Find Background Check Records in Spokane County

Spokane County is the largest county in eastern Washington, with the city of Spokane at its center. Running a background check here involves a few separate systems: the Washington State Patrol WATCH database for statewide criminal history, the Spokane County Court Viewer for Superior and District Court case records, and the Public Records Office for county-level document requests. The Superior Court Clerk holds court files at the main courthouse on Broadway Avenue, while the District Court Clerk operates from the Public Safety Building on Mallon Avenue. This page covers all of those resources and explains how to use each one for background check searches in Spokane County.

Spokane County Criminal History Background Check

Washington State Patrol is the official repository for criminal history in Washington State. Their WATCH system, which stands for Washington Access to Criminal History, is the primary tool for statewide background checks. Online WATCH requests cost $11.00 and return results right away. A credit card is required. Mail requests are also accepted: $32.00 for a name and date of birth search, or $58.00 for a fingerprint-based check. If you need a notarized letter with results, add $10.00 to the mail request fee.

The Spokane County criminal history and background check page explains what information is available to the public through this system. The public can access conviction records and arrests less than one year old that still have dispositions pending. The WATCH search covers criminal history from all 39 Washington counties, so a single request gives you statewide results rather than just Spokane County data. This makes it the best starting point when you need a broad background check rather than just local court records.

The WSP WATCH system is governed in part by RCW 10.97, which sets out the rules for how criminal history record information is maintained, accessed, and used in Washington State. The statute defines what counts as criminal history, who can access what level of detail, and what restrictions apply.

Spokane County Public Records Office

The Spokane County Public Records Office was set up in 2018 to help the public with records requests and to support county employees in managing those requests. It operates as the central point of contact for requests under RCW 42.56, Washington's Public Records Act. The office is located in the Human Resources Building at 824 N Adams St, Spokane. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The Spokane County Public Records Office page includes a link to the GovQA Public Records Portal, which lets you submit requests online. Criminal History Reports are available through this office. You can also schedule on-site inspection appointments through staff assistance if you prefer to review records in person. The county website at spokanecounty.gov is the main hub for all department contacts and records resources.

Note: Criminal History Reports can be requested through the Public Records Office, but full statewide criminal history data routes through the WSP WATCH system rather than the county office directly.

Spokane County Court Viewer Background Check

The Spokane County Court Viewer at cp.spokanecounty.org is the online tool for searching court case information in both Superior Court and District Court. This is the most direct way to look up court-level background check records in Spokane County without going through the state WATCH system. The viewer is free to use and does not require a login for basic searches.

To search by name in the Court Viewer, you select a case type first. Options include Civil, Small Claims, Criminal, Domestic, and Probate. You search within one category at a time, so a full background check may require searching across multiple tabs. The Superior Court tab and the District Court tab each have their own search interface. Superior Court trial dates can change, and the Court Viewer reflects those changes. Contact Superior Court Administration at (509) 477-5790 if you need to confirm a specific date.

One limit to be aware of: Dependency, Becca, and Juvenile Offender case information is not available through the online viewer. If you need juvenile case information as part of a background check, call the Juvenile Court Coordinator at (509) 477-5790. Municipal Court in Spokane City also has its own separate website and is not included in the County Court Viewer.

Spokane County Superior Court Clerk Records

Superior Court records in Spokane County are maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court, Timothy W. Fitzgerald. The office is at 1116 W Broadway Avenue, Room 300, Spokane, WA 99260. The phone number is (509) 477-2211. This office holds all case files for felonies, civil matters over certain thresholds, domestic cases, probate, and related filings. For background check requests that go beyond what the online Court Viewer shows, contacting the Clerk directly is the next step.

The Spokane County Clerk's document copies page explains how to get physical copies of court records. You can view case information online through the Court Viewer first, and then request specific documents from the Clerk's office. Small claims case numbers and defendant names can all be searched through the online portal before you decide whether you need paper copies.

District Court records in Spokane County are held by District Court Clerk Sherri Hansen at the Public Safety Building, 1100 W Mallon, Spokane. District Court handles misdemeanors, civil cases under $100,000, and small claims. Both sets of records may come up in a background check depending on the type of case history you are searching for.

Cities in Spokane County

Spokane County includes the city of Spokane and surrounding communities. All Superior Court background check and criminal records for these cities are handled through the Spokane County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Spokane County in eastern Washington. Each operates its own courts and records systems for background check searches.