Lewis County Divorce Records Search

Lewis County divorce records are filed and kept by the County Clerk at the Lewis County Superior Court in Chehalis, serving roughly 82,000 residents across a large swath of southwest Washington. The clerk's office at the Law and Justice Center stores all dissolution case files, from the initial petition through the final decree and any post-judgment orders. You can search records online using the Odyssey Portal or in person at the Chehalis courthouse. Certified copies and full document sets are available by request from the clerk, either in person, by mail, or through the online records request process.

Lewis County Superior Court Clerk

Scott Tinney serves as the Lewis County Clerk. The office is at the Law and Justice Center, 2nd Floor, 345 W. Main Street, Chehalis, WA 98532. You can reach the office by calling (360) 740-2704 for general inquiries and filing information. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The clerk's office dockets, maintains, and archives all documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court, including dissolution and domestic cases.

Lewis County made a fee change effective July 27, 2025: a new $50 surcharge was added to most Superior Court filing fees. Confirm the current fee schedule with the clerk's office before you file. The base filing fee for a dissolution in Washington runs around $350, and the new surcharge brings that total higher. The clerk is the administrative and financial officer of the Superior Court and ensures the separation of powers among the three branches of government.

The Lewis County Clerk website covers hours, filing procedures, and contact information for the clerk's office in Chehalis.

Accessing Lewis County Divorce Records

The Lewis County Clerk's court records page explains all the ways you can get copies of dissolution documents. Open case files can be reviewed in person at the Clerk's Office on the 2nd floor of the Law and Justice Center. Photocopies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. A certified copy must include the complete document.

To request copies, you can use the fillable Records Request Form available on the clerk's website and submit it to clerkrecords@lewiscountywa.gov. Online payments can be made through Point and Pay by calling 866-923-6534. You must give the clerk the payment confirmation number before they release copies to you. For recordings of court proceedings, copies are on CD for $25.00 using the clerk's CD Request form, also submitted to clerkrecords@lewiscountywa.gov. For records questions, call the Records Clerk at 360-740-2756.

The Lewis County public records page covers how to request records and how court records are handled separately from county public records requests.

Note that Lewis County Superior Court records are not governed by the Public Records Act. Court records fall under court rules, not the county's public records process. Requests for dissolution decrees, child support orders, custody records, and probate records go directly to the clerk's office, not through the county's general public records system.

Online Search for Lewis County Dissolution Cases

Lewis County uses the Odyssey case management system. The Washington Courts Odyssey Portal lets you search Lewis County Superior Court records online. You can search by party name, case number, or attorney. The portal shows case summaries, hearing dates, and party information. Registered users can view all case information and non-sealed documents for cases in which they are a party. To view documents online, make payment through Point and Pay and email the confirmation number to marni.larson@lewiscountywa.gov.

The Lewis County Clerk court records page explains the Odyssey Portal search process and how to request document copies online.

You can also use the Washington Courts Name and Case Search to look up cases across all Washington Superior Courts by name or case number. The data updates every 24 hours and is for reference only. The Washington Courts Case Locator searches across all court levels and provides similar results. For complete documents, you always need to go to the clerk directly.

To search a dissolution case, you typically need one party's full name and an approximate filing year. A case number is helpful but not always required. All dissolution cases in Washington are governed by RCW Chapter 26.09. Washington is a no-fault state. The only ground for dissolution is that the marriage is irretrievably broken.

State Divorce Certificates

The Washington State Department of Health holds divorce records from 1968 to the present. It can issue a divorce certificate, also called a certificate of dissolution. This is a short document that confirms a marriage ended. The fee starts at $25 per copy, certified or informational. The DOH does not have full divorce decrees. For the decree, you go to the Lewis County Clerk.

It can take up to five months from the date of divorce for the county clerk to send the record to the DOH. If your case was finalized recently, contact the Lewis County Clerk first. The clerk can confirm whether the record has been sent to the state yet.

For older and historical records, the Washington State Digital Archives holds dissolution records from many counties. Search by selecting the Divorce Records collection and entering the county name. Many county clerks have given copies of their records to the Archives over the years. Contact the Archives to confirm what is available for Lewis County.

Lewis County District Court and Legal Resources

The Lewis County District Court is a court of limited jurisdiction and does not handle divorce filings. Dissolution cases go to Superior Court. The District Court hears criminal misdemeanors, traffic matters, civil cases up to $100,000, small claims up to $5,000 or $10,000, name changes, anti-harassment protection orders, stalking protection orders, and vehicle tow hearings. Some of these matters come up alongside dissolution proceedings.

The Washington State Courts directory for Lewis County lists contact information for all judicial officers, commissioners, clerks, and court staff in Lewis County. You can find direct phone numbers and email addresses there.

The statewide court directory for Lewis County is maintained by the Administrative Office of the Courts and updated regularly.

For legal help, the Northwest Justice Project handles family law cases for low-income residents. Call 1-888-201-1014 or visit nwjustice.org. The Washington Law Help website at washingtonlawhelp.org has self-help guides. Official court forms are at courts.wa.gov/forms. The Washington State Bar Association lawyer referral line is (206) 443-9722. Forms and guides are available to help you complete the Petition for Dissolution and other required documents.

Communities in Lewis County

All dissolution cases in Lewis County are filed at the Superior Court in Chehalis. Communities in the county include Chehalis, Centralia, Morton, Winlock, and several smaller towns. No cities in Lewis County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lewis County. You must file for dissolution in the county where you or your spouse lives.