Garfield County Criminal Records

Garfield County criminal records are held by the Superior Court Clerk, the District Court, and the Sheriff's Office, all based at the courthouse in Pomeroy. As one of Washington's smallest counties by population, Garfield County keeps a compact court system where all three offices share the same Main Street address. This guide explains how to find criminal records in Garfield County, how to search cases online through the statewide Washington Courts portal, how to run a conviction history check, and what access rights apply under Washington State law.

Garfield County Superior Court Clerk

The Garfield County Clerk of Superior Court maintains all felony criminal case records for the county. The office is the official repository for every felony charged in Garfield County, along with civil, family, and probate cases. If you need to look up a felony criminal case in Garfield County, the clerk's office is where those files are stored. Staff can search by name or case number and provide copies of case documents on request.

The clerk's office is at 789 Main Street, Pomeroy, WA 99347. Phone is (509) 843-3731. More information is available at garfield-county.com/departments/clerk-of-superior-court. Certified copies of court records follow Washington State fee schedules. You can visit in person during regular business hours or submit a mail request.

The clerk's office at garfield-county.com handles all felony criminal case records for Garfield County and can provide copies of case files on request.

Garfield County District Court

The Garfield County District Court handles misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic infractions, and civil cases under $100,000. For lower-level criminal charges in Garfield County, this is the right court to contact. The District Court shares the same courthouse address at 789 Main Street, Pomeroy, WA 99347. Phone is (509) 843-1456.

District Court records for Garfield County are also searchable through the statewide Washington Courts portal at dw.courts.wa.gov. More about the court is at garfield-county.com/departments/district-court. The court handles cases filed by the Garfield County Sheriff's Office, Washington State Patrol, and other law enforcement agencies active in the county.

The Garfield County District Court at garfield-county.com processes misdemeanor criminal cases and traffic infractions for the county.

Garfield County Sheriff Arrest Records

The Garfield County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement throughout the county and maintains arrest records and jail records. The Sheriff's office is also at 789 Main Street, Pomeroy, WA 99347, with a phone number of (509) 843-3494. More information is available at garfield-county.com/departments/sheriff. For public records requests involving arrest reports, booking information, or incident records from the Sheriff's Office, contact them directly.

Washington's Public Records Act under RCW 42.56 gives the public the right to request most law enforcement records. Agencies must respond within five business days. In a small county like Garfield, the Sheriff's Office handles the vast majority of local law enforcement activity, so most arrest records from the county come from this office. Some records tied to active investigations may be withheld temporarily.

The Garfield County Sheriff's Office is the primary source for arrest records, booking information, and incident reports from unincorporated areas of the county.

Online Case Search for Garfield County

The Washington State Courts name and case search portal at dw.courts.wa.gov covers Superior Court, District Court, and municipal court cases across all 39 Washington counties, including Garfield. You can search by person name, case number, attorney, or judicial officer for free. Results include case numbers, party names, charge information, filing dates, and current case status. The tool is available online at any hour.

The statewide portal does not provide full document images. For actual case documents, contact the Garfield County Clerk or District Court directly. The online search is most useful for confirming a case exists and getting the case number before making a formal request. You can also find the full state court directory at courts.wa.gov/court_dir.

WATCH Background Check System

The Washington Access to Criminal History system gives anyone the ability to search statewide conviction records. WATCH is run by the Washington State Patrol at watch.wsp.wa.gov. A search by name and date of birth costs $11 and returns results instantly. You can get a full conviction RAP sheet showing Washington State convictions, adverse findings, and recent arrests with pending dispositions. WATCH also shows sex offender registration status and Department of Corrections information.

WATCH searches are name-based. Results may include multiple people with similar names. The system is not a substitute for a fingerprint-based check when high accuracy matters. The WSP offers fingerprint-based searches by mail for $58. Name-based mail requests cost $32. Detailed information about requesting criminal history records from WSP is at wsp.wa.gov/crime/criminal-history.

Inmate Lookup

For people currently incarcerated in Washington State prisons, the Department of Corrections offers a free public search at doc.wa.gov/records/incarcerated-data-search. Search by name or DOC number. Results show age, current facility, and custody status. Garfield County residents sentenced to state prison could be held at Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, which is the closest major facility, or at other state correctional facilities.

For records on released individuals, the DOC Public Disclosure Unit handles those requests. Contact them at publicdisclosureunit@doc1.wa.gov or (360) 725-8213. Copies cost 15 cents per printed page and 10 cents per electronic page.

Sex Offender Registry in Garfield County

The Garfield County Sheriff manages sex offender registration for the county. Registered offenders must check in with the Sheriff within three business days of release or any change in address or employment. This requirement is set by RCW 9A.44.130. The Sheriff's office at 789 Main Street, Pomeroy handles these registrations.

Level II and Level III offenders are listed on the Washington Sex Offender Public Registry managed by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. You can search the registry at wasor.org or get full information about the system at waspc.org/sex-offender-information. In a small county like Garfield, even a small number of registered offenders can represent a meaningful portion of the local population, so the registry is worth checking for anyone concerned about a specific address or area.

Criminal Records Access in Washington

Washington State law draws a clear line between conviction records and non-conviction records. Under the Criminal Records Privacy Act, RCW Chapter 10.97, conviction records are public and available to anyone who requests them. Non-conviction records, meaning arrests that did not lead to charges or resulted in acquittal, are restricted to criminal justice agencies only. The general public cannot get non-conviction data through a public records request.

The Public Records Act at RCW 42.56 gives broad access to government records. Agencies must respond to requests within five business days. They can release records, deny with legal justification, or provide a production timeline if the request is large. Court forms for requesting records are available at courts.wa.gov/forms.

Note: Garfield County has a small court staff. Complex or large records requests may take more time than in larger counties.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Garfield County. Use the Washington Courts statewide portal to search across county lines when you are not certain where a case was filed.