Pacific County Superior Court Clerk

03/02/2026

Happy Tuesday, Pacific County! 👋🏼

Got a question about the Superior Court Clerk’s Office—filings, records, fees, jury-related paperwork, or how the court record works?

Drop your question in the comments and we’ll answer what we can! ⬇️

(Friendly reminder: please no case-specific questions) 🙏🏻

21/01/2026

2025 at a Glance ⚖️

As we wrap up 2025, the Pacific County Clerk’s Office reflects on another year of serving our courts and community.

Here is the breakdown by case type:
➡️ Adult Criminal – 132
➡️ Civil – 369
➡️ Domestic – 84
➡️ Probate / Guardianship – 135
➡️ Adoption / Parentage – 14
➡️ Mental Health – 6
➡️ Dependency / Truancy – 18
➡️ Juvenile Criminal – 15

* ➡️ Search Warrants – 81
* ➡️ 25 Appeals were transmitted to the Court of Appeals and/or the Supreme Court.

Subtotal (cases opened): 854

Behind every case number is a real person and a real story. And while new cases are opened each year, our work extends far beyond a single calendar year. Our team continues to manage active cases from prior years, while also supporting ongoing trials, hearings, filings, and daily court operations that demand accuracy and attention to detail.

This work is only possible because of a dedicated team that shows up every day, committed to doing things the right way. I am incredibly proud of the staff of the Pacific County Clerk’s Office and grateful for the professionalism and care they bring to their work.
Here’s to closing out a busy year and moving forward into the next one—focused, prepared, and strong.

~ Pacific County Clerk

17/01/2026

15/01/2026

Did You Know?
Superior Court vs. District Court vs. Municpal Court in Washington State

Many people are surprised to learn that Washington has two main trial courts — Superior Court and District Court — and they serve very different roles in our justice system.

The Superior Court is the state’s court of general jurisdiction. That means it handles the most serious and complex cases, including:
• Felony criminal cases
• Family law matters (divorce, custody, child support, adoptions)
• Juvenile cases
• Probate and guardianships
• Civil cases involving higher dollar amounts
• Appeals from District Court

District Court, on the other hand, handles more limited matters such as:
• Misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor crimes
• Traffic tickets and infractions
• Small claims and other lower-dollar civil cases
• Some protection orders

Municipal Court typically handles cases involving city ordinances within city limits, such as:
• Traffic tickets and infractions issued by city law enforcement
• City misdemeanor offenses (like certain DUI cases, theft, trespass, etc., depending on the charge and where it occurred)
• Local code violations (in some cities)

Although all three courts serve our community, they operate separately, have different judges, different case types, and different filing requirements.

The Clerk’s Office supports the Superior Court, which means we are responsible for keeping the official court record for Superior Court cases, processing filings, maintaining exhibits, collecting fees, and ensuring court orders are properly recorded and accessible.

Understanding which court handles your case can save you time and help you get to the right place faster — and we’re always happy to help guide you! 💙

06/01/2026

Happy New Year, Pacific County! 🎉

As we welcome 2026, the Pacific County Clerk’s Office wishes every resident and visitor a year filled with joy, connection, and shared community spirit. Thank you for being part of what makes our county such a special place!

Did you know?

About 100 years ago, the Pacific County Fair was becoming a major highlight in our community. In the 1920s, fairs from around the county competed for a Loving Cup award, and the Long Beach Fair won it three years running before the excitement eventually consolidated into the single county fair that continues to bring us all together today!
pacificcountyfair.org

Here’s to honoring our past as we look forward to all the possibilities of the new year!

— Pacific County Clerk’s Office

23/12/2025

🚧 Office Update: Creating a Private Space for Your Clerk’s Office

You may have noticed some construction noise (and a little extra hustle) around our office right now — that’s because I’m in the middle of a wall project to create a private office space.

I wanted to share why this matters.

As your elected Superior Court Clerk, I regularly need a space where I can hold confidential meetings and sensitive conversations — whether it’s with staff, justice partners, vendors, or members of the public who may be discussing difficult personal situations. A private area is important so that:

✅ People can speak openly without sharing personal information in a public lobby
✅ Staff can receive direction, training, and feedback professionally
✅ Meetings can happen efficiently without disrupting counter service
✅ Our office can operate with better focus and organization

This project is about improving how we serve you — with more privacy, professionalism, and efficiency — while still keeping our office accessible and welcoming.

And for transparency: this project is being paid for using funds already built into our current annual budget. We did not request a supplemental budget to make this happen.

Thanks for your patience during the temporary noise and disruption — and thank you for supporting the improvements we’re making to keep your Clerk’s Office running strong. 💪📚 Here are a few project images. Today, they are finishing up the wall with windows, trim, and a door! Stay tuned for the final photos!

Shout out to all the people who have helped make this project a reality:

📄Pacific County Board of County Commissioners for their support
⭐Pacific County General Admission for their support and guidance
🔨Pacific County maintenance crew for the endless asks and help I've needed along the way to make this office more functional and professional over the past three years
👨🏻‍🔧Western Washington Construction for their attention to detail and incredibly smooth project thus far with the wall construction.
⚡️Gus Evers with Evers Electric for hooking us up with proper power!
♡ The entire courthouse for dealing with the noise and disruption over the past two weeks!

22/12/2025

💰 Where Court Money Goes (and What the Clerk’s Office Is Responsible For)

One question we get is: “Who handles the money for Superior Court cases?” In many situations, the answer is the Clerk’s Office — and it’s a bigger job than most people realize.

Here’s a simple breakdown of what we do (and why it matters):

✅ We receive and process court-ordered payments
That can include things like:
-fines, fees, and assessments
-restitution payments
-other financial obligations ordered by the Court

✅ We maintain accurate case financial records
Every payment has to be tracked, receipted, posted correctly, and tied to the proper case and party. Accuracy matters — because people’s rights, balances, and compliance can depend on it.

✅ We safeguard and account for public funds
Court money isn’t “just” money — it’s regulated and audited. We follow strict rules for:
-receipting and depositing
-tracking balances
-keeping funds separated when required
-documenting every transaction

✅ We distribute money when required
Some funds don’t stay with the court — they may be distributed to the appropriate recipients based on law and court order (including restitution and other required distributions).

✅ We pay jurors! Yep — every juror who reports for Superior Court is processed through our office. We handle the administrative side of juror compensation so that those community members are paid accurately and in a timely manner for their service.

✅ We provide payment information and receipts
Need a receipt? Want to know your balance? We can help with case financial information (but we can’t give legal advice about what you should do — we can only share what the record shows).

💡 Bottom line:
The Clerk’s Office helps ensure Superior Court financial activity is handled securely, transparently, and accurately — because the public deserves trust in how court funds are managed.

Enjoy your week, Pacific County!

15/12/2025

Another wet Monday here in Pacific County! Let's kick off this week to discuss EXHIBITS.

📌 What are “Exhibits” and why do they matter?

If you’ve ever watched a court hearing (or been part of one), you’ve probably heard someone say, “Your Honor, I’d like to move to admit Identification/Exhibit 1 into evidence.” But what does that actually mean?

✅ Exhibits are pieces of evidence used in a case—things like photos, text messages, medical records, receipts, videos, or other documents that help show what happened.

✅ Here in Pacific County, per our Local Court Rules, when an exhibit is marked for identification, it becomes part of the court record, and, except when used in the courtroom or on appeal, shall not be removed from the Clerk’s custody without a court order.

Here’s the important part:

📂 Not everything handed to a judge automatically becomes part of the official court record.
To be considered by the court, exhibits usually must be:

-properly identified,
-shared with the other side (when required), and
-formally offered and admitted during the hearing/trial.

🗂️ What does the Clerk’s Office do with exhibits?
We help ensure exhibits are handled and recorded according to court process—so the record is accurate, complete, and secure. It is our job to keep all exhibits in our care and custody until we receive a court order to return or destroy them.

⚠️ Quick note: The Clerk’s Office can’t give legal advice about what you should submit or how to present your case—but we can share general information about court procedures and where to find resources. Our Local Court Rules are a great place to start!

08/12/2025

Happy Monday! I hope everyone is doing their best to stay dry! Today, we are back with some more helpful information about YOUR Clerk's Office!

📌 Why the Clerk’s Office Cannot Provide Legal Advice

We’re here to help you navigate the court process — but there are important limits on what we can do.

The Clerk’s Office is responsible for maintaining court records, processing filings, and supporting the court in the administration of justice. Because we must remain neutral and impartial, we are not allowed to provide legal advice.

That includes things like:
⚖️ Suggesting what forms to file
✍️ Helping fill out paperwork
📄 Interpreting court orders
🎯 Advising on what to say in court or what steps to take next

We can help by:
🔹 Providing access to court forms and public records
🔹 Offering general information about court procedures
🔹 Explaining filing fees and office hours
🔹 Directing you to resources that may assist you

Our goal is to ensure everyone has fair access to justice — and staying neutral is a key part of that!

If you have legal questions or need help deciding what to do, please reach out to an attorney or legal aid organization.

Thank you for understanding and for helping us uphold the integrity of the court! 🏛️✨