Pasco Bench Warrants

Pasco bench warrants are court orders signed by a judge when a person fails to appear in Pasco Municipal Court or skips a step in a case. Pasco is the county seat of Franklin County and one of the three Tri-Cities along with Kennewick and Richland. Most bench warrant data flows through Pasco Municipal Court and the Franklin County system. You can run a name based bench warrant search through the Washington Courts Data Warehouse, the Franklin County tools, or the state DOC list. Most checks are free and open to the public.

Pasco Municipal Court Warrants

Pasco Municipal Court hears most local criminal and traffic cases for the city. When a defendant misses a court date, the judge can issue a bench warrant under CrRLJ 2.2 right from the bench. The warrant goes into the state WACIC system and stays there until it is served, the person turns themselves in, or the court quashes it. Pasco coordinates with Franklin County Superior Court for felony cases and case files.

To check a name, start with the Washington Courts Data Warehouse. The free portal pulls case data and warrant flags from most district and municipal courts in the state, Pasco included. You will see case number, court, charge, and warrant status. Write down the case number if you find a hit. You will need it to ask the clerk about a quash hearing.

You can use the data warehouse to start a name search for a Pasco bench warrant.

The portal pulls case data and warrant flags from Pasco Municipal Court and Franklin County in one search.

Franklin County Superior Court

Franklin County Superior Court handles felony cases and many higher level matters for Pasco residents. Case files for the county are searchable through the Franklin County website at co.franklin.wa.us/clerk/court-records.php. The clerk's office can confirm warrant status by phone if a name search points to a Pasco area case. For court contact info you can use the Washington Courts directory as well.

You can also visit the main Franklin County bench warrants page on this site for more info on local courts and clerks. The county page maps every court branch and lists clerk hours.

Note: A Pasco bench warrant does not expire and stays active until a Franklin County judge cancels it or the person is arrested.

How to Quash a Pasco Bench Warrant

To clear a Pasco bench warrant you usually have to ask the court to recall it. Talk to a lawyer first if you can. The judge may set a quash hearing, set bail, or just put the case back on the calendar. Most clerks will not give legal advice but they will tell you the next step. The court rules on warrants and arrests are in CrR 2.2 and CrRLJ 2.2 on the courts.wa.gov rules page.

If a warrant ties to community supervision, check the DOC warrant search. DOC warrants fall under RCW 9.94A.716 on apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw. The DOC also runs an active wanted and absconder list.

You can use the Washington Courts forms page to find the right motion to quash a warrant.

The forms page holds the standard motion to quash and other forms used to clear a Pasco bench warrant.

Pasco Public Records and Fees

Pasco runs a NextRequest portal for public records at pasco-wa.gov/193/Public-Records-Requests. The city charges modest fees for copies and electronic files, with rates set by city policy. Standard black-and-white copies are about 15 cents per page. Scanned paper records run about 10 cents per page. The clerk may ask for a small deposit on bigger requests. Body worn camera records cost more because of the time it takes to redact them.

The court clerk handles case file copies separately from the city public records office. If you only need a case file or a copy of a bench warrant, ask the court clerk first. The court window is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call ahead to confirm hours during holidays.

Other Pasco Warrant Search Tools

The Washington State Patrol runs WATCH at fortress.wa.gov/wsp/watch. WATCH is a name based criminal history check. It does not list every Pasco bench warrant but it shows conviction data and some active case info that helps confirm a person's record. There is a small fee for a full check. The WSP also runs the criminal history page with more info on how the system works.

For a deeper view of court records, the Odyssey portal covers courts that use the Odyssey case system. It is another way to check warrant status. The JIS-Link service is a paid tool that gives subscribers a deeper view of court records.

If a name search returns too many hits, narrow it down. Use a middle name. Add a date of birth. Filter by court or year. Common Spanish surnames are very common in the Pasco area, so a clean second pass is often needed.

Public Access to Pasco Records

Most Pasco court records are open to the public under GR 31 and the Washington Public Records Act, RCW 42.56 on apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw. You do not need a reason to look one up. You do not have to show ID. Some data is held back. Juvenile warrants are not in the public system. Sealed cases do not show. Social security numbers and account numbers are redacted by the clerk before release.

Pasco is in Franklin County but shares the Tri-Cities region with Kennewick in Benton County and Richland in Benton County. To learn more, visit the Franklin County bench warrants page on this site. Nearby Kennewick and Richland have their own court info on this site too.

Note: The public can search Pasco bench warrants without giving a reason or showing ID, since court records are open under GR 31.

Note: Always call 911 or local police if you spot someone wanted on a Pasco arrest warrant; never try to detain the person yourself.