Longview Criminal Records
Longview criminal records are held at three court levels in Cowlitz County. City-level misdemeanor cases go to Longview Municipal Court. State misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors are handled by Cowlitz County District Court. Felony cases land in Cowlitz County Superior Court, where the clerk's office at 1725 Allen Street in Kelso maintains the official files. To search Longview criminal records, the statewide Washington Courts case portal at dw.courts.wa.gov covers all three court levels in one search. For conviction history, the Washington State Patrol WATCH system is the central statewide tool. The Longview Police Department handles public records requests for local arrest and incident reports.
Longview Overview
Longview Municipal Court
The Longview Municipal Court handles misdemeanor criminal violations, traffic infractions, and city ordinance violations within city limits. The court is at 445 Oregon Way, Longview, WA 98632. Phone: (360) 442-5096. Cases heard here include misdemeanor criminal charges tied to conduct in Longview.
Longview Municipal Court records appear in the statewide Washington Courts case search at dw.courts.wa.gov. You can search by name or case number to find Longview cases across all court levels at once. The portal shows party names, charges, case status, and hearing dates. Document images are not available online, but the case summary gives you the information needed to submit a records request directly to the court.
| Office | Longview Municipal Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 445 Oregon Way Longview, WA 98632 |
| Phone | (360) 442-5096 |
| Website | mylongview.com/courts/municipal-court |
Cowlitz County Courts for Longview Cases
Cowlitz County District Court handles state misdemeanor cases, gross misdemeanors, civil matters under $100,000, and preliminary felony hearings for Longview residents. The court is at 1725 Allen Street in Kelso. Phone: (360) 577-3086. More information about the District Court is at co.cowlitz.wa.us/186/District-Court. District court cases for Longview cover charges filed under state law rather than city ordinance.
Cowlitz County Superior Court handles all felony cases for Longview residents. The Clerk of Superior Court maintains the official case files. The clerk's office is at 1725 Allen Street Suite 103, Kelso, WA 98626. Phone: (360) 577-3016. You can also find information at co.cowlitz.wa.us/158/Clerk-of-Superior-Court.
The screenshot below shows the Cowlitz County Clerk of Superior Court website where Longview felony case records can be requested:
Felony case files at the Cowlitz County Superior Court contain charging documents, plea agreements, trial records, sentencing orders, and any appeal history. To request certified copies, contact the clerk directly by phone or visit in person. Both Cowlitz courts also appear in the statewide Washington Courts case search tool.
Longview Police Department Records
The Longview Police Department Records Unit is at 1355 Hudson Street, Longview, WA 98632. Phone: (360) 442-5800. Records request information is available at mylongview.com/police/records. The department holds incident reports, arrest records, and collision reports for events that happened inside Longview city limits.
Washington's Public Records Act under RCW Chapter 42.56 governs access to police records. The Longview Police Department processes most requests within five business days. Portions of records tied to active investigations, juvenile victims, or ongoing prosecutions may be redacted or withheld. Police reports document the law enforcement response to an incident. Court records begin when charges are formally filed. You may need both to understand the full history of a Longview criminal case.
Washington Courts Case Search - Longview
The free Washington Courts case search at dw.courts.wa.gov is the most efficient starting point for searching Longview criminal records. It pulls data from municipal, district, superior, and appellate courts statewide. A single name search returns Longview Municipal Court cases, Cowlitz County District Court cases, and Cowlitz County Superior Court cases all at once.
The screenshot below shows the Washington Courts case records portal where Longview cases can be searched for free:
The portal shows case numbers, party names, charges, current status, and hearing dates. It does not include document images. Use the case number from the portal to contact the court clerk and request copies. The portal is free and available 24 hours a day.
WSP WATCH - Conviction History
The Washington State Patrol runs WATCH, a name and date of birth background check system at watch.wsp.wa.gov. It costs $11 per search and pulls from the WSP central criminal history repository. Results come back in seconds. The output may show no record, a candidate list when multiple people share the same name and date of birth, or a full RAP sheet.
The RAP sheet includes all Washington State criminal convictions, adverse findings, sex offender registration status, Department of Corrections data, and arrests less than one year old without a final disposition. WATCH does not report out-of-state convictions. For Longview residents, it is often faster than contacting each court level separately to piece together a complete conviction history.
Mail-in name and DOB searches cost $32. Fingerprint-based requests run $58. If a name search returns too many candidates, the fingerprint option gives a more precise match. WSP is reachable at (360) 534-2000 or at wsp.wa.gov/crime/criminal-history.
WATCH is available around the clock. It covers all 39 Washington counties and is the state's standard tool for conviction history checks.
Sex Offender Registry - Longview
The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office handles sex offender registration for Longview. Level II and Level III offenders appear on the Washington Sex Offender Registry at www.wasor.org. WASPC maintains the statewide registry. You can search at waspc.org or the national registry at www.nsopw.gov. Level I offenders are low risk and not listed publicly. Registration requirements are set by state law. Criminal history record privacy and access rules fall under RCW Chapter 10.97.
DOC Inmate Search
If you need to find someone currently in a Washington State correctional facility, use the Department of Corrections public search at doc.wa.gov. Search by name or DOC number. Results show current facility, age, and custody status. This covers state prison only. For Cowlitz County Jail inquiries, contact the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office. DOC public disclosure requests go to publicdisclosureunit@doc1.wa.gov or (360) 725-8213.
Cowlitz County Criminal Records
Longview is in Cowlitz County. Felony cases and state-level misdemeanor charges run through Cowlitz County courts in Kelso. The county page has more detail on court contacts, clerk information, and how to access county criminal case records.
Nearby Cities
Vancouver is the closest qualifying city with a criminal records page.