Yakima County Divorce Records

Yakima County divorce records are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk and cover all dissolution of marriage cases, legal separation filings, and related family law matters filed in the county. Whether you need to search for an existing dissolution case, obtain a certified copy of a decree, or learn about the local filing process, this page covers the relevant offices, tools, fees, and resources available to help you navigate divorce records in Yakima County.

Yakima County Superior Court

Dissolution of marriage cases in Yakima County are filed in the Superior Court. Yakima County refers to divorce as a "dissolution of marriage," which is the legal term used throughout Washington State. The court also handles invalidity proceedings and legal separation, which use similar forms, rules, and processes. Before starting a case, consult with the Court Facilitator to make sure you are filing the correct case type and using the right forms.

Yakima County Superior Court has a Court Facilitator who assembles booklets containing forms and instructions for dissolution cases. There are no refunds for forms or booklets sold by the Court Facilitator. The Clerk's staff cannot assist you or give legal advice, so it is advisable to contact an attorney if you are unsure how to proceed. Under Local Court Rule LCR7, motions and other papers must be filed with the Clerk at least 5 days before the day you want them heard. This helps get pleadings processed, forwarded to the court file, and reviewed by the Judge before the hearing.

Yakima County Dissolution Process

The image below shows the Yakima County Government Divorce Dissolution page, which outlines what the court calls "dissolution of marriage" and provides links to forms and facilitator information.

View the Yakima County Divorce Dissolution page

That page covers the dissolution process in Yakima County, including the types of cases (divorce, invalidity, legal separation), forms to use, and how the Court Facilitator can help.

Yakima County dissolution cases follow Washington State law under RCW Chapter 26.09. Washington is a no-fault state, meaning the only required ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. You do not need to prove fault. Either spouse may petition and the other cannot stop the process. Washington also requires a 90-day waiting period from the date the petition is filed and served before the dissolution can be finalized.

If domestic violence is involved in your case, you may ask the court to enter an Order for Protection as part of the dissolution case. Separate forms and instructions are available for this. If a petition for residential schedule has not yet been started and you are a victim of domestic violence, see the court's Protection Orders section for more information.

Yakima County Divorce Forms

Yakima County provides local forms for use in all Superior Court matters, including family law cases. The image below shows the Yakima County Superior Court Forms page where you can access local forms for dissolution and other family law matters.

View the Yakima County Superior Court Forms page

Local forms include Case Cover Sheets, the FL All Family 135 Declaration form, the Notice of Hearing (FL All Family 185), the Notice of Address Change (FL All Family 120), and other required documents for dissolution cases.

Domestic and family law litigation in Yakima County covers divorce, legal separation, child custody, child visitation, support modification, parenting plans, and contempt of court. Fee waiver requests for civil and family law matters use forms GR 34.0100, GR 34.0200, GR 34.0300, and GR 34.0500. Yakima County Visitation Guidelines are available in English and Spanish. All official statewide forms are also available free at courts.wa.gov/forms.

A Confirmation of Judicial Information System Review by the Court is a required record check on parents prior to entry of a parenting plan. A Non-Parental Custody Information Sheet is required at the time of filing a Non-Parental Custody Petition. Check with the Yakima County Court Facilitator to confirm which forms apply to your specific case type before you file.

Child Support in Yakima County Divorces

The image below shows the Yakima County Child Support page, which covers how child support is handled in dissolution and paternity cases.

View the Yakima County Child Support page

Child support in Yakima County dissolution cases is calculated based on Washington State child support guidelines. The Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney's Support Division handles cases where public assistance is involved.

Custody of children is addressed in three main areas in Yakima County: dissolution proceedings for married parties, non-parental proceedings, and paternity proceedings. If the child and the custodial parent receive public assistance and paternity has not been established, contact the Support Division of the Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. If public assistance is not being received, contact the Court Facilitator or a private attorney. The Clerk's staff cannot give legal advice on custody or support matters.

Searching Yakima County Divorce Records

For online searches, use the Washington State Courts Case Locator to find dissolution cases filed in Yakima County Superior Court. The locator searches by case number, party name, or attorney and shows case details including filing dates. The Odyssey Portal provides access to Superior Court records by party name or case number. Both tools update every 24 hours. Neither provides full document images.

The Washington State Name and Case Search is a good starting point for pulling case numbers before contacting the Clerk for certified copies. The Washington State Courts directory for Yakima County lists judges, clerks, and court staff contact information.

View the WA State Courts Yakima County directory

The directory is maintained by the Washington State Courts Administrative Office and provides current contact information for all Yakima County court personnel.

The Washington State Digital Archives holds older dissolution records transferred from Yakima County. Search the Divorce Records collection by county name to find older cases. The Washington State Department of Health holds divorce certificates from 1968 to the present. Order a certified or informational copy at DOH's vital records page for $25 per copy. DOH holds the certificate, not the full decree. For the decree, contact the Yakima County Clerk directly.

Legal Resources in Yakima County

For free or low-cost legal help with dissolution cases in Yakima County, contact Northwest Justice Project at (888) 201-1014. They serve low-income residents across Central Washington with family law matters. The Washington State Bar Association has a lawyer referral service at (206) 443-9722 and at wsba.org.

It is the litigant's responsibility in Yakima County to check the Revised Code of Washington and General Rules to ensure proper legal procedures are followed. The court and Clerk's staff cannot advise on legal strategy or procedure beyond basic information. If your case involves contested property, children, or domestic violence, consulting an attorney before you file is strongly recommended. Self-help guides covering dissolution, legal separation, parenting plans, and child support are at washingtonlawhelp.org.

Cities in Yakima County

All dissolution cases in Yakima County are filed at the Superior Court in Yakima, regardless of which city or community you live in.

Other communities in Yakima County include Selah, Union Gap, Sunnyside, Grandview, Wapato, Toppenish, and Moxee. All dissolution cases for those areas are filed with Yakima County Superior Court.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Yakima County. File your dissolution case in the county where you or your spouse currently lives.