal History Search — https://watch.wsp.wa.gov/public/watch
- GR 31 — Public Access to Court Records — https://www.courts.wa.gov/court_rules/pdf/GR/GA_GR_31_00_00.pdf
- RCW 9.94A.640 — Vacation of Judgment (felony) — https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9.94A.640
- RCW 9.96.060 — Vacation of Conviction (misdemeanor) — https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9.96.060
- RCW 36.18.016 — Superior Court Clerk Fees — https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=36.18.016
- RCW 3.62.060 — District and Municipal Court Fees — https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=3.62.060
See also: all Washington counties.