Established in 1905, Benton County, located in the south-central region of Washington State, is named after Thomas Hart Benton, an advocate for westward expansion. The county covers an area of 1,760 square miles and has a population of over 200,000. Its county seat is Prosser, and it is known for its wine production.

Courts in Benton County

Benton County has Superior and District Courts that adjudicate all matters. The Benton County Superior Courts have general jurisdiction over felony criminal cases and civil cases. The Superior Court has a Juvenile, Probate, and Family Court Division.

The Juvenile Court handles lawsuits involving minors, including juvenile delinquency, dependency, child abuse, and child neglect cases. The Probate Court deals with matters concerning a decedent’s estate, including validation of wills, appointment of executors or administrators, and guardianship and conservatorship for minors. The Family Court focuses on resolving family-related conflicts and presides over divorce, annulment, child custody, and child support cases.

The Benton County District Court has limited jurisdiction over misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, civil cases with claims up to $100,000, and small claims involving disputes up to $5,000 for businesses and $10,000 for individuals. 

Where to Find Public Court Records in Benton County

Public court records are documents from legal proceedings in Benton County that are available for inspection, viewing, and copying. The Clerk of the Superior Court is the record custodian for public court records. The office provides electronic access through the Odyssey Portal to court documents from the Superior Court. Persons seeking public court records from the District Courts may use the Court Case Record Request to request the court document.

Types of Public Court Records in Benton County

Public access to court records ensures transparency within the county's judicial system. Court records publicly available in Benton County include:

• Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors
• Civil Court Records: Business litigation, small claims, boundary disputes, and personal injury claims
• Family Court Records: Divorce, legal separation, child custody, and spousal and child support
• Probate Records: Guardianship, conservatorship, wills, estate, and trusts
• Traffic Records: Speeding tickets, driving without insurance, driving under the influence, and illegal parking records

Confidential Court Records in Benton County

Confidential court records in Benton County are the papers and documents from the courts that are restricted and excluded from the public. Confidential records, sealed by the courts, aim to protect the person named on the court record. Examples of confidential court records in Benton County include:

• Adoption records
• Alcohol and drug treatment records
• Domestic violence protection orders
• Medical and mental health records
• Juvenile court records

Similarly, information used to identify an individual is excluded from public court records. Personal data contained in court records are redacted to protect the individual from identity theft, fraud, harassment, or stalking. Personal identifiers excluded from public access include:

• Financial account information
• Tax identification numbers
• Home and personal email addresses
• Medical records
• Social Security numbers

Juvenile Delinquency in Benton, WA

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Benton County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Washington often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 1628 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Benton County. Of that total, 71% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 1164 court cases. Another 2% were dependency cases that accounted for 37 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Benton County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Benton County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Benton County, WA

https://access.wa.gov/

County Seat:	Prosser
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1905
Total Square Miles:	1,760
2019 Population:	198,171
Persons/Square Mile:	0.01

Benton County, WA Courts