Federal Way Criminal Records
Federal Way criminal records are spread across three courts depending on the type and severity of the charge. City ordinance violations and misdemeanors originating within Federal Way city limits go to the Federal Way Municipal Court. State-level misdemeanors are handled by the King County District Court Federal Way location. Felony cases from Federal Way move to King County Superior Court in Seattle. You can search Federal Way criminal records through the King County public case search portal or the statewide Washington Courts system. This page walks through each court, the police department, and the state tools available for looking up criminal case information tied to Federal Way.
Federal Way Overview
Federal Way Municipal Court
The Federal Way Municipal Court sits at 33325 8th Avenue South and handles misdemeanor criminal charges and traffic infractions that arise within Federal Way city limits. This court is the primary venue for lower-level criminal matters in the city. If someone was cited in Federal Way for a misdemeanor offense or ordinance violation, their case was processed here.
Court records from the Federal Way Municipal Court are public and include charge details, hearing dates, verdicts, and sentences. You can contact the court clerk at (253) 835-7000 to ask about a specific case or to request copies of records. The court's website at federalwaywa.gov has information on case lookup options and court procedures.
| Office | Federal Way Municipal Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 33325 8th Avenue South Federal Way, WA 98003 |
| Phone | (253) 835-7000 |
| Website | federalwaywa.gov/city-government/departments/municipal-court |
Convictions from Federal Way Municipal Court flow into Washington State's criminal history system and appear on WATCH background checks. Non-conviction records, like dismissed charges, are protected under RCW Chapter 10.97, the Washington Criminal Records Privacy Act.
King County District Court - Federal Way
The King County District Court Federal Way Division is located at 33600 6th Avenue South, just a short distance from the municipal court. This division handles state misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases for the Federal Way area, as well as civil cases under $100,000. When a Federal Way case involves a charge under Washington State code rather than a city ordinance, it often ends up here rather than at the municipal court.
King County District Court case records are accessible through the King County eCourt public case search portal. You can search by name or case number and see party information, charge details, and case status. You can also use the statewide Washington Courts case search to find records from this court alongside records from other King County courts. Call (206) 205-9200 to reach the Federal Way division directly.
| Office | King County District Court - Federal Way |
|---|---|
| Address | 33600 6th Avenue South Federal Way, WA 98003 |
| Phone | (206) 205-9200 |
| Website | kingcounty.gov district court Federal Way |
King County Superior Court for Federal Way Felonies
All felony cases from Federal Way are prosecuted in the King County Superior Court. The Superior Court sits at 516 Third Avenue in Seattle, and the King County Clerk's office there maintains the official case files for all felony matters across the county. This includes serious criminal charges like robbery, assault, drug trafficking, and other Class A, B, and C felonies.
You can search King County Superior Court records through the county's public case access portal. This system shows party names, charge information, case status, hearing dates, and docket entries. Certified copies of judgments and sentences are available from the clerk's office. Call (206) 296-9300 to reach the Superior Court Clerk.
The King County case search portal also includes district court cases. The screenshot below shows the county's public-facing case search system, which covers both superior and district court records including Federal Way criminal cases.
King County's public case search system covers both Superior and District Court records, letting you search Federal Way criminal cases by name or case number.
Federal Way Police Department Records
The Federal Way Police Department maintains police reports, arrest records, and incident documentation for events that occur within city limits. These records are separate from court records but are public under RCW Chapter 42.56. Submit a written public records request to receive copies of incident or arrest reports.
The police records division is at 33325 8th Avenue South, in the same building as the municipal court. Call (253) 835-6700 for records inquiries. The department's records request form and more information are available at federalwaywa.gov/city-government/departments/police/records. Most non-exempt records are released within five business days of the request, though complex requests or active investigation records may take longer.
Washington State Criminal Records Tools
For a statewide criminal history check that covers Federal Way and the rest of Washington, use the WATCH system at watch.wsp.wa.gov. Searches cost $11.00 per name and return results almost immediately. You get Washington State conviction history, sex offender registration status, and Department of Corrections information. The system runs on name and date of birth, not fingerprints, so results may not be definitive if the name is common.
The WSP also accepts mail-in requests for background checks. Name-based searches by mail cost $32.00. Fingerprint-based searches cost $58.00 and are more reliable for identity verification. Send requests to WSP Identification and Criminal History Section, PO Box 42633, Olympia, WA 98504-2633. Call (360) 534-2000 for questions about the process.
The Washington State Patrol criminal history section at wsp.wa.gov is the central state repository for criminal conviction data, covering all courts including those handling Federal Way cases.
The statewide Washington Courts case search at dw.courts.wa.gov covers Federal Way Municipal Court, King County District Court, and King County Superior Court all in one search.
Sex Offender Registry in Federal Way
The King County Sheriff handles sex offender registration for Federal Way. Level II and Level III offenders are listed on the public Washington sex offender registry, accessible at waspc.org/sex-offender-information. You can search by name, zip code, or map view. Level I offenders are considered low risk and do not appear on the public registry. The national registry at nsopw.gov covers all 50 states if you need to check an out-of-state background.
King County Criminal Records
Federal Way is in King County. Felony cases and state-level misdemeanors from Federal Way are part of the King County court system, which is one of the largest and most active in Washington. For a full picture of King County's court resources and how to search criminal records there, visit the King County criminal records page.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Federal Way are also in the King County court system for criminal matters.