Find DUI Records in Franklin County

Franklin County DUI records are filed in courts serving the Tri-Cities area of eastern Washington. Felony DUI cases are handled by Franklin County Superior Court in Pasco. Misdemeanor DUI cases in unincorporated parts of the county go to Franklin County District Court. Pasco Municipal Court processes DUI arrests that occur within Pasco city limits. This guide explains how to search these records online, how to get copies, and how Washington DUI law applies in Franklin County.

How to Search Franklin County DUI Records Online

Franklin County superior court DUI records are available through the Washington Odyssey Portal. This state-run system covers 35 superior courts including Franklin County. You can search by defendant name, case number, or date range at no cost. The portal shows case status, charge descriptions, hearing schedules, and final dispositions. Felony DUI cases -- those charged as Class B felonies due to prior offense history -- will appear here. Starting January 1, 2026, a third DUI within 15 years also qualifies as a felony, which means additional Franklin County cases will flow through superior court.

Misdemeanor DUI records from Franklin County District Court and Pasco Municipal Court are searchable through the Washington Courts public portal. This system covers district and many municipal courts statewide. First, second, and third offense DUI cases from unincorporated Franklin County will generally appear here. Pasco Municipal Court records may also appear on this portal, though availability can vary for recent cases.

Both portals are free and open to anyone. No registration is required. If you cannot find a case you are looking for, the most likely reasons are that the case is very recent (and may not have been entered yet), predates digital records, or was filed under a different spelling of the defendant's name. In those situations, contact the court clerk directly.

Franklin County Courts That Handle DUI Cases

Franklin County Superior Court is located at 1016 N 4th Ave, Pasco, WA 99301. The Superior Court Clerk can be reached at (509) 545-3525. Superior court handles all felony DUI charges in Franklin County. This includes cases where the defendant has a prior felony DUI conviction and cases that qualify as felonies because of repeat offense history within the statutory lookback periods. Franklin County is part of the Tri-Cities metro area, sharing it with Benton County across the Columbia River.

Franklin County District Court handles misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor DUI cases in unincorporated parts of the county. Most DUI cases in Franklin County that do not involve prior felony history will start here or in Pasco Municipal Court. District court also handles deferred prosecution petitions for qualifying DUI defendants in unincorporated areas.

Pasco Municipal Court handles DUI arrests within Pasco city limits. Pasco is the county seat and the most populous city in Franklin County. A significant share of DUI cases in the county originate from Pasco. If a DUI arrest occurred inside the city of Pasco, the case will be in Pasco Municipal Court for misdemeanor charges, not in district court. Contact Pasco Municipal Court directly for records from cases filed there.

What Franklin County DUI Records Contain

DUI court records in Franklin County document each stage of a case from initial charge through final disposition. At the superior court level, a typical felony DUI file includes the charging information, arraignment entry, pretrial hearing minutes, any plea agreement, sentencing order, and supervision conditions. Franklin County felony DUI sentencing orders commonly include ignition interlock device requirements, chemical dependency treatment enrollment, and conditions of community supervision with the Department of Corrections or county supervision.

District and municipal court DUI records include the citation or criminal complaint, arraignment entry, pretrial motions, any deferred prosecution agreement, and the final disposition. A case that ends in a deferred prosecution is still a public court record. The petition, the agreement, and any compliance or violation reports are all filed documents that can be requested.

Washington's Public Records Act, RCW 42.56, makes DUI records available to any member of the public. You do not need to be a party to the case or show a reason for your request. Provide the defendant's full name, date of birth if known, and case number if available. Without a case number, a name search takes longer but is still possible through the clerk's office.

Copy fees are set by court rules. Standard copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $5 for the first page and $1 for each page that follows. Requests can be made in person at the courthouse, by mail, or in some cases by email for non-certified copies. Include prepayment or be prepared to pay upon pickup.

Washington DUI Law Applied in Franklin County Courts

Washington defines DUI under RCW 46.61.502. The law sets a BAC limit of 0.08. It also covers THC impairment at 5.00 nanograms per milliliter of blood within two hours of driving. A person can be charged even with lower measured levels if officers observe impairment. Refusing a breath or blood test triggers enhanced penalties separate from the underlying DUI charge.

Penalties are laid out in RCW 46.61.5055. A first DUI offense with BAC under 0.15 carries a minimum 24 hours in jail and a $350 fine. First offense with BAC at 0.15 or higher, or after a test refusal, requires at least 48 hours in jail and a $500 fine. Second offense carries 30 days minimum in jail plus 60 days of electronic home monitoring and a $500 fine. Third offense requires 90 days in jail, 120 days of electronic home monitoring, and a $1,000 fine minimum.

Franklin County's location in the Tri-Cities area means it shares resources with Benton County. The two counties are distinct legal jurisdictions, each with its own court system, but they are served by some of the same defense attorneys, treatment programs, and court-ordered services. DUI defendants in Franklin County may be referred to programs that serve the broader Tri-Cities area.

Driver's License Suspension Records for Franklin County DUI Cases

A DUI arrest in Franklin County triggers an automatic administrative action by the Washington Department of Licensing. This happens separately from and often before the criminal case resolves. Drivers have 20 days from the date of the arrest notice to request a DOL administrative hearing to contest the suspension. Missing this deadline waives the right to a hearing.

You can check a driver's suspension status and review DOL DUI resources through the DOL DUI resources page. DOL records are not court records. They show license status, suspension dates, and ignition interlock requirements but not the details of the underlying criminal charges. For the criminal case details, use the court search portals or contact the clerk directly.

Ignition interlock device requirements are common in both DOL-administered suspensions and court-ordered conditions for Franklin County DUI cases. The DOL maintains a list of certified IID providers. Compliance is tracked by the DOL, not by the court clerk. If a person violates IID requirements, it can trigger additional DOL action independent of any court proceeding.

Requesting Copies of Franklin County DUI Records

To request copies of Franklin County superior court DUI records, contact the clerk at (509) 545-3525 or visit 1016 N 4th Ave, Pasco, WA 99301. Court hours are generally Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but confirm current hours by phone before visiting. For Franklin County District Court records, contact district court directly. For Pasco Municipal Court records, contact Pasco Municipal Court.

Mail requests are accepted. Include the full name of the defendant, date of birth if known, approximate case year or date, and the type of records you need. For certified copies, include prepayment or request a fee estimate before payment. Checks are generally made payable to the Franklin County Superior Court.

Online records through the Odyssey Portal and the Washington Courts portal are free and available any time. If you only need case status, charge information, or disposition details, the portals may meet your needs without a formal request. Full case file copies or certified documents require a records request through the clerk regardless of what you found online.

Nearby County DUI Records

Franklin County sits in the Tri-Cities region alongside Benton County, which lies across the Columbia River to the west and south. Benton County DUI records, including those for Kennewick and Richland, are accessible through the same Washington Odyssey Portal for superior court cases. Adams County is to the north. Walla Walla County lies to the southeast. If you are unsure which county filed charges in a case, run a statewide name search on the Odyssey Portal. It searches all 35 participating superior courts at once and will identify the filing county without requiring you to search each one individually.