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Court Records Request Form

Some categories of court records the public cannot access include:

• Police reports
• Mental illness commitment records
• Alcohol and drug treatment commitment records
• Court records sealed by judicial order

Clark County District Court’s retention schedule is as follows:

• 3 years for closed criminal, civil and infraction cases
• 10 years for domestic violence and driving while intoxicated-related cases
• 10 years for open civil cases with judgments

*Once the retention period has passed, the cases are destroyed.
**If you are looking for information not related to a case filed with Clark County District Court or Court Administrative records, please visit the Clark County website for Public Records Requests.

Request Forms can be submitted:

In Person to:  Clark County District Court,1200 Franklin Street, Vancouver, WA 98660

Mailed to:  Clark County District Court, PO Box 9806, Vancouver, WA 98666-8806

Fax to:  (564) 397-6044

Email to:  district.courtrecords@clark.wa.gov

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To Purchase a Courtroom Recording (also called a Copy of the Record):

1.  Complete the online form

• When requesting a copy of the record, you will need the hearing date(s), the name of the defendant, and the case number

2.  Complete the Point & Pay online payment process. Click here to pay online.

1. Select CD/Link, fill in the case name and the amount of $20.00
2. Click "Add Item"
3. Enter your payment information and Continue
4. Review your order and Submit
   *Once you complete this section, you will receive an email confirmation of payment

3.  Email request form and proof of payment to:  Cnty.DISTCTRecordingReques@clark.wa.gov

• Whether you are requesting a secure link to be emailed or a disc to be mailed, you must pay the $20 fee in advance

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Technical Information

To play secure links

• Secure links provided can be played directly from the Cerberus Web Client; however, it will only be available for 3 weeks
• You can download the media and associated logs to your own device
  • We recommend playing recordings in VLC Media player
• If you need this link sent to additional parties, please include those email addresses in your request - the software will not allow individuals who receive a forwarded message to play the link

To play discs

The following Computer Requirements for playing your court recording disc:

• Windows XP or newer
• VLC Media Player or other media software
• Speakers for computer
• WILL NOT PLAY IN DVD PLAYER OR BOOM BOX
• Recordings are available on disc or secure link only (they cannot be emailed or uploaded to a dropbox)

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The following recordings are not available in District Court:
Please contact the appropriate agency which maintains these records for copies

• Superior Court recordings are available through Superior Court Administration (Link)
• Body cam or dash cam footage is available through the law enforcement agency that created the recordings:
  • Washington State Patrol
  • Vancouver Police Department

*Once the retention period has passed, the recordings are destroyed

**If you are looking for PAPER records or information not related to a case filed with Clark County District Court or Court Administrative records, please visit the Clark County website for Public Records Requests

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Requests for records of Clark County District Court will be coordinated by the District Court public records officer. All requests must be in writing. A request form for these records is available for your convenience:

District Court Administrative Public Records Request Form (PDF–fillable)

 

For requests handled by District Court, the public records officer will send you a response within five (5) business days of submitting your request. The response will acknowledge your request with one or more of the following:

• Requested records provided
• Anticipated date of arrival
• Expected costs required to proceed
• Further clarification required
• Explanation for non-disclosable records

As part of your records request, District Court is unable to:

• Answer general requests for information
• Answer questions involving general research or compiling of information
• Perform legal research
• Create a record if a record does not currently exist

*Before submitting your request, please review Exemptions to understand which records are specifically exempted under court rule, statute, or case law.

Administrative records requests can be submitted by mail, fax, email or in person:

Mail:	Clark County District Court PO Box 9806 Vancouver, WA 98666-8806
Fax:	(564) 397-6044
Email:	District.Court@clark.wa.gov
In person:	Clark County Courthouse Ground Floor 1200 Franklin Street Vancouver, WA 98660 Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm

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There are costs for copying or scanning records, and the court may charge a fee for the time it takes to complete the necessary research and prepare the records for inspection or copying. The records clerk or public records officer will work with you to be sure your needs are understood and, where possible, to narrow the search, making the process as efficient and effective as possible.

Copies	$0.50 per page
Certified Copies	$5.00 for the 1st page, $1.00 for each subsequent page, per document
Research/Staff Time	$20.00 per hour
Mailing/Materials	At cost

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Exemptions

Certain administrative records cannot be disclosed if prohibited under GR 31.1, or other court rules, federal statutes, state statutes, court orders, or case law.

• For records that aren’t entirely exempt, non-disclosable information will be redacted.
• If all or part of a judicial administrative record is non-disclosable, you will receive written notification explaining why.

Specific records exempted or prohibited from disclosure

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Appeals

If you disagree with the decision that the record you requested cannot be disclosed or has been redacted, you may choose to request a review of the decision. Requests for review must be submitted within 90 days of the public records officer's decision.

Request for Review Form (PDF)