Kittitas County Probate Court Records

Kittitas County probate court records are maintained at the Kittitas County Superior Court in Ellensburg, the county seat. The Superior Court Clerk handles all estate cases, wills, guardianship filings, and probate records for the county under RCW Title 11. Kittitas County is located in central Washington east of the Cascades, home to Central Washington University and the Kittitas Valley. The county clerk also serves as the host site for the Central Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives, making Ellensburg a key location for historical probate research across central Washington. Records can be searched online through the Odyssey Portal or in person at the courthouse.

Kittitas County Superior Court Clerk

The Kittitas County Clerk is Karen Bowen. The clerk's office is at 205 W 5th Avenue, Suite 210, Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887. Phone is (509) 962-7531, fax is (509) 962-7667, and email is clerk@co.kittitas.wa.us. Office hours are Monday through Friday during standard business hours. The Superior Court is at the same address in Suite 207, phone (509) 962-7533, email superiorcourt@co.kittitas.wa.us.

Kittitas County Superior Court handles probate, civil, criminal, family law, and juvenile cases. Judges include L. Candace Hooper and Scott R. Sparks. Commissioner James Kirkham also hears certain matters. Administrator Sarah Keith manages court operations. For probate filings, use the clerk's office in Suite 210. For questions about court scheduling or hearings, contact the Superior Court administration in Suite 207.

The clerk's office is the official keeper of all Kittitas County Superior Court records. Records going back to probate case files from 1886 through the present are maintained by the clerk or at the Central Regional Branch. Contact the clerk at (509) 962-7531 for any questions about record availability, fees, or filing procedures.

The Kittitas County Superior Court Case Files collection at the Washington State Digital Archives covers case types including civil, criminal, divorce, and probate from 2015 to present, with a total of over 469,000 records available online.

Kittitas County Superior Court case files at the Washington State Digital Archives include probate records from 2015 to present, with older historical records held at the Central Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives on the Central Washington University campus in Ellensburg.

Search Kittitas County Probate Records

Kittitas County probate records can be searched online through the statewide Odyssey Portal. Enter the decedent's name or case number to find probate filings. The portal covers case types including civil, criminal, divorce, and probate. Restricted files including adoption, dependency, and mental competency cases are NOT available online. Contact the Kittitas County Clerk at (509) 962-7531 for those case types.

The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov has Kittitas County court records from 2015 to present with over 469,000 records. Use the Detailed Search feature and select "Superior Court Cases" as the collection type. This is a free resource. For cases outside the Digital Archives date range, use the Odyssey Portal or contact the clerk.

Historical Kittitas County probate records are preserved at the Central Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives at Central Washington University, 400 E. University Way, Mail Stop 7547, Ellensburg, WA 98926-7547, contact (509) 963-2136. The Central Branch includes probate case files from 1892 to 1982, probate journals from 1883 to 1951, record of wills from 1885 to 1950, territorial probate case files from 1886 to 1889, and an index to marriage certificates from 1888 to 1920 that also contains an index to probate filings. The Kittitas County Clerk's Office itself has probate case files from 1886 to present.

For in-person access to current records, visit the clerk's office at 205 W 5th Avenue, Suite 210. Staff can search records by name or case number and assist with copy requests. Viewing records in person is free. Copies require payment per the standard Washington State fee schedule.

Kittitas County Probate Filing Fees

The probate filing fee in Kittitas County is approximately $290 for a standard estate case under Washington State fee schedules per RCW 36.18.020. Guardianship filings carry the same base fee. Contact the clerk at (509) 962-7531 to confirm the current fee before filing. County-level surcharges may affect the total amount due.

Copy fees follow the standard Washington State schedule. Certified copies cost $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page per document. Non-certified copies are $0.50 per page. Letters testamentary and letters of administration each cost $5.00 and allow the personal representative to act on behalf of the estate. Get enough letters at case opening to handle all financial institutions and real property transfers without return visits.

Kittitas County Probate Record Contents

Probate case files in Kittitas County document estate administration from start to finish. The file begins with the petition and a court order opening the case. Standard documents include the original will (if one exists), probate petitions and court orders, the personal representative's oath, notice to creditors publications and proof of service, estate inventory and appraisement, creditor claims filed against the estate, court orders during administration, and the final decree of distribution.

Kittitas County has probate records going back to 1886. The territorial probate case files from 1886 to 1889 at the Central Regional Branch cover the period before Washington statehood. The probate journals from 1883 to 1951 and wills from 1885 to 1950 provide a nearly complete picture of estate administration in the county over more than a century. These are valuable resources for genealogical research in the Kittitas Valley region.

Guardianship files in Kittitas County contain the petition for guardianship, court order appointing the guardian, annual financial accountings for the ward, reports on the ward's living situation and care, and the termination order when the guardianship ends. Restricted case types including adoption, dependency, and mental competency are not available online. For those, contact the clerk at (509) 962-7531 or cebrancharchives@sos.wa.gov for archival materials.

Probate Resources in Kittitas County

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 Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg at (509) 963-2136. Full Washington probate law is at RCW Title 11.

The Chelan-Douglas Legal Aid Program and Columbia Legal Services serve central Washington counties. The Washington State Bar Association referral service is at (206) 443-9722 and directory at wsba.org. WashingtonLawHelp at washingtonlawhelp.org has plain-language guides. Northwest Justice Project serves Kittitas County at (888) 201-1014.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Kittitas County in central Washington.