Washington County Court Records

Washington County court records refer to documents created, filed, and maintained by the local courts within the county. These records contain information on all the cases that they preside over. These records often include dockets, transcripts, pleadings, motions, orders, indictments, and general case information and are maintained in either paper or electronic format. Washington County's Clerk of Courts is the legal custodian of court case records.

Court records help to prevent the distortion or manipulation of past legal matters and events. They can expose any malpractice or corruption and are essential in promoting accountability in the Judiciary, ensuring that the Rule of Law is consistently upheld without bias or prejudice.

Are Court Records Public in Washington County?

Yes, court records are public in Washington County. This is according to the Utah Government Records Access and Management Act, which grants members of the public the right to freely access all records maintained by the courts in Washington County. However, the law rules certain court records as confidential, prohibiting public access to them except by explicit court order. Rule 4-202.02 of the Code of Judicial Administration lists these records as exempt from public access. These records include the following:

• Records containing an individual's medical or psychological data
• Reports of investigations carried out by Child Protective Services
• Adoption records
• Records concerning felonies, infractions, and misdemeanors committed by minors
• Impact statements made by victims

Washington County Court Records Search

In Washington County, interested parties can perform a court records search by taking any of the steps listed below:

• Visit the courthouse where the case was originally filed to make a request
• Request at the office of the county clerk
• Search the online portals provided by the courts
• Visit any third-party public records website

Washington County Court Records Search by Name

To perform a court records search by name in Washington County, requesters must first possess the first and last names of the involved individual or the name of the Company or Organisation. Once these details are retrieved, they should be stated in the "Description of records sought" section of the GRAMA Records Request Form, alongside all other required information. Subsequently, the form can be submitted by email to grama@washco.utah.gov or by fax to (435) 301-7249. Alternatively, requesters may send the completed form by mail or deliver it in person to the office of the county clerk below:

Washington County Clerk/Auditor
c/o Records Officer
111 East Tabernacle Street
St. George, UT 84770-3443
Phone: (435) 301-7233

Requesters should note that fees are required to process the search for court records, for requesters who would like certified copies of the records, a fee of $4.00 per document and $0.50 per page is charged. The office charges a fee of $0.25 per side for photocopies. If audio records are required, they can be provided for $10 per CD.

The office also charges for the time the staff spends searching for the requested court records. The fee is calculated based on the salary and benefits of the lowest-paid employee in the department who can carry out the GRAMA request.

Washington County Courts

The Washington County court system comprises a District Court, Justice Courts, and a Juvenile Court. The list of the court locations, their contact details, and links to their websites are provided below:

5th District Court - Washington County
206 West Tabernacle, Suite 100, St. George, UT 84770
Phone: (435) 986-5700
Fax: (435) 986-5723

5th District Juvenile Court - Washington County
206 West Tabernacle, Suite 125, St. George, UT 84770
Phone: (435) 986-5730
Fax: (435) 986-5723

Enterprise Justice Court
Box 340, Enterprise, UT 84725
Phone: (435) 878-2221
Fax: (435) 878-2311

Hildale Justice Court
320 East Newel Avenue, P.O. Box 840490, Hildale, UT 84784
Phone: (435) 874-2323
Fax: (435) 874-2603

Hurricane City Justice Court
80 South 700 West, Hurricane, UT 84737
Phone: (435) 635-4072
Fax: (435) 635-5066

Santa Clara Justice Court
2603 Santa Clara Drive, Santa Clara, UT 84765
Phone: (435) 673-6712 ext. 202 or 208
Fax: (435) 879-5296

Washington City Justice Court
111 North 100 East, Washington, UT 84780
Phone: (435) 656-6350
Fax: (435) 656-6372

Washington County Justice Court
87 North 200 East, St. George, UT 84770
Phone: (435) 634-5728
Fax: (435) 656-3003

Washington County Superior Court Case Search

There is no Superior Court in the Washington County court system.

Washington County District Court Records

The Washington County District Court has original jurisdiction over a wide range of legal matters across different categories, including the following:

• Criminal Cases: This involves felony cases such as forgery, homicide, assault, arson and certain misdemeanors
• Civil Cases: The court handles cases involving civil disputes
• Domestic relations cases: This includes cases concerning matters like divorces, child support, adoption and probate
• The court also handles matters related to adult drug abuse and mental health issues

Remote access options are available for requesters who wish to retrieve Washington County District Court records online. With Mycase, requesters can access the records of open and closed cases filed in the Washington county District Court. However, access to this portal is granted only to the case parties, the plaintiff and defendant. For all non-parties who wish to access Washington County District court records, the Xchange Public Case Search may be utilized. A fee of $5 is charged to create an account, while Mycase can be accessed at no cost to the case parties.

Washington County Criminal Records

In line with the Utah Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA), members of the public have the right to request and access Washington county criminal records freely. Juvenile criminal records are exempt and considered confidential, as the law seeks to safeguard minors' right to privacy within the county. To access Washington County arrest and criminal records, one can do the following:

• Visit the Washington County Sheriff's Office and fill out the Records Request form. Requesters must provide their names and contact details and details of the record needed, such as the case number, date of incident, and type of incident. Copies of criminal records can also be provided at a charge of $5.00. Once the form is submitted, a response can be expected within 10 working days.
• The Washington City Police Department also provides a records request form on its website. Interested individuals should fill out the form with the requested details. Alternatively, an email can be sent to police@washingtoncity.org to make further enquiries.

Washington County Criminal Court Case Lookup

In Washington County, the District and Justice courts have jurisdiction over criminal court cases. The District Court presides over all felony and class A misdemeanor cases, such as severe assault. At the same time, the Justice Court handles misdemeanor, infraction, and traffic criminal cases in classes B and C, including minor theft and trespassing. To access the criminal records of both courts, interested individuals can visit the Mycase and Xchange public case searches. Most District courthouses also have public terminals that can be used to perform a criminal court case lookup. Requesters would need to have necessary details such as the case number and the names of the involved parties.

Get Washington County Civil Court Records

Washington County civil court records contain information concerning non-criminal disputes between individuals and organizations. These include land and property disputes, disputes among familiesfamilies, small claims, and breaches of contracts. While the District court primarily handles all civil cases in the county, the Justice court also presides over certain civil cases, such as small claims.

Washington county civil court records can be gotten via the Mycase and Xchnage portals. It is important to note that the case records on this platform cannot be accessed unless an account is created, which comes at a cost on Xchange. Requesters may also submit a records request via the Washington County records request form, available on the Washington county website.

Washington County Family Court Records

Family cases refer to all legal matters that concern familial relationships. These typically include cases such as divorces, child support, and adoption. Unlike some other counties, Washington County has no dedicated family court. Instead, the District Court adjudicates all family and domestic relations cases. A critical significance of family court records is that they help verify a case's exact details and hold the involved parties accountable, particularly in cases involving child custody and support, as well as divorce.

To obtain Family court records within Washington County, interested individuals should visit the Mycase and Xchange portals. The District Court also provides public terminals that can be used to access these records. For adoption records, the adoptive parent or adopted individual (if adopted at 18 and upwards) is permitted by law to access these records. Interested parties should fill out this request form and submit it to the District court clerk.

Washington County Dissolution of Marriage Records

In Washington County, dissolution of marriage records refers to court records concerning the termination of a marriage union between two individuals, such as a divorce or annulment. These records fall under the category of family/domestic relations records. As explained in the sections above, they can be accessed via public case searches or the public terminals located in the District courthouse.

Washington County Marriage and Divorce Records

Marriage records are considered public records in Washington County and are freely accessible to the general public. Marriage records from 1978 to 2010 can be retrieved from the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics via the UtahID portal. Requesters are first required to create an account on the portal, after which they can provide the necessary details to obtain the record. The Marriage Certificate Request form should first be filled with the requested details for mail-in orders. Subsequently, the form should be printed and sent to the mailing address below:

Vital Records
P.O. Box 141012
Salt Lake City UT 84114-1012

A photocopy of a valid means of identification must be sent alongside the form. Certified copies cost $18, and additional copies cost $10 each. Three weeks should be allowed for processing and mailing, but an expedited processing fee of $15 can be charged.

Alternatively, requests for marriage records can be made in-person at the Southwest Utah Public Health Department, located at:

620 South 400 East #400
St George, Utah 84770
Phone: (435) 986-2557
Fax: (435) 628-6713

For marriages that took place before 1978 and after 2010, interested parties should submit a request to the Washington County clerk to retrieve the records.

According to Utah law, only divorce records from 1978 to 2010 are accessible to the public. Washington County divorce records (excluding the orders and decrees) from 2011 to the present can only be accessed by the two parties involved and their lawyers. The former can be retrieved from the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics via the UtahID portal or by filling out and sending this form by mail to the Vital Records office. The latter, on the other hand, can be obtained from the county District court.

Washington County Birth and Death Records

In Washington county, Birth and Death records from 1905 till date are obtainable from the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics. Requesters should fill out the Birth Certificate Application form with the required details for birth records. Certified copies cost $22, and additional copies cost $10 each. Death certificates can be requested through the Death Certificate Application form. Certified copies cost $30, as well as a $10 fee for any extra copies required. Both forms should be sent with a valid means of identification through any of the means discussed in the preceding section.

Washington County birth and Death records are accessible to the general public after a stipulated amount of time. Birth records are publicly accessible after 100 years, while the public can freely access Death records after 50 years.

Washington County Probate Court Records

The Probate court in Washington County is the District court. It is responsible for handling all matters concerning probate, such as estates, wills, and guardianship of minors. Probate court records can be found via the online portals and public terminals located in the District court.

Washington County Property Records

Property records hold vital information about real estate or property within a given area. Washington County property records contain information about the history of the property ownership, its legal description, and other relevant data. Requesters can retrieve Property records by conducting a property records search via the Washington County Recorder's office. For precise search results, it is advised that requesters possess details such as the property parcel number, entry number, and legal description.

Washington County Court Records Online

Washington County court records can be accessed online from various third-party websites. These third-party platforms, like Utahcourtrecords.us, collate and provide access to accurate data sourced from various platforms such as courthouses, making them a reliable source of court-related information.

Utilizing third-party websites has various advantages. Users can conveniently retrieve the necessary records from any location without visiting a courthouse, conserving valuable time and effort. Also, as third-party platforms aggregate court records from multiple sources, users are provided access to a comprehensive database of information.

These sites, however, sometimes require users to pay a premium to access an unlimited number of court records or to use certain features. Several third-party websites also do not have records for all the states nationwide, which may be very limiting for users.