What actually happens to court records? Are they public? Can anyone just look up my case?

Most court records filed with Kitsap County Superior Court are public records. That means any member of the public can request to view them. This includes civil filings, criminal case documents, family law records, and judgments. The Clerk's office is the custodian of those records -- we receive them, index them, store them, and make them available.

But "public record" doesn't mean "unlimited access to everything." Some records are sealed by court order. Some records involving minors are restricted. Some documents within a case file may be confidential even if the case itself is public. And access to electronic records through the state's online system is different from access to physical files at the courthouse.

What I see regularly is people surprised to find their case is searchable -- or equally surprised to find they can't access something they expected to see. Both happen because the rules around court record access are more nuanced than most people realize.

One of my commitments is plain-language guides that explain exactly what's public, what's restricted, and how to request records -- before you need to know. That information exists. It's just not organized in a way that's easy to find. If you want to test that theory, just browse the website. It's harder than you might expect. That changes under my leadership.