Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 1, 2026.
Columbia County, Washington, has about 4,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Columbia County Superior Court and the District Court, and the file of each case, kept by the County Clerk, is the public record of it. This guide says which court hears what, where to look a case up and who keeps the files.
This guide covers the courts, the records page, criminal cases, kinds of files, directory links, cities and common questions.
Related guides: Columbia County public records, Columbia County arrest records, Columbia County warrants, Columbia County inmate search, Columbia County criminal records, Washington arrest records and Washington inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Columbia County
Court cases from Columbia County are filed in the Columbia County Superior Court, which hears felonies, civil cases over $100,000, divorces, probate and juvenile matters.
The District Court takes misdemeanors, traffic infractions, small claims and civil cases up to $100,000.
A city with a municipal court of its own tries the tickets written under its ordinances.
Divorces go to the Superior Court, and the file stays with the County Clerk.
The County Clerk keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56).
Looking Up a Case from Columbia County
For Columbia County, SearchSystems opened and checked the court records page for the county at courts.wa.gov/court_dir/orgs/267.html (page title: Washington State Courts | Court Directory), phone 509-382-4321, 341 E Main St, Ste 2 Dayton, WA 99328-1361, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
Statewide, Washington Courts Search Case Records is the Administrative Office of the Courts' free statewide case search.
The Washington court page SearchSystems verified is at courts.wa.gov/index.cfm.
What Reaches the Court from Columbia County
The Columbia County Sheriff's Office reported 49 arrests to the FBI for 2025; the Prosecuting Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Columbia County Superior Court or the District Court.
The Prosecuting Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at columbiaco.com/73/Prosecuting-Attorney (page title: Prosecuting Attorney | Columbia County, WA), phone (509) 382-1197, 341 E Main Street Suite 5 Dayton, WA 99328, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
The Kinds of Court Files
Criminal cases, divorces, traffic tickets and evictions all end up as files of these courts, and the file is what the public sees of each.
The other Columbia County guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Columbia County criminal records, Columbia County divorce records, Columbia County traffic tickets, Columbia County DUI and Columbia County property records.
More Official Court Pages for Columbia County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Columbia County and Washington. These court pages from its Columbia County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- Washington Courts (dw.courts.wa.gov)
Cities in Columbia County
Wherever in the county a case arises, it is filed in the Columbia County Superior Court or the District Court; tickets under a city's own ordinances go to its municipal court where it has one.
The cities and towns in the county are Dayton and Starbuck.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Columbia County?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at courts.wa.gov/court_dir/orgs/267.html, phone 509-382-4321. Statewide, Washington Courts Search Case Records is the Administrative Office of the Courts' free statewide case search.
Which court hears felonies in Columbia County?
The Columbia County Superior Court, which hears felonies, civil cases over $100,000, divorces, probate and juvenile matters. The District Court takes misdemeanors, traffic infractions, small claims and civil cases up to $100,000.
Who keeps the court records in Columbia County?
The County Clerk. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in Washington?
Yes: Washington Courts Search Case Records, the Administrative Office of the Courts' free statewide case search.
Is this the official Columbia County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.