Jefferson County Divorce Records Lookup

Jefferson County divorce records are filed and stored at the Superior Court in Port Townsend. The county is home to roughly 34,000 residents on the northeastern Olympic Peninsula and all dissolution cases go through the Jefferson County Superior Court. You can search case records online using the statewide Washington Courts systems or the Digital Archives, and request copies directly from the clerk. This page covers where to go, who to contact, and what to expect when searching or requesting Jefferson County divorce records.

Jefferson County Superior Court

The Jefferson County Superior Court hears and decides controversies covering both civil matters and criminal felonies. Civil cases include adoptions, domestic relations (including dissolution), juvenile matters, mental and alcohol petitions, probate matters, and equitable cases. Dissolution filings are part of the domestic relations caseload handled by the Superior Court. Judge Brandon Mack presides over Jefferson County Superior Court.

The court is located at 1820 Jefferson Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1220, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Court hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Court Administrator, Maite I. Hollenbeck, can be reached at 360-385-9395. The court also offers remote appearances via Zoom video platform. Parties should download Zoom in advance and sign in using the Meeting ID and Passcodes listed on the court's website.

The Superior Court Clerk's Office can be reached at (360) 385-9125. The clerk's fax is (360) 385-5672 and the email is countyclerks@co.jefferson.wa.us.

Visit the Jefferson County Superior Court page for local rules, Zoom access details, and case information.

The Jefferson County Superior Court page at co.jefferson.wa.us provides contact details for the court, Zoom remote hearing information, and guidance for parties in domestic relations and dissolution cases.

Jefferson County District Court

Jefferson County District Court is a court of limited jurisdiction established by state statute. The court handles infractions, criminal traffic and non-traffic violations, preliminary hearings on felony matters, small claims, civil actions, name changes, and anti-harassment orders. District Court does not handle dissolution cases. Those are filed in Superior Court. However, District Court can process name change petitions if a name change is separate from a dissolution proceeding.

By contract with the City of Port Townsend, the District Court also serves as the Municipal Court for Port Townsend. The court is located at 1820 Jefferson Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 1220, Port Townsend, WA 98368. The phone is 360-385-9135. Judge Mindy L. Walker presides. Brian D. Gleason serves as Administrator. The court's goal is to provide timely justice for all, including fair and impartial hearings and protection of all rights.

See the District Court page at co.jefferson.wa.us/343/District-Court for more information on its jurisdiction and procedures.

The Jefferson County District Court page shows the court's jurisdiction and contact information for cases separate from dissolution proceedings.

Jefferson County District Court handles limited jurisdiction matters including name changes and anti-harassment orders, but dissolution cases are filed in the Superior Court at the same address on Jefferson Street.

Searching Jefferson County Divorce Records

You have a few ways to search Jefferson County divorce records. The fastest online option is the Washington State Courts Name and Case Search. This statewide system searches by party name or case number across all Washington Superior Courts. Data updates every 24 hours at 3:00 a.m. The results are for reference only. The official record is held by the Jefferson County Clerk at the courthouse.

The Odyssey Portal provides direct access to Jefferson County Superior Court case records. Use the Smart Search option and enter the party name last name first. Complete the Captcha and review the results. The portal shows case summaries, party names, hearing dates, and case status. It does not provide document images. For copies of the actual divorce papers, you need to contact the clerk.

The Washington State Courts Case Locator is a third statewide option. It searches across municipal, district, superior, and appellate courts. Results include case numbers, parties, and filing dates. Jefferson County dissolution cases appear here as Superior Court filings. The locator updates approximately every 24 hours.

For in-person searches, visit the Superior Court Clerk at 1820 Jefferson Street in Port Townsend during regular business hours. Bring the full name of one or both parties and an approximate filing year if you have it. Staff can look up cases and provide copies. Certified copies cost $5 for the first page and $1 per additional page. A Law Library is located in the Superior courtroom and is open to the general public for legal research. Westlaw is available via the computer in the courtroom.

The Washington State Courts directory for Jefferson County lists all court personnel and contact information.

The Washington State Courts directory for Jefferson County provides contact details for all judicial officers, clerks, and administrators handling Superior Court dissolution and family law matters in Port Townsend.

Jefferson County Divorce Records in Digital Archives

The Washington State Archives Digital Archives is one of the better options for locating older Jefferson County dissolution records. Many county clerks have contributed copies of their records to this system, and Jefferson County is among them. The collections include Divorce Records, Superior Court Cases, Birth Records, Death Records, Marriage Records, and more. The site requires JavaScript and lets you search by collection type and keyword.

To search for Jefferson County divorce records through the Digital Archives, select "Divorce Records" or "Superior Court Cases" from the collection drop-down and enter the party name or Jefferson County as a search term. If you have a case number from the Odyssey Portal, you can use Detailed Search, choose "Superior Court Cases," and enter the case number with dashes. If the record has been scanned, a page icon or magnifying glass will appear and you can order copies online. Non-certified copies are 50 cents per page. Certified copies are $5 for the first page and $1 per additional page.

The Washington State Department of Health holds divorce certificates from 1968 to the present. These certificates confirm that a dissolution occurred but do not contain the full terms of the divorce. If you need the decree itself, contact the Jefferson County Clerk at (360) 385-9125 or countyclerks@co.jefferson.wa.us. It may take up to five months from the date of the dissolution for the county clerk to send the record to the Department of Health. Recent divorces may not yet be available through the state.

Note: For Jefferson County divorce decrees, the county clerk is always the best source. State DOH certificates are useful for proof that a dissolution occurred but are not a substitute for the full court record.

Filing for Divorce in Jefferson County

Dissolution cases in Jefferson County follow Washington State law under RCW Chapter 26.09. Washington is a pure no-fault state. The only ground for dissolution is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. No party needs to prove fault, and neither party can prevent the divorce from proceeding once it is properly filed and served. Under RCW 26.09.030, either spouse must be a resident of Washington State or be a member of the armed forces stationed here. There is no minimum time requirement for residence in a specific county before filing.

To start the process, one spouse files a Petition for Dissolution and a Summons with the Jefferson County Superior Court Clerk at 1820 Jefferson Street. The other spouse must be served or sign a Joinder. After service, a mandatory 90-day waiting period applies before the court can enter the final decree. If both parties agree on all terms, you can file an agreed decree once the 90 days have passed. If the case is contested, it may go through mediation or a trial. The Decree of Dissolution is the final court order ending the marriage and setting out all terms.

Property division in Washington follows community property rules under RCW 26.09.080. Community property is generally anything acquired during the marriage. Separate property includes assets owned before the marriage and any gifts or inheritances received during the marriage if kept separate. The court divides community property in a just and equitable manner.

Official court forms are available at courts.wa.gov/forms. Self-help information and guides are available at washingtonlawhelp.org. Jefferson County is a small county with limited in-county legal aid resources, so the statewide resources from Northwest Justice Project and WashingtonLawHelp are especially useful. You can reach the Washington State Bar Association lawyer referral service at (206) 443-9722 if you need help finding local counsel.

Cities in Jefferson County

All dissolution cases in Jefferson County are filed at the Jefferson County Superior Court in Port Townsend, regardless of where in the county the parties live.

Jefferson County includes Port Townsend, Port Hadlock, Chimacum, Quilcene, and Brinnon, among other communities. None of these cities currently qualify for a dedicated city page based on population thresholds. All dissolution filings go through the Jefferson County Superior Court at 1820 Jefferson Street in Port Townsend.

Nearby Counties

If you are unsure which county applies to your case, file where you or your spouse reside. Jefferson County shares borders with three neighboring counties.