Find Criminal Records in Stevens County
Stevens County criminal history records are held by the Superior Court Clerk, the District Court, and the Sheriff's Office, all located at 215 S. Oak Street in Colville. The Superior Court handles felony cases, the District Court covers misdemeanors and traffic matters, and the Sheriff maintains arrest logs and jail records for unincorporated parts of the county. Recent case data is also available through the Washington Courts Odyssey Portal. This guide explains how to access each office, what each one holds, and how to run a full statewide criminal history check through the Washington State Patrol.
Stevens County Overview
Stevens County Superior Court Records
The Stevens County Clerk of Superior Court keeps official records for all felony criminal cases filed in the county. This includes charging documents, plea agreements, sentencing orders, judgment rolls, and any post-conviction filings. The office also handles family law, civil cases, probate, and juvenile matters. All of these records are public under Washington Court General Rule 31 unless a judge has ordered them sealed.
The courthouse is at 215 S. Oak Street, Colville, WA 99114. You can visit in person Monday through Friday during regular business hours to view records at a public terminal or request copies. Copy fees follow the standard Washington state fee schedule: non-certified copies are $0.50 per page, and certified copies cost $5.00 for the first page plus $1.00 for each additional page. If you know the case number or the full name of the party, bring it with you to speed things up.
Case summaries for recent filings in Stevens County are also available online through the Washington Courts Odyssey Portal. The portal shows party names, charges, hearing dates, and case outcomes at no cost. Actual case documents are not posted online and must be ordered from the clerk's office directly.
Stevens County District Court Cases
The Stevens County District Court handles misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor criminal cases, along with traffic infractions, civil matters under $100,000, and small claims. Misdemeanor-level offenses such as first-offense DUI, simple assault, trespass, and disorderly conduct are filed here. These records are public and searchable through the Odyssey Portal.
The District Court shares the courthouse complex at 215 S. Oak Street in Colville with the Superior Court and the Sheriff's Office. Court hours run Monday through Friday during standard business times. For records not available online, you can visit in person or mail a written request with the relevant case details and applicable copy fees. The court provides self-help forms for people managing their own cases without an attorney.
Note: District Court records cover misdemeanor and traffic cases. Felony records are held by the Superior Court Clerk in the same Colville courthouse building.
Stevens County Sheriff Arrest Records
The Stevens County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement for the unincorporated areas of the county and operates the county jail. The Records Division maintains arrest logs, incident reports, and jail booking information. These records are public under the Washington Public Records Act, Chapter 42.56 RCW, with standard exemptions for active investigations and records that would interfere with ongoing law enforcement operations.
Conviction records held by the Sheriff can be released to the public. Non-conviction data is restricted under RCW 10.97. Under RCW 10.97.080, records of arrests that did not result in convictions can only go to criminal justice agencies or to the subject of the record. If your request turns up an arrest with no conviction, the agency will redact that portion before releasing anything to you.
Stevens County is a rural county covering a large area of northeastern Washington, including communities like Chewelah, Kettle Falls, and Northport. The Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for most of the county, so many arrest records that would go through a city police department in larger counties are instead handled here.
Statewide Background Checks Through WSP WATCH
The most complete way to get an official conviction record for anyone tied to Stevens County is through the Washington State Patrol. The WATCH system (Washington Access to Criminal History) delivers online results right away for $11.00 per search. You pay by credit or debit card and get results immediately. WATCH draws from a fingerprint-linked statewide database, which makes it more reliable than a local name-based search at any single county office.
Mail requests are also accepted using the official Request for Conviction Criminal History Form. A name-based mail request costs $32.00. If you include a full fingerprint card for a more precise match, the fee is $58.00. Mail processing typically takes 7 to 10 business days. Full details are at the WSP Criminal History Records page. To review your own complete record, including non-conviction data, you can visit the WSP office in person at 106 11th Ave SW, Suite 1300, Olympia, at no cost for up to thirty minutes. Bring a valid photo ID.
Note: WATCH results include conviction records and arrests under one year old with pending dispositions. Non-conviction data older than one year is not included in general public searches.
Stevens County Public Records Requests
For county agency records that are not court documents, use the Stevens County Public Records request process. This covers Sheriff's Office incident reports, county department correspondence, and meeting minutes. Court records are handled separately by the court clerks under Washington Court General Rule 31, not the Public Records Act.
Under RCW 42.56.520, Stevens County must respond to any public records request within five business days of receiving it. The response may provide the actual records, give an estimate of when they will be ready, or deny the request with a specific statutory reason. You do not need to give a reason for your request. The county cannot ask why you want the records except in rare circumstances allowed by law. Fees are limited to actual reproduction costs, not staff time spent locating the records.
Electronic delivery is available and usually costs less than paper copies. If the county denies your request, you can appeal to the superior court in the county where the record is held. The burden falls on the agency to prove the exemption applies.
Conviction vs. Non-Conviction Data Rules
Washington's Criminal Records Privacy Act, RCW 10.97, draws a clear line between what is public and what is restricted. Conviction records, meaning cases that ended in a guilty plea, verdict, or other adverse disposition, can be released to anyone under RCW 10.97.050.
Non-conviction data is different. Under RCW 10.97.030, this covers records from cases that did not lead to a conviction and where the case is no longer active. These records can only go to criminal justice agencies, to the person whose record it is, or to others specifically allowed by law. If a report mixes both types, the agency must redact the non-conviction parts before handing anything over to a member of the public.
If you believe your own record has errors, you can submit a Request for Modification of Record Form to the Washington State Patrol. If the challenge is substantiated, the Criminal History Records Section will correct the record. The process for removing old non-conviction data is governed by RCW 10.97.060, which requires no prior convictions and sets specific waiting periods before deletion is possible.
DOC Inmate Search and Sex Offender Registry
If someone from Stevens County is currently in a Washington state prison, you can find them through the Department of Corrections Incarcerated Search. The tool shows name, DOC number, age, and current facility. For federal inmates, check the Federal Bureau of Prisons locator separately, as the DOC database does not include anyone held in a federal facility.
For registered sex offenders, the statewide registry is maintained by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. The public-facing registry is at WASPC Sex Offender Information. Adults convicted of Class A sex offenses must register for life. Class B offenses require fifteen years of registration. Class C offenses carry a ten-year registration requirement. Offenders register in person at the Stevens County Sheriff's Office under RCW 9A.44.130.
Historical and Archived Court Records
For older Stevens County criminal cases that predate the Odyssey Portal, the Washington State Digital Archives may have what you are looking for. The Eastern regional branch in Cheney serves Stevens County and other northeastern Washington counties. Some records go back to the territorial era, though what is digitized and available varies by case type and time period. The MRSC Criminal History and Arrest Records guide provides a good overview of Washington's public records rules for anyone unsure about what they can request.
Cities in Stevens County
All criminal cases in Stevens County, whether involving residents of Colville, Chewelah, Kettle Falls, or other communities, are processed through the Stevens County Superior or District Court in Colville. No cities in Stevens County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page.
Nearby Counties
Stevens County borders several other Washington and Idaho counties, each with their own criminal record offices.