Seattle Probate Court Records

Probate court records for Seattle are filed and maintained at King County Superior Court, which holds exclusive jurisdiction over estate administration, wills, and guardianship cases for all Seattle residents under RCW Title 11.

Where Seattle Probate Cases Are Filed

King County Superior Court handles all probate and estate matters for Seattle residents. There is no city-level probate court in Seattle. The Superior Court clerk manages all estate filings, will admissions, guardianship petitions, and conservatorship cases. Seattle residents file at the downtown courthouse on Third Avenue.

Seattle Municipal Court at 600 Fifth Avenue handles city ordinance violations, traffic infractions, and misdemeanor crimes. It does not handle probate. Do not contact the Municipal Court for estate filings. All probate goes to King County Superior Court. The two courts are separate, and mixing them up causes delays.

King County has a second clerk location at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, at 401 Fourth Avenue N, Room 2C, Kent, WA 98032. That office serves south King County cities. Seattle residents typically file at and visit the downtown location. Both clerk offices use the same phone number, (206) 296-9300.

How to Search Seattle Probate Records

King County provides online access to probate case records through the KC Script Portal at kingcounty.gov. Cases filed from November 1, 2004 to the present are searchable online. You can search by party name, case number, or case type. The portal shows case status, hearing dates, and docket entries. It does not always display full document images, but it confirms whether a case exists and its current stage.

The statewide Odyssey Portal also covers King County cases and works well for searching by party name. Enter the decedent's name and select King County to filter results. The portal is free to use and shows basic case information for public records.

For records filed before November 2004, or if you need complete document copies, in-person access is available at the courthouse on Third Avenue. Records on microfilm before July 1, 1979 are available only at the Seattle clerk's office during business hours. Cases from 1979 to 2004 may require staff assistance to retrieve. Bring the decedent's full name and approximate year of filing.

Mail requests use the Record Request Form from the clerk's website. Include a $10 postage and handling fee, plus an additional $30 research fee if you do not have the case number. Non-certified copy fees are $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. The court does not process payment by phone or email.

The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov holds historical King County probate records going back to the 19th century. Use the Detailed Search feature and select Superior Court Cases as the collection. These records are free to access and useful for genealogical research.

The Seattle Municipal Court public records page describes how to request records from the Municipal Court specifically. Those records cover city-level violations only, not probate matters.

Seattle Municipal Court handles city-level infractions and misdemeanors. Probate and estate records are held at King County Superior Court on Third Avenue in downtown Seattle.

Seattle Probate Filing Fees

The probate filing fee in King County is approximately $310 for a standard estate case. This is higher than most other Washington counties due to surcharges added to the base state fee set by RCW 36.18.020. Contact the clerk at (206) 296-9300 to confirm the current fee before filing.

Copy fees are $0.25 per page for non-certified copies. Certified copies cost $5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Letters testamentary and letters of administration each cost $5. These letters allow the personal representative to act on behalf of the estate with banks, title companies, and other institutions. Get enough letters when you open the case to cover all anticipated transactions.

What Seattle Probate Records Contain

Probate case files in King County document estate administration from the opening petition through final distribution. Standard documents include the original will if one exists, the probate petition, the personal representative's oath and appointment order, notice to creditors, the estate inventory and appraisement, creditor claims, court orders during administration, and the final decree of distribution.

Seattle estates can involve a wide range of assets including residential and commercial real property in one of the country's most expensive markets, business interests, investment accounts, and personal property. Appraisements for Seattle real estate require licensed appraisers. The same Washington State probate procedures apply regardless of estate size or asset type.

Not every estate requires probate. Washington allows simplified transfers for small estates. If the total estate value does not exceed $100,000, heirs may use a Small Estate Affidavit under RCW Chapter 11.62 to collect property without a formal court case. These affidavits are not filed with Superior Court and do not appear in public probate records.

Guardianship records contain the petition, court appointment order, annual financial accountings, ward care reports, and the termination order when guardianship ends. The clerk keeps all guardianship records permanently. Restricted record types including adoptions and mental competency cases are not publicly accessible. Standard probate records are available by request during business hours.

Personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers are redacted from publicly accessible records under Washington Court Rule GR 31(e).

Probate Resources in Seattle

Free official probate forms are at courts.wa.gov/forms. Online case search is at the Odyssey Portal. Historical records are at the Washington State Digital Archives and the Puget Sound Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives in Bellevue at (425) 564-3940. Full Washington probate law is at RCW Title 11.

King County Bar Association offers a lawyer referral service at (206) 267-7010. Northwest Justice Project serves low-income residents at (888) 201-1014. The Washington State Bar Association directory is at wsba.org. Self-help guides are at washingtonlawhelp.org. King County Superior Court has a self-help center at the Third Avenue courthouse for people filing without an attorney.

King County Probate Court Records

Seattle is served by King County Superior Court for all probate matters. For more information on the court, filing procedures, and records access, visit the King County probate records page.

View King County Probate Records

Nearby Cities

These cities near Seattle file probate cases through their respective county courts.