Five Things the Kitsap County Clerk's Office Wishes You Knew

“The views and opinions expressed here are my own and do not represent the position of Kitsap County, the Kitsap County Superior Court, or the Kitsap County Clerk’s office. I am speaking solely as a candidate for public office.”

1. Bring your case number. This is the single biggest time-saver we can offer you. If you’re coming in about a court case — your own, a family member’s, anything — find your case number before you walk through the door. It’s on any document you’ve received from the court. With it, we can pull your file in under a minute. Without it, we’re searching by name, which takes longer, produces more results, and occasionally causes confusion when names are common. You’d be surprised how many people come in without it. Don’t be one of them. 2. The Courthouse Facilitator exists and most people have never heard of them. If you’re navigating the court system without a lawyer — for a divorce, a custody matter, a protection order — there are 2 people in our office whose entire job is to help you prepare your documents. They charge $40 per session, or $25 if you qualify for reduced fees. They’re not a lawyer and they won’t tell you what to do, but they will help you make sure your paperwork is actually filled out correctly before you file it. Most people who need this resource never find out it exists. They usually have to be told by a judge, after their case isn’t allowed to move forward because of incomplete paperwork. That’s one of the things I’d fix. 3. Know the difference between a regular copy and a certified copy — before you ask for one. A regular copy is just that — a copy of a court document. A certified copy has a stamp and seal that makes it official for legal purposes. Banks, insurance companies, and government agencies often require certified copies. Funeral homes always do. They cost different amounts. If you come in asking for a copy and you’re not sure which kind you need, ask whoever sent you here — not us. We can tell you what each one costs, but we can’t tell you which one your bank or your insurance company will accept. 4. The online case search exists. Washington courts have a public case search tool at https://digitalarchives.wa.gov/ or if you don’t know your case number, or are looking for hearing dates, you can check the Odyssey portal at: https://odysseyportal.courts.wa.gov/odyportal You can look up most Kitsap County Superior Court cases from your phone or computer without making the trip downtown. Basic case information, hearing dates, party names — it’s all there. It’s not the most intuitive system in the world. But if you just need to know whether a case exists, whether a hearing date changed, or what the case number is before you come in, it can save you the drive. 5. If your filing gets rejected, it’s almost always one of three reasons. Missing signature. Wrong form. Filed in the wrong court. That’s it. Those three things account for the vast majority of rejected filings. If you’re submitting documents yourself, double-check all three before you hand them over. The signature one catches people constantly — especially on forms where multiple signatures are required in different places. We cannot accept incomplete filings. We’re not being difficult. It’s a legal requirement. But knowing the most common reasons ahead of time means you don’t have to come back twice. This office touches more people’s lives than most residents realize. Jury duty. Passports. Court records. Self-represented litigants navigating the hardest moments of their lives. I’ve worked here, and I genuinely believe it can do more for the people who need it most. That’s why I’m running.