Spokane County Probate Records Lookup

Spokane County probate court records are maintained at the Spokane County Superior Court, located at 1116 W Broadway Avenue in Spokane. The Superior Court Clerk handles all estate cases, wills, trust matters, guardianship proceedings, and related probate filings for the county under RCW Title 11. Spokane County offers the Court Viewer tool for online case searches, making it easy to find probate case information without visiting the courthouse. Spokane is the largest county in eastern Washington and handles a high volume of probate cases each year.

Spokane County Superior Court Clerk

The Clerk of Courts is Timothy W. Fitzgerald. The clerk's office maintains all records from Superior Court including criminal felonies, civil suits, domestic relations cases, and probate matters. The clerk serves as Administrator of Court Records and Financial Officer for the Courts, collecting all fees and fines ordered through the court. Eight Court Commissioners are appointed by the Superior Court judges to assist with day-to-day probate calendar matters.

The Spokane County Courthouse is located at 1116 W Broadway Avenue in downtown Spokane. The Clerk's Office is on the 3rd floor. The Superior Court is on the 3rd floor of the Courthouse Annex. Staff can help you find a probate case, pull a file, and provide certified copies. In-person visits during business hours give you free access to view records. Probate forms are available at the Spokane County Bar Association office on the 4th floor of the Annex, phone (509) 477-6032.

Spokane County is in the 13th Judicial Department. Superior Court judges are elected to 4-year terms. The Presiding Judge is elected to a 2-year term. This court handles all felony cases, civil cases over $75,000, domestic relations, juveniles, probate, and appeals from District Court.

Spokane County maintains an informative Probates, Wills, Trusts, and Guardianships page explaining the probate process, will repository, guardianship monitoring program, and available resources for estates in the county.

Spokane County's probate resources page includes information on the Guardianship Monitoring Program, which the county implemented to oversee guardians handling incapacitated citizens' finances and care under court supervision.

Search Spokane County Probate Records

Spokane County has its own online case search tool called the Court Viewer at cp.spokanecounty.org/courtdocumentviewer. This tool lets you view Superior Court hearing dates and detailed case information. To search probate records, click the Superior Court (SC) tab, then choose FIND DETAILED CASE INFORMATION and select Probate as the case type. You can search by party name. The Court Viewer is a free tool that does not require registration.

The statewide Odyssey Portal also covers Spokane County and can be used for broader searches across multiple counties. Both tools draw from the same underlying court management system. If you cannot find a case through the Court Viewer, try the Odyssey Portal as a backup. Older records before the electronic filing era may only be in paper form at the courthouse.

For in-person searches, visit the clerk's office at 1116 W Broadway Avenue, Room 300. Staff can search by name or case number. Viewing records is free. The office can also assist with certified copy requests. For historical Spokane County probate records from the early county years through the 1980s, the Eastern Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives at 960 Washington Street, Cheney, WA 99004, phone (509) 235-7500, maintains the older case files.

Note: Dependency cases and juvenile offender cases are NOT available through the online Court Viewer. For juvenile court information, contact the Juvenile Court Coordinator at (509) 477-5790.

The Spokane County Court Viewer provides free public access to Superior Court case information including probate case details, hearing dates, and case status without requiring a subscription or login.

Spokane County's Court Viewer lets you search probate cases by name or case type directly from the county's website, making it one of the more accessible online search tools among Washington counties.

Spokane County Probate Filing Fees

The probate filing fee in Spokane County is approximately $290 for a standard estate case, consistent with Washington State fee schedules under RCW 36.18.020. Guardianship filings carry the same fee. The Spokane County Bar Association at (509) 477-6032 has forms available on the 4th floor of the Courthouse Annex at 1116 W Broadway.

Copy fees follow the standard Washington schedule. Certified copies cost $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. Non-certified copies are $0.50 per page. Letters testamentary and letters of administration cost $5.00 each. Call the clerk at (509) 477-2211 to confirm current fee amounts before making a trip or submitting a mail request.

The Spokane County Guardianship Monitoring Program charges may apply in guardianship cases. This program monitors guardians handling the care and finances of incapacitated individuals under court supervision. Ask the clerk about monitoring fees if you are opening a new guardianship case.

Spokane County Probate Record Contents

Probate case files in Spokane County document every step of estate administration. The file starts with the opening petition and court order. If a will exists, it is admitted to probate and becomes part of the file. From there, documents accumulate as the personal representative works through the estate. Each filing carries a date stamp and the clerk's case number.

Common documents in a Spokane County probate file include the original will and any codicils, letters testamentary or letters of administration, the estate inventory and appraisement, notice to creditors publications and returns, creditor claims and responses, court orders entered during administration, the final report and petition for distribution, and the decree of distribution signed by the judge. Guardianship files contain different forms including annual accountings and ward status reports.

Spokane County also maintains a Will Repository. Under RCW 11.12, testators can file wills for safekeeping before death. These are stored separately from active probate cases. The county clerk can retrieve a deposited will when the testator dies and probate is opened. If you are looking for a pre-death will deposit, ask the clerk specifically about the will repository.

Trust registration records are also maintained at the Spokane County Superior Court. Under Washington law, certain trusts may be registered with the court. Trust documents filed with the court are part of the public court record accessible through the clerk's office.

Probate Resources in Spokane County

Official probate forms are free at courts.wa.gov/forms. The Spokane County Bar Association at (509) 477-6032 also has forms and can refer you to local probate attorneys. The Washington State Bar Association referral service is at (206) 443-9722. Their online directory is at wsba.org.

Spokane County Legal Services Foundation provides free civil legal help to low-income residents including probate assistance. Check availability at (509) 838-9370. WashingtonLawHelp at washingtonlawhelp.org has plain-language estate guides. The full text of Washington probate law is at RCW Title 11. For historical records, the Eastern Regional Branch at (509) 235-7500 in Cheney covers Spokane County historical court files.

Cities in Spokane County

Spokane County includes Spokane and Spokane Valley along with other communities. All probate cases for county residents go through the Spokane County Superior Court.

Other communities in Spokane County include Cheney, Deer Park, and Medical Lake. All probate matters go through the Spokane County Superior Court.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Spokane County in eastern Washington. Verify the decedent's county of residence to confirm which court has jurisdiction.