Yakima Criminal Records Lookup
Yakima criminal records run through Yakima County courts. The city has its own municipal court for misdemeanors committed within city limits. Yakima Municipal Court hears roughly 30,000 cases each year. State-level misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors go to Yakima County District Court. Felony charges land in Yakima County Superior Court. If you want to find Yakima criminal records, you can use the statewide Washington Courts case search, the Yakima County court portals, or the Washington State Patrol WATCH system. The Yakima Police Department holds local arrest and incident reports. The Yakima County Department of Corrections manages inmate records for the county jail.
Yakima Overview
Yakima Municipal Court
The Yakima Municipal Court handles misdemeanor criminal violations, traffic infractions, and city ordinance violations within city limits. The court hears approximately 30,000 cases per year, making it one of the busier municipal courts in eastern Washington. The court is at 129 North 2nd Street, Yakima, WA 98901, phone (509) 575-6060.
Municipal court records are public and accessible through the statewide Washington Courts case search at dw.courts.wa.gov. You can search by name or case number. Results show charges, case status, and scheduled hearings. Document images are not available through the portal. To get actual document copies, contact the court directly.
Yakima County District Court
Yakima County District Court handles state-level misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors for Yakima residents. The court is at 128 N 2nd Street, Room 226, and can be reached at (509) 574-1450. More information is at yakimacounty.us/163. This court handles DUI charges, domestic violence misdemeanors, and other gross misdemeanors filed under state law.
District Court records are public. You can find them through the statewide Washington Courts case search. The portal covers both District Court and Superior Court in one name search.
The screenshot below shows the Yakima County District Court page where case records and contact information can be found:
Contact the District Court directly for certified copies of misdemeanor case records or to confirm hearing dates.
Yakima County Superior Court and Clerk
Felony cases involving Yakima residents go to Yakima County Superior Court. The Superior Court Clerk at yakimacounty.us/162 is at 128 N 2nd Street Room 314, phone (509) 574-2700. The clerk manages official case files and processes records requests. To get certified copies of a judgment, sentence, or other felony document, contact the clerk's office.
Each felony file contains charging documents, plea agreements, sentencing records, probation orders, and any motions filed during the case. These are public unless sealed by court order. If you know the approximate year a case was filed, that helps narrow the search. The statewide case search is a good first step before contacting the clerk.
The screenshot below shows the Yakima County Clerk of Superior Court page with information about how to access felony case records:
The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Call ahead to confirm hours and what to bring for your records request.
Yakima Police Department Records
The Yakima Police Department at 200 S 3rd Street, phone (509) 575-6200, maintains arrest records, incident reports, and collision reports for events within city limits. Police records are separate from court records. An arrest report documents the incident itself. Court records track what happened after charges were filed.
Washington's Public Records Act under RCW Chapter 42.56 gives the public the right to inspect and copy most government records. Some portions may be redacted to protect victims or active investigations. Submit a public records request through the Yakima Police Department records unit to get copies of incident reports.
Yakima County Corrections Inmate Lookup
The Yakima County Department of Corrections manages the county jail and maintains an inmate lookup tool at yakimacounty.us/203. You can search by name to find people currently held at the Yakima County jail. The roster covers county jail holds, not state prison facilities.
For state prison inmates, the Washington Department of Corrections has a public search tool at doc.wa.gov. Search by name or DOC number. Results show age, location, and custody status. The DOC handles public records requests through its Public Disclosure Unit at (360) 725-8213.
WSP Criminal History and WATCH
The Washington State Patrol runs WATCH, a web-based name and date of birth background check tool. WATCH costs $11 per search and returns a RAP sheet with Washington State criminal convictions, adverse findings, sex offender registration status, and arrests less than one year old without a final disposition.
For Yakima residents, WATCH gives a full conviction picture without having to contact each court separately. Enter the person's exact name and date of birth. Within seconds you get a response. More information is at wsp.wa.gov/crime/criminal-history. Mail-in requests cost $32. Fingerprint-based searches cost $58 and are more accurate when name-only searches return multiple candidates.
Sex Offender Registry in Yakima
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs runs the statewide sex offender registry at waspc.org. The Yakima County Sheriff handles local registrations. Level II and Level III offenders are listed publicly at www.wasor.org. Level I offenders are not on the public website.
You can also search the national registry at www.nsopw.gov. Offenders must register within three business days of release and report address changes within the same window. Failure to register is a criminal offense under state law.
Yakima County Criminal Records
Yakima city sits in Yakima County, and all state-level misdemeanor and felony cases run through Yakima County courts. The county page has more detail on court locations, clerk contact information, and how to access county-level criminal records.
Nearby Cities
Moses Lake is the closest qualifying city to Yakima and has its own criminal records page.