Walla Walla County Criminal Records

Walla Walla County criminal records are held by the Superior Court Clerk, the District Court, and the Sheriff's Office in Walla Walla, Washington. If you need to search for felony case files, misdemeanor records, arrest logs, or inmate information, this guide covers each office and how to get what you need. Most court records are public. You can look them up in person at the courthouse on West Main Avenue, submit a written request by mail, or use the statewide Washington Courts online search tool to pull case data from home.

Walla Walla County Superior Court Clerk

The Walla Walla County Clerk of Superior Court keeps all felony criminal records filed in the county. This includes felony charges, sentencing documents, probation orders, and any motions or judgments entered in open cases. The clerk also stores records from older closed cases. If you need to look up someone's felony history in Walla Walla County, the Superior Court is your first stop.

Superior Court handles Class A, B, and C felony charges. These are the most serious criminal cases in the county. The clerk's office can help you find a case by name or case number. You can review records in person or request copies. In-person visits let you look through the full file, while written requests are better if you need certified copies mailed to you. Staff are generally available during normal business hours.

Walla Walla County District Court Records

The Walla Walla County District Court handles misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor criminal cases. This includes charges like DUI, simple assault, theft under $750, possession of small amounts of controlled substances, and most traffic offenses that involve a criminal charge. District Court records are separate from Superior Court filings.

If the case you are looking for involves a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor, you need to contact the District Court directly. The office is also located on West Main Avenue in Walla Walla. You can call to ask about records or visit in person. The statewide Washington Courts search tool at dw.courts.wa.gov covers both the Superior Court and the District Court, so it is a good starting point when you are not sure which court holds the record you need.

Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office

The Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement for the unincorporated areas of the county and also manages the county jail. The Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records and booking information for people taken into custody in Walla Walla County.

The Sheriff can assist with questions about active warrants or arrests. If you want to find out whether someone is currently being held in the county jail, you can contact the Sheriff's Office directly. For older arrest records, the courthouse clerk offices are the better source. The Washington Courts online search may also show booking-related case filings if a criminal charge was filed after the arrest.

The Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office is located at 312 W Poplar Street, a short distance from the main courthouse. Phone is (509) 524-5430.

The Sheriff's Office page on the county website lists contact information for jail records and general law enforcement inquiries in Walla Walla County.

Searching Walla Walla County Criminal Records Online

The easiest way to search Walla Walla County criminal records online is through the Washington Courts case search portal. This free tool pulls data from both the Superior Court and the District Court. You can search by a person's full name or by case number. Results show the case number, party names, charge information, and current case status. Document images are not available through this portal, but it gives you enough information to know whether a case exists and where to go for more detail.

The Washington Courts search at dw.courts.wa.gov covers courts across all 39 Washington counties, including Walla Walla. It is free to use. You do not need an account or login.

The statewide Washington Courts case search tool provides name-based and case number searches across Walla Walla County Superior and District Court records.

Note: The courts portal shows case records but does not display full criminal history. For a complete background check on a person, you need to use the WATCH system through the Washington State Patrol.

Washington State Patrol Criminal History

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) maintains the state's central criminal history database. This covers conviction records from across all of Washington, including Walla Walla County. The WSP system is not limited to one county, so it will capture a person's full Washington conviction history regardless of where in the state the charges were filed.

You can access this data through the WATCH system online at watch.wsp.wa.gov. WATCH stands for Washington Access to Criminal History. It is a name and date of birth search. Results come back quickly. The cost is $11 per search and you pay by credit or debit card. Results show Washington State criminal conviction records, sex and kidnapping offender registration status, and relevant Department of Corrections information.

The WSP criminal history page explains the full range of record request options, including mail and in-person requests for those who need something beyond the online WATCH search.

Mail-based requests to WSP cost more than the online option. A name and date of birth check by mail runs $32. A fingerprint-based search costs $58. Fingerprint searches are more precise because they match the actual individual rather than relying on name and date of birth alone. These are available through the WSP office in Olympia.

The WATCH system lets you run an immediate online criminal history check against the WSP database, covering Walla Walla County and all other Washington counties.

Inmate Lookup and DOC Records

If someone was convicted of a felony in Walla Walla County and sentenced to state prison, they would be held in a Washington State Department of Corrections facility. The DOC publishes an online inmate search tool that is free to use. You can search by name or DOC number.

The DOC inmate search is at doc.wa.gov. It shows current location, custody status, and age. This covers people in state correctional facilities only. People held in the Walla Walla County Jail on local charges or short sentences would not appear in the DOC system. Contact the Sheriff's Office for county jail inquiries.

The DOC incarcerated person search is updated regularly and provides basic status information for those housed in state correctional facilities, including those originally sentenced out of Walla Walla County courts.

Sex Offender Registry in Walla Walla County

The Washington Sex Offender Public Registry is managed by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. In Walla Walla County, the Sheriff's Office handles local sex offender registration. Anyone required to register as a sex offender must do so with the county sheriff where they live.

Level II and Level III offenders are listed on the public registry. Level I offenders are considered low risk and their information is shared only with law enforcement, not the public. Level III offenders represent the highest risk and are subject to active community notification. You can search the public registry at waspc.org/sex-offender-information or through the state registry at wasor.org.

The WASPC sex offender information page links to the state public registry and explains the risk-level classification system used across all Washington counties including Walla Walla.

Access Rules for Criminal Records

Washington criminal records are governed by RCW Chapter 10.97, the Criminal Records Privacy Act. This law sets rules about which records are public, which are restricted, and how agencies must handle them. Most conviction records are public. Non-conviction information, such as arrests that did not lead to charges or charges that were dismissed, is generally restricted to criminal justice agencies.

The Public Records Act under RCW Chapter 42.56 also applies to government records in Washington. Under this law, you can submit a public records request to the Sheriff's Office or the court clerk to access records that fall within the public domain. Requests should be made in writing. Agencies have a set time to respond. Some information may be redacted if it is legally exempt from disclosure.

Note: Juvenile criminal records in Washington are generally sealed and not available to the public. Adult records with vacated convictions may also be restricted depending on the court order.

Cities in Walla Walla County

All criminal cases from cities within Walla Walla County are filed at the Superior Court or District Court in Walla Walla. Felony cases go to Superior Court. Misdemeanors go to District Court or a local municipal court depending on the city.

Other communities in Walla Walla County include College Place, Prescott, and Waitsburg. Criminal cases from these areas are handled at the county courthouse on West Main Avenue.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Walla Walla County. If you are unsure which county holds a record, check where the arrest or charge occurred.