Courthouse
The Benton County WA Courthouse serves as a central point for several court and judicial functions, but the correct office depends on the type of case, hearing, record, payment, or jury matter involved. Some services are handled at the Prosser Courthouse, while others are provided through the Benton County Justice Center in Kennewick. This article explains the courthouse-related offices, the difference between Superior Court and District Court, court schedules, records, payments, jury service, digital recordings, and the information users should prepare before contacting a court office.
Courthouse and Judicial Services
Benton County organizes its court-related information through its official Courts and Judicial Services section. This is a useful starting point when a person knows that a matter involves the county courts but is uncertain which specific court or program is responsible.
The county's judicial services include Superior Court, District Court, Juvenile Justice, Adult Drug Court, Mental Health Court, Recovery Court, Veterans Court, and the Office of Public Defense. These programs do not all perform the same functions, so identifying the correct court before trying to locate a hearing, pay a fine, request records, or file documents can prevent unnecessary delays.
The Prosser Courthouse is the county seat. District Court also operates from the Benton County Justice Center in Kennewick. Because more than one courthouse-related location is used, a court notice, summons, docket, or other official document should be reviewed for the location associated with the particular proceeding.
Superior Court Services
Benton and Franklin Counties Superior Court provides court administration, schedules, procedures, jury information, local rules, required forms, interpreter requests, ADA accommodation information, self-representation information, bench-copy procedures, and remote appearance information.
Superior Court Administration is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Court operations generally run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., although times can vary according to court needs. Courts close for a one-hour lunch period.
People dealing with a Superior Court case should distinguish between the court itself and the Benton County Clerk's Office. Superior Court conducts judicial proceedings, while the Clerk manages court documents, files, dockets, certain financial obligations, and other administrative functions associated with the judiciary.
Daily Court Schedules
Superior Court publishes a current daily schedule, a draft schedule for the next day, holiday schedules, WebEx information, and livestream information. The current daily schedule is updated after 3:00 p.m. each day. The next day's schedule is specifically identified as a draft and may change.
This distinction matters when planning a courthouse visit. A person who relies only on an earlier docket or draft calendar may encounter a changed courtroom assignment or hearing arrangement. The court's daily schedule should be used for current courtroom assignments when that information is needed.
The Superior Court also maintains a schedules and calendars section covering weekly Benton and Franklin dockets, domestic settlement and pretrial conferences, civil settlement and pretrial conferences, the criminal trial calendar, ex parte matters, holiday schedules, and special-set requests.
Superior Court Dockets
The Benton County Clerk publishes court docket information for recurring Superior Court proceedings. These dockets are intended to assist the public, but they do not necessarily represent the exact order in which names will be called. Last-minute additions or changes may also be absent from the online page.
Regular docket categories include criminal proceedings, family law matters, juvenile offender cases, probate and adult guardianships, civil protection orders, minor guardianships, unlawful detainers, civil motions, child support contempt, parentage matters, and drug court proceedings.
A docket should therefore be treated as a scheduling reference rather than a guarantee of the precise sequence in which matters will be heard. People appearing in court should rely on their official court documents and current scheduling information for their particular case.
District Court Services
Benton County District Court is a court of limited jurisdiction. It has concurrent jurisdiction with Superior Court over misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor actions involving violations of state and county laws or county and municipal ordinances.
District Court also handles traffic infractions, non-traffic infractions, parking infractions, anti-harassment matters, and small claims. The small-claims limit is up to $5,000 for businesses and up to $10,000 for individuals. The court also has concurrent jurisdiction with Superior Court over civil actions involving amounts up to $100,000.
This division of responsibility is one of the most important distinctions for courthouse users. Traffic infractions, misdemeanors, and gross misdemeanors handled in District Court should not be directed to the Benton County Clerk merely because the Clerk supports Superior Court functions. The Clerk's Office specifically states that it does not handle District Court cases of those types.
District Court Locations
District Court maintains offices in both Kennewick and Prosser. Both offices operate Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. In-person payments are accepted at both offices from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Individual municipality schedules can vary. For proceedings involving Kennewick, Richland, West Richland, the Benton County Sheriff's Office, Washington State Patrol, or Prosser, the court directs users to call the court or review their notice for the appropriate time.
Anyone planning an in-person visit should therefore verify which District Court office applies to the matter rather than assuming all cases are handled at the county-seat courthouse.
Statewide System Transition
District Court is transitioning to a new statewide court management system. The county warns that the change may cause temporary service disruptions, slower processing, limited system availability, and scheduled service adjustments while staff are trained and court information is transferred.
This can affect users who are waiting for records, trying to access system information, or completing another court-related task. When timing matters, the possibility of temporary system limitations should be considered before making assumptions that a delayed update means a case or payment was not received.
Hearings and Remote Access
District Court maintains a court hearings section that separates cases set for the current day, attorney and participant access, and public viewing. These categories matter because a participant joining an official hearing may need different access information from a member of the public who only wants to observe a proceeding.
Superior Court likewise provides WebEx video conference information and livestream links. Court dockets also direct users to WebEx instructions when remote participation applies.
A remote-access link should not be treated as proof that a person is permitted to appear remotely in every proceeding. Users should follow the instructions associated with their court matter and use the appropriate participant or public-viewing option.
Benton County Clerk Functions
The Benton County Clerk's Office provides administrative support to the local judiciary. Its responsibilities include managing court documents, maintaining hearing and trial calendars and dockets, safeguarding case files, issuing writs and bench warrants ordered by the court, and managing trust funds held under court orders.
The Clerk also processes passport applications for the U.S. Passport Agency, manages collections of legal financial obligations from criminal defendants, and administers the jury system for Superior and District Courts.
The office does not accept personal checks. That restriction has been in effect since October 1, 2010. Users preparing to make a Clerk-related payment should not arrive expecting a personal check to be accepted.
Clerk Versus District Court
A common source of confusion is assuming that the County Clerk handles every county court case. The Clerk supports Superior Court matters, but District Court maintains its own case operations.
For example, a person trying to resolve a traffic infraction, misdemeanor, or gross misdemeanor handled by District Court should work with District Court rather than the Clerk's Office. By contrast, Superior Court documents, dockets, jury administration, and certain court financial obligations fall within the Clerk's responsibilities.
Knowing the court named on the case paperwork is usually the most practical way to determine which office should receive a request.
District Court Records
District Court directs users seeking case information or court documents to search re:SearchWA first. If the requested documents cannot be located through that system, the person can proceed through the county's District Court records request process.
Court case records can include documents or information created or prepared by the court in connection with a judicial proceeding. Examples include pleadings, indices, calendars, dockets, orders, decrees, judgments, and minute entries.
Information for Record Requests
The District Court request form asks for identifying case details that help staff locate the correct record. Depending on the request, users should be prepared to provide:
Case type, such as civil, criminal, or traffic.
Case number or numbers.
Name associated with the case.
Date of birth.
A description of the record requested.
The specific document needed, such as a judgment and sentence, ticket, or summons and complaint.
The intended use of the requested information.
For a court-recording request, the form asks for the case number, hearing date, name of the defendant or parties, and any additional information that could help identify the recording.
Requesters must also provide their own name, email address, and contact or mailing information.
Records That Are Restricted
Some categories of case information are not available for public access through a District Court records request. The county identifies police reports, mental illness commitment records, alcohol and drug treatment commitment records, and court records sealed by judicial order as examples.
This distinction is useful when determining the correct agency for a request. A document connected to a court case is not necessarily a public court record that District Court staff can release.
District Court Retention Periods
District Court publishes several retention periods for case records. Closed criminal, civil, and infraction cases are retained for three years. Domestic violence and driving-while-intoxicated-related cases are retained for 10 years. Open civil cases with judgments are also retained for 10 years.
Once the applicable retention period has passed, the cases are destroyed. Someone requesting an older District Court record should therefore be aware that the age and type of the case can determine whether the record still exists.
Record Request Fees
District Court charges for research and copies. The published fees include:
$20 per hour for research.
$5 for the first page of a certified copy and $1 for each additional page.
50 cents per page for hard copies of specific documents.
25 cents per page for copies sent by email.
$10 per CD or thumb drive for court recordings, in addition to the search fee.
The court's fee schedule should be reviewed when more detail about District Court charges is needed.
Court Fines and Payments
District Court separates different kinds of online payments. Criminal and traffic court fines and fees are paid through the Defendant Access option identified by the court. Other payments, including record searches, copy fees, bail, court recordings, and certified-copy charges, use a different payment process.
The distinction is significant because the appropriate payment system depends on what is being paid. A person paying a criminal or traffic fine should not assume that the same system used for copying fees or bail applies.
In-person District Court payments are accepted at both the Kennewick and Prosser offices Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Superior Court Digital Recordings
Requests for Benton County Superior Court digital recordings go through the Clerk's Office. Superior Court Administration manages the recordings and completes requests forwarded by the Clerk. Court Administration may contact the requester for additional information.
The recording format depends on the courtroom and the date of the proceeding. The Superior Court's processes and procedures information distinguishes between FTR Realtime recordings and older JAVS recordings.
FTR Realtime Recordings
FTR Realtime applies beginning on different dates for different courtrooms. Courtroom D recordings use FTR for proceedings from September 19, 2025, forward. Courtrooms B, C, D, and E use FTR for proceedings from October 20, 2025, forward. Courtrooms A, B, C, D, and F use FTR for proceedings from November 26, 2025, forward.
For recordings available through FTR, the requester receives an email containing a secure access link and playback instructions. Access is limited to the email address provided with the request. Superior Court Administration asks for every email address that will need access.
If another email address needs access after the request has already been completed, the county's process requires additional action rather than simply forwarding the original access rights.
JAVS Recording Access
JAVS recordings generally cover recordings from 2021 through the applicable FTR transition date for each courtroom. These recordings are delivered through a OneDrive link along with playback instructions.
The OneDrive link remains active for only seven days. The recording must be downloaded during that period. If the requester does not download it before the link expires, a new request and new payment are required.
This seven-day window is one of the most important practical restrictions for older Superior Court digital recordings. Requesters should retrieve and save the file promptly after receiving the link.
Jury Service Information
The Benton County Clerk administers the jury system for Superior and District Courts. Superior Court directs questions about a jury summons to the Clerk's Office.
Jurors should use the official jury reporting schedule to determine whether they are required to report for the applicable jury term. Reporting requirements can change depending on scheduled trials, so an earlier summons should not be interpreted as meaning that a person will necessarily be required to appear on every listed date.
The Clerk's Office also warns about jury-service payment scams. If someone receives a call concerning jury service and is asked to send money, the county instructs the person not to make the payment and to notify law enforcement and the Clerk's Office.
Preparing for a Courthouse Visit
Before contacting or visiting a Benton County courthouse office, identify the court named on the paperwork. This determines whether the matter belongs with Superior Court, the Clerk, or District Court.
For a scheduled hearing, review the current court schedule or docket and compare it with the notice received in the case. Superior Court's next-day schedule is a draft and may change, while docket pages may not reflect last-minute revisions.
For a records request, gather the case number, names, hearing date when applicable, and a clear description of the document or recording needed. Providing specific information reduces the risk of requesting records from the wrong case or asking staff to search without enough identifying details.
For payments, determine what the payment covers before selecting an online system. District Court criminal and traffic fines use a different online payment category from records, copies, bail, recordings, and certified-copy charges.
For a courthouse appearance in Prosser or Kennewick, verify which location is associated with the case. The existence of both a county-seat courthouse and a Justice Center means that “Benton County court” does not identify a single location for every service or hearing.
Final Department List
Benton County Courthouse
620 Market Street, Prosser, Washington 99350
509-786-5710
Benton County District Court — Prosser Courthouse
620 Market Street, Prosser, WA 99350
509-786-5480
Benton County District Court — Benton County Justice Center
7122 W. Okanogan Place, Suite A110, Kennewick, WA 99336
509-735-8476
Benton County Clerk
7122 W. Okanogan Place, Suite A210, Kennewick, WA 99336
509-786-5624 (Prosser); 509-735-8388
Courthouse FAQs
Can I use a courthouse computer for online court services?
Yes. People who need access to the Superior Court website or eMotion may use a free public computer terminal in the lobby of the Benton County Justice Center. This can be useful if you do not have reliable internet access or need to work with an online court service while at the courthouse. The availability of the terminal is specifically addressed in the court's Superior Court processes and procedures.
When are passport applications accepted?
The Benton County Clerk accepts passport applications, but the daily cutoff depends on the office. At the Kennewick office, applications are accepted until 4:00 p.m. At the Prosser office, applications are accepted until 3:30 p.m., and that office closes for lunch from noon to 1:00 p.m. Travelers should review the Benton County Clerk information before visiting, especially when arriving late in the day.
Where can I find local court rules and forms?
Superior Court maintains its own local rules, required forms, and case-specific processes. District Court separately provides District Court forms, local court rules, procedures, and e-filing information. Before downloading or filing anything, confirm which court is named on your case so you do not use a form intended for a different court. The Superior Court page and District Court page provide the appropriate starting points.
Can I request an interpreter or ADA accommodation?
Yes. Superior Court provides official request options for interpreters and ADA accommodations. District Court also maintains interpreter and ADA accommodation sections. Requests should be made through the court handling the case rather than assuming one courthouse office processes every accommodation request.