Franklin County, named after Benjamin Franklin, lies in eastern Washington and has the City of Pasco as both its county seat and biggest city. Its 2020 census population of nearly 97,000 represents a 96% increase from an earlier decade and positions it as one of the counties with the highest population growth rate in the U.S.
Courts in Franklin County
In Franklin County, four types of courts exist, and the Superior Court is the highest of them. The Franklin County Superior Court belongs to the Benton-Franklin Superior Court District and has general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases in the county. It also houses a Juvenile Division that oversees all delinquent conduct of minors within the county. The Franklin County District Court and the Pasco Municipal Court make up the rest of the court structure in the county.
In addition to its primary duty of adjudicating civil and criminal cases, the Superior Court also receives appeals from lower courts with limited jurisdiction. Typical cases that fall under the Superior Court’s exclusive jurisdiction include criminal cases such as felony and misdemeanors and civil cases exceeding $50,000.
The Franklin County District Court is a court of limited jurisdiction in civil, criminal, and traffic cases. It presides over cases of misdemeanors, such as criminal misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors, that attract penalties of jail terms and fines. The Franklin County District Court also houses the Small Claims Division charged with resolving money-related disputes up to $10,000 for personal claims, and up to $5,000 or less for non-personal/corporate claims. It also provides Municipal Court services for the City of Cornell.
Pasco Municipal Court is another court of limited jurisdiction that presides over ordinances violations and other non-criminal matters in the City of Pasco. These violations contravene the Pasco Municipal Code and commonly include traffic infractions within the city.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Franklin County
In Franklin County, the County Clerk serves as the Clerk of the Superior Court and manages the county’s public court records. They respond to court records requests from interested members of the public and produce copies of various case records as requested. Divorce and criminal case records are typical examples of public court records that can be accessed by interested individuals.
Franklin County residents interested in accessing Superior Court case records are required to submit a completed Superior Court Clerk Records Request Form by mail, fax, or in person. These forms can be obtained in person at the Clerk’s office or received via email upon request. Requestors can also view court case records in person at the Franklin County Clerk’s office.
For Franklin County District Court records, interested persons can request by email, mail, or fax. In addition, they can opt to submit a completed Request for Records Form to the County Clerk’s office along with the appropriate fees.
Types of Public Court Records in Franklin County
Per the Washington Public Records Act (PRA), Franklin County court records are open to public access subject to the applicable fees. Exceptions to this law include court case records that are barred by federal law, state law, court rule, court order, or case law.
Interested persons can access these common types of court case records in Franklin County:
- Adoption records, especially those containing non-identifying information
- Criminal case records such as arrest warrants and uniform arrest reports
- Traffic violations records, including parking infractions and other unlawful driving actions
- Civil lawsuit records, including breach of contracts and tort claims
- Probate case records such as those involving wills, deceased estates, and codicils
Confidential Court Records in Franklin County
Confidential court records in Franklin County are prohibited from public inspection and copying. They include records that have been restricted by federal/state laws and court-sealed records such as juvenile criminal court records. In certain situations, parts of a public court record may be redacted or sealed if it contains sensitive information or poses a public safety risk
The following list includes court records that are generally restricted from public access in Franklin County:
- Confidential change of name records
- Adoption records
- Mental illness commitment records
- Alcohol and drug treatment commitment records
- Paternity records (except final orders)
- Juvenile non-offender records such as juvenile dependency and At-risk youth
- Court records sealed by judicial order
Juvenile Delinquency in Franklin, WA
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Franklin County, juvenile delinquency crimes are on the rise. There are many reasons for the increase in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Washington often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of offenses, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 730 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Franklin County. Of that total, 47% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 342 court cases. Another 3% were dependency cases that accounted for 24 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Franklin County, are focusing on family health and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Franklin County juvenile delinquency statistics will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 3,953 |
| Dependency | 1,030 |
| Status | 2,203 |
Government of Franklin County, WA
| County Seat: | Pasco |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1883 |
| Total Square Miles: | 1,265 |
| 2019 Population: | 92,125 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.01 |
| County Contact: | 1016 N 4Th Ave
County Courthouse Pasco , WA 99301-3706 http://www.co.franklin.wa.us/ |