Washington Court Records: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 15:35, 22 January 2008

Major Washington courts that have kept records of genealogical value were established as follows:

Probate courts were the primary courts for probate matters until 1891, when this responsibility was assumed by the superior courts. In some areas, the probate court had concurrent civil and criminal jurisdiction with the district courts.

Superior courts have had county wide jurisdiction over criminal cases and major civil cases, juvenile matters, and probate matters.

District courts have district wide jurisdiction with the superior courts over misdemeanors, preliminary hearings for felony cases, and minor civil cases.

Supreme Court has statewide appellate jurisdiction.[edit | edit source]

The Family History Library does not have copies of Washington court records. They are available at the county courthouses, or some courts have transferred their records to the Washington State Archives at http://www.secstate.wa.gov/archives/.

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-{{WA-sidebar}}{{breadcrumb
+Major Washington courts that have kept records of genealogical value were established as follows:
-| link1=[[United States Genealogy|United States]]
-| link2=[[United States Court Records|U.S. Court Records]]
-| link3=[[Washington, United States Genealogy|Washington]]
-| link4=
-| link5=[[Washington Court Records|Court Records]]
-}}
-=== Online Resources ===
+* Probate courts were the primary courts for probate matters until 1891, when this responsibility was assumed by the superior courts. In some areas, the probate court had concurrent civil and criminal jurisdiction with the district courts.
-*[http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Collections#RSID:26 Washington Digital Archives Court Records]
+* Superior courts have had county wide jurisdiction over criminal cases and major civil cases, juvenile matters, and probate matters.
-*[http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Collections#RSID:13 Frontier Justice, Courts 1854-1889] index
-*[http://www.blacksheepancestors.com/usa/washington.shtml Washington Black Sheep Ancestors]<br><br>
-== Major courts  ==
+* District courts have district wide jurisdiction with the superior courts over misdemeanors, preliminary hearings for felony cases, and minor civil cases.
-Major Washington courts that have kept records of genealogical value were established as follows:
+=== Supreme Court has statewide appellate jurisdiction. ===
-'''Probate Courts'''
+The Family History Library does not have copies of Washington court records. They are available at the county courthouses, or some courts have transferred their records to the Washington State Archives at http://www.secstate.wa.gov/archives/.
-:Probate courts were the primary courts for probate matters until 1891, when this responsibility was assumed by the superior courts. In some areas, the probate court had concurrent civil and criminal jurisdiction with the district courts.
+[[Category:Washington]]
-'''Superior courts'''
-:Superior courts have had county wide jurisdiction over criminal cases and major civil cases, juvenile matters, and probate matters.
-'''District courts'''
-:District Courts have district wide jurisdiction with the superior courts over misdemeanors, preliminary hearings for felony cases, and minor civil cases.
-*The Washington State Archives has online guides to the [http://sos.wa.gov/archives/FrontierJusticeGuidestotheDistrictCourt.aspx district court records] of Washington Territory.
-'''Supreme Court'''
-:The Supreme court has statewide appellate jurisdiction.
-'''Availability'''
-:The FamilySearch Library does not have copies of Washington court records. They are available at the county courthouses, or some courts have transferred their records to the [http://www.secstate.wa.gov/archives/ Washington State Archives].
-== Record Content  ==
-For specialized courts see: [[Washington Vital Records#Divorce_Contents|Divorce]] • [[Washington Naturalization and Citizenship#Record_Content|Naturalization]] • [[Washington Probate Records#Record_Content|Probate Records]]
-=== Civil Cases  ===
-=== Criminal Cases  ===
-<br>{{Washington|Washington}}
-[[Category:Washington, United States]][[Category:Court records by U.S. state]]