Find Criminal Records in Clallam County

Clallam County criminal records are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk and District Court in Port Angeles, the county seat on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. The county handles felony and misdemeanor criminal cases through its local courts, and the Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records and jail booking data. You can search Clallam County criminal records online through the statewide Washington Courts portal or contact the courthouse directly for copies of specific documents. This page covers each source and how to use them.

Clallam County Superior Court Clerk

The Clallam County Clerk of Superior Court is the official keeper of all felony criminal case records for the county. This office stores case files for all Superior Court matters, including criminal, civil, family law, and probate cases. If you need copies of felony criminal records, judgments, sentencing orders, or other Superior Court documents, this is where to go. Records requests can be made in person or by mail.

The office is located in Suite 4 of the Clallam County Courthouse in Port Angeles. Staff can search by name or case number. Bring a photo ID when visiting in person. Copy fees follow Washington State law. Ask for the current fee schedule when you submit your request, as fees can change over time. The Clerk can advise on what is available and whether any records have been sealed by court order.

Clallam County District Court

The Clallam County District Court handles misdemeanor crimes, gross misdemeanors, traffic violations, civil cases under $100,000, and small claims. Lower-level criminal cases like DUI, minor assault, and disorderly conduct are heard here. Misdemeanor criminal records from Clallam County are maintained by the District Court Clerk. The District Court is located in Suite 2 at the same courthouse address as the Superior Court.

District Court and Superior Court records are kept separately. If you are not sure which court handled a particular case, use the statewide Washington Courts case search to search both at once. The portal is free. You can search by name or case number and quickly determine which court has the case file you need.

Clallam County Sheriff Arrest Records

The Clallam County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement for unincorporated parts of the county and operates the county jail. The Sheriff maintains arrest records, incident reports, and jail booking information. If you need to request arrest records or an incident report, contact the Sheriff's Office at the courthouse in Port Angeles. Public records requests are processed under RCW Chapter 42.56, which requires a response within five business days.

Arrest records are different from court criminal records. An arrest record shows that someone was taken into custody. Court records show what the courts did with the case after the arrest. You may need both if you want the full picture of a criminal matter in Clallam County. For court outcomes, contact the Superior or District Court Clerk. For arrest details and incident reports, contact the Sheriff.

Clallam County Court Records Online

The free statewide Washington Courts Name and Case Search covers Clallam County Superior and District Court cases. You can search by person name, case number, attorney name, or judicial officer. The results show case filing dates, party names, case status, and charge descriptions for criminal cases. No document images are available through this portal, but you can confirm that a case exists and get the case number before submitting a formal copy request.

The Washington Courts portal is maintained by the Administrative Office of the Courts. It pulls data from all Washington counties, so a single search can surface records from Clallam County and neighboring counties at the same time. This is useful if you are unsure which county filed a particular case. The Washington State Court Directory also lists contact information for every court in the state, including phone numbers and addresses for Clallam County courts.

WATCH Background Check System for Clallam County

The Washington State Patrol operates WATCH, or Washington Access to Criminal History. This system provides online criminal conviction checks for any person in Washington State, including Clallam County residents. Each search costs $11 and is done by entering the person's exact name and date of birth at watch.wsp.wa.gov. Results come back within seconds.

A WATCH result can show no record found, a list of candidates if there are multiple people with the same name and birth date, or a full criminal history RAP sheet. The RAP sheet includes Washington State conviction history, recent arrests with pending dispositions, sex and kidnapping offender status, and Department of Corrections data. It does not include out-of-state records or federal convictions.

Under RCW Chapter 10.97, the general public can only see conviction data and recent arrest data with pending dispositions. Non-conviction information, such as charges that were dropped or cases that ended in acquittal, is restricted to criminal justice agencies. If you need a more thorough fingerprint-based check, the WSP accepts mail-in fingerprint requests at a cost of $58. Mail-in name checks cost $32. The WSP mailing address is PO Box 42633, Olympia, WA 98504-2633.

Clallam County Jail and Inmate Records

The Clallam County Sheriff operates the county jail and maintains booking records for arrested individuals. Call the Sheriff's Office at (360) 417-2459 to ask about current inmates or recent bookings. Basic booking information, including the charges and booking date, is public record in Washington State under RCW 70.48.100, though booking photos may be exempt in some circumstances.

For people who have been sentenced to a state prison rather than the county jail, use the Washington State DOC inmate search at doc.wa.gov. This free tool lets you search by name or DOC number and shows the person's current facility, age, and custody status. The DOC also handles broader public disclosure requests through its Public Disclosure Unit at (360) 725-8213 or by email at publicdisclosureunit@doc1.wa.gov.

Sex Offender Registry in Clallam County

Sex offenders in Clallam County must register with the Clallam County Sheriff's Office. Registration must happen within three business days of release from custody. Address and employment changes must be reported within three business days. The registration requirement comes from RCW 9A.44.130. Failing to register is a Class C felony for a first offense and a Class B felony for two or more prior felony failures.

Washington uses a three-tier risk level system. Level I is low risk. Level II is moderate risk. Level III is high risk. The public registry at waspc.org lists Level II and Level III offenders. Level I offenders are not listed publicly. The registry is run by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. Class B offenders without prior convictions may petition for relief from registration after 15 years. Class C offenders without priors may end their registration requirement after 10 years in the community.

Requesting Clallam County Criminal Records

Criminal court records in Clallam County can be requested in person at the courthouse or by mail. For felony records, contact the Superior Court Clerk at 223 E 4th Street, Suite 4, Port Angeles, WA 98362, phone (360) 417-2233. For misdemeanor records, contact the District Court at Suite 2, same address, phone (360) 417-2288. Bring a photo ID for in-person visits. Staff can search by name and year or by case number.

Mail requests should include the full name of the person, the approximate case filing year, and the case number if you have it. Explain what documents you need and ask for the current copy fee schedule. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want documents returned by mail. Make checks or money orders payable to the Clallam County Clerk.

You can find standard court records request forms on the Washington State courts forms page. These forms are accepted at Clallam County courts and at all Washington State courts. Under RCW 42.56.120, agencies cannot charge a fee for inspecting records, only for making copies. Inspection is free. Copy fees apply when you want to take documents with you.

Public Access Rules for Clallam County Records

Most criminal court records in Clallam County are public. Washington operates under a strong presumption of open access to court records. The Public Records Act and General Rule 31 of the Washington Court Rules both support public access. You do not have to be a party to a case to request records. You do not have to explain why you want them.

Some records are withheld or restricted. Juvenile records are mostly confidential under RCW Chapter 13.50. Only the official juvenile court file is public. Social files and probation records are not. Records sealed by court order are not accessible. Non-conviction data, such as arrests that did not result in prosecution, is restricted under RCW Chapter 10.97. Conviction records are publicly available without restriction. If you are the subject of a Washington criminal record, you can review your own complete record, including non-conviction data, by contacting the WSP at (360) 534-2000 and verifying your identity.

Nearby Counties

These counties are close to Clallam County on the Olympic Peninsula. Check their pages for records from neighboring areas.