Formed out of Douglas County in 1909 and named after Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, Grant County has a population of over 99,000 residents. Located in central Washington State, Grant County covers an area of about 2,791 square miles, making it one of the largest counties in the state. Grant County's seat in Ephrata City serves as the hub for industry and commerce.

Courts in Grant County

The judicial system of Grant County comprises Superior, District, and Municipal Courts. The Grant County Superior Court presides over all criminal matters, including felonies, misdemeanors, insolvency proceedings, and Civil cases involving disputes over title of real property, property damages, and naturalization cases. The District Court has a separate court that presides over family disputes and juvenile matters. The Family Court handles the distribution of marital assets, child visitation, and domestic relation cases. The Juvenile court deals with juvenile delinquencies, probation, and child dependency cases.

The District Court in Grant County handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic infractions, and preliminary hearings for felony cases. The court presides over landlord/tenant disputes, small claims up to $10,000, and civil disputes up to $100,000.

The Municipal Courts in Grant County have limited jurisdiction. They deal with lawsuits involving violations of city ordinances, minor offenses within municipalities, and traffic infractions.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Grant County

Public court records are documents maintained by the courts that are accessible to the general public. The public can obtain copies of public court records from the Superior and District Courts in Grant County by filling out the Superior Court Information Request Form and the District Court Information Request Form. Requests for public court records may be in person, by mail, or by email. Public court records from the Municipal Courts are available at the various courthouses.

Types of Public Court Records in Grant County

Public court records provide a comprehensive account of legal proceedings, allowing the public to see how cases are handled, thereby ensuring integrity in the legal process. Publicly available court records in Grant County include:

• Civil Court Records: Restraining orders, employment disputes, small claims, boundary disputes, and personal injury claims
• Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors, including assaults, murder, embezzlement, vandalism, and shoplifting
• Probate Records: Wills and estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and trusts
• Family Court Records: Child custody, child support, alimony, divorce, and marriage annulment
• Traffic Records: Stop sign violations,  parking violations, driving without insurance, and reckless driving

Confidential Court Records in Grant County

Confidential court records are documents maintained by the courts containing private or sensitive information restricted from the public. Confidential court records are sealed to protect the identity and prevent unwarranted invasion of privacy of the individual named on the court document. Confidential court records in Grant County include:

• Crime victim and confidential informant information
• Grand jury proceedings
• Medical and mental health records
• Juvenile Court records
• Tax returns

Public court records contain personal information that is confidential and excluded from public view. Personal data within court documents are removed from the document to prevent misuse of personal information and comply with legal requirements on protecting personal information. The following personal information is redacted from public court records in Grant County:

• Health insurance identification numbers
• Financial account numbers
• Names of minor children
• Driver's license numbers
• Social Security numbers

Juvenile Delinquency in Grant, WA

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

In 2017, a total of 798 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Grant County. Of that total, 69% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 553 court cases. Another 12% were dependency cases that accounted for 93 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Grant County, WA

https://access.wa.gov/

County Seat:	Ephrata
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1909
Total Square Miles:	2,791
2019 Population:	95,158
Persons/Square Mile:	0.03
County Contact:	35 C St NW County Courthouse Ephrata , WA 98823-1685 http://www.grantcountywa.gov/

Grant County, WA Courts