Administrative Record Request (GR 31.1)

Washington General Court Rule 31.1 effective January 1, 2016, governs Public Access to Court Administrative Records. Yakima County District Court is committed to providing an open responsive process for handling public record requests. If you would like to submit such a request, or if you have questions about your rights to access court administrative records, please read the information provided below.

How to Submit a Request 

You may submit a completed Administrative Records Request Form to the court in any one of the following ways:

Electronic: Yakima County has implemented this Portal to make the request process more efficient and transparent. If you choose to use the Portal the other methods do not apply. You can access the Portal here: Public Records Request Portal 

In Person

        Yakima County District Court, 128 N. 2nd Street, Room 225, Yakima, Wa.

        Yakima County District Court, 1313 W. Wine Country Road, Grandview, Wa. 

         Administrative Record Request Form (Spanish)

         Administrative Record Request Form (English)

Please note that your request MUST be in writing and must include your name and contact information as well as a description of the records you are requesting. You will receive a response from the court within five (5) business days from our receipt of your request. The response will include:

  • The estimated time needed to produce the records or a first installment of the records;
  • Requests for clarification, if needed and
  • An estimate of research, preparation and dissemination costs for requests requiring more than 1 hour of staff time to obtain and prepare.

Fees

There will be a photocopying or scanning charge of fifty-cents per page.  In addition, after the first hour, thirty dollars per hour will be charged for staff time to process your request.  All fees are due prior to the release of the records and can be paid at the District Court office on the 2nd floor of the courthouse.

Please submit your Cashier’s Check or Money Order payment to:  Yakima County District Court, 128 N. 2nd Street, Room 225, Yakima, Wa. 98901

For Online Debit/Credit Card Payments: 

  • Be prepared with your GR 31.1 case number
  • Select the drop down menu and choose Records Request
  • Enter your case number (supplied to you by the Administrative Records Officer)
  • Enter Debit/Credit Card information

    Click Here to pay - There is a 2.35% fee ($2.00 minimum) for using your Debit/Credit card.

Appeals Process

If you wish to appeal the decision(s) on your request, you must file an appeal as outlined in GR 31.1.

Internal Review

You may appeal the decision within ninety (90) calendar days. To initiate a review, please submit a completed Request for Review form using one of the following methods:

Mail:  Yakima County District Court, Attn: Tamra Williams, Administrative Records Officer, 128 N. 2nd Street, Room 225, Yakima, WA 98901

In Person: 

 Yakima County District Court, 128 N. 2nd Street, Room 225, Yakima, Wa.

      Yakima County District Court, 1313 W. Wine Country Road, Grandview, Wa.

The record will be reviewed by the Presiding Judge or designee of the Yakima County District Court.. In most cases, you will receive a response within five (5) business days from the date the request for review was received or the earliest practical date that the Presiding Judge or designee can review your appeal. 

External Review

If you are not satisfied with the decision of the internal review, you may choose one of the following options for an external review:

  • File a civil action in Superior Court to challenge the decision.
  • Requests an informal review by a visiting Judge, delegated by the Presiding Judge.

The request must be submitted within thirty (30) days of the response from the first review.

Resources for Obtaining or Answering Questions about Court Records

Please note that this page addresses access to court administrative records. For information on how to access court case records, please visit either the Superior Court Clerk’s website or the District Court Clerk’s website.

For an overview of the law governing access to court administrative records, read this guideline for Obtaining Administrative Public Records.  Additionally, the Court has enacted a number of policies related to access to administrative records pursuant to GR 31.1, they are as follows:

If you have questions, concerns, complaints, or requests for additional information regarding administrative records requests for the Yakima County District Court, please contact the court’s Administrative Records Officer, Tamra Williams

Lorena Delviento

Administrative Records Officer

Yakima County District Court

128 N. 2nd Street 

Yakima, Washington 98901

Phone: 509-574-1800

GR31.1DistrictCourt@co.yakima.wa.us