Search Pierce County Probate Records

What Probate Covers in Pierce County

Pierce County does not have a standalone probate court. Washington state uses Superior Courts as the trial courts of general jurisdiction, and that includes all probate and guardianship matters. In Pierce County, cases are assigned the Probate/Guardianship case type in the Superior Court system and tracked through LINX. The Superior Court sits at 930 Tacoma Ave S in downtown Tacoma. Court administration is in Room 334. The Clerk of the Superior Court, where you go for copies and filings, is in Room 110 of the same building.

LINX defines the Probate/Guardianship case type broadly. It covers estates and wills after a person dies, but it also covers active court oversight of people who can no longer make their own decisions. The category handles guardianship of incapacitated adults, conservatorship for financial management, and guardianship of minor children when no parent is available or able to serve. Trust-related court matters may also appear here when filed with the Superior Court.

Probate records in Pierce County typically include petitions, notices to creditors, orders appointing a personal representative or guardian, inventories, accountings, and final distribution or closure orders. The full set of documents in a given case depends on whether the estate went through formal probate or a simplified process, whether a will existed, and whether any disputes arose during administration.

Note: Adult guardianship/conservatorship hearings and probate hearings may be in person or by Zoom, at the option of the parties. Proposed orders must be submitted to the court before the scheduled hearing and must be attached to a Civil Hearing Information Form (Form U) under PCLSPR 98.20.

Pierce County Probate Terms Defined

Probate filings use terms that appear in LINX case titles, docket entries, and court orders. Knowing what they mean helps you read a case record correctly. The definitions below cover the most common terms in Pierce County Superior Court Probate/Guardianship cases.

Testator

The person who made the will. When a testator dies, their will may be admitted to probate in Superior Court and the estate administered according to its terms.

Executor / Personal Representative

The person named in the will, or appointed by the court, to carry out the estate's administration. In Washington, the term "personal representative" is used in the statutes and in LINX. The court issues letters testamentary or letters of administration to give the personal representative legal authority to act.

Intestate

Dying without a valid will. When someone dies intestate in Pierce County, the Superior Court applies Washington's intestacy laws to determine who inherits. A personal representative is still appointed, but the court's default rules govern distribution rather than a will.

Guardianship

A court order giving one person (the guardian) legal authority to make personal decisions for another person (the ward) who cannot do so themselves. Pierce County Superior Court handles guardianship of incapacitated adults and guardianship of minor children. Some guardianship records may be restricted under General Rule 22.

Conservatorship

Similar to guardianship, but focused on financial matters. A conservator is appointed by the court to manage the financial assets and affairs of a person who is unable to do so. Both guardianship and conservatorship cases appear in LINX under the Probate/Guardianship case type in Pierce County Superior Court.

How to Search Pierce County Probate Records in LINX

Probate records for Pierce County are searched through the LINX public search interface. LINX is the Legal Information Network Exchange, a case management system Pierce County built and operates itself. It is the county's own portal, not the generic statewide system. Select Superior Court when you start, then set the case type to Probate/Guardianship. That filter removes criminal, civil, domestic, and District Court cases from your results and focuses the search on estates, wills, and guardianships.

A cause number is the fastest way to pull a specific case. If you have it, paste it into the Cause Number field with or without dashes. If you only have a name, use last name, first name format. A decedent's name, a guardian's name, or any party name may work depending on how the case was indexed. Setting a year range helps when a common name returns many results. LINX records go back to 1980 in the year-range filters.

Documents filed on or after January 1, 2002 may be available for purchase and viewing online through LINX. Records from 1991 to 2001 that were not imaged require a Scan Document request; the Clerk typically makes those available within two business days. For records filed before January 1991, call the Clerk's Office directly at 253-798-7455.

The table below shows the search fields on the LINX probate search form.

The Washington Courts find-court-records page also points users to the correct county search tool and explains which records are available at the court level versus the state level.

A screenshot of the Washington Courts self-help records page is below, showing the statewide guidance on locating case records by county.

The Washington Courts public case search directs users to county-level portals like LINX for Pierce County probate records.

Pierce County probate cases are searchable through LINX, not the statewide portal, because Pierce County operates its own integrated case system.

How Probate Works in Pierce County

Probate in Pierce County follows Washington state law and local Superior Court rules. The process starts with a decision about whether a full court probate is needed at all. Washington allows a simplified path in some cases, so the first step is always to check whether that option applies before opening a formal case in Superior Court.

1. Decide whether full probate is needed. Washington's small-estate affidavit procedures under chapter 11.62 RCW may allow successors to collect personal property without going through full probate when the statutory requirements are met. Real estate and contested matters generally require formal proceedings in Pierce County Superior Court.
2. Prepare the petition and required forms. A petition to open probate, along with a copy of the will if one exists, must be prepared using state and local Superior Court forms. Pierce County Superior Court self-help resources list probate among the categories available through the Clerk's office.
3. File with the Clerk of the Superior Court. Cases are filed through the Clerk at 930 Tacoma Ave S, Room 110, Tacoma, WA 98402-2177. E-filing is available for eligible filings. In-person and mail filing options are also available. Confirm the current filing fee with the Clerk before submitting, as the exact probate filing fee was not posted in a publicly available schedule at the time of this research.
4. Track the case in LINX. Once filed, the case appears in LINX under Superior Court with a cause number and the Probate/Guardianship case type. You can monitor docket entries, proceedings, and documents through the LINX search portal.
5. Attend the hearing if required. Probate and guardianship hearings may be in person or by Zoom. The Superior Court page confirms that Adult Guardianship/Conservatorship and Probate hearings are conducted at the option of the parties. Check the calendar in LINX for your hearing date and format.
6. Submit proposed orders before the hearing. Pierce County Local Superior Court Rule PCLSPR 98.20 requires proposed orders to be submitted before the scheduled hearing. They must be attached to a Civil Hearing Information Form (Form U). Forms are available through the Washington Courts forms page.
7. Carry out administration duties. After the court appoints a personal representative, guardian, or conservator, that person must follow the statutory duties for inventory, notice to creditors, accounting, and distribution or management of assets.
8. Get certified copies as needed. Courts, banks, title companies, and other institutions typically require certified copies of letters testamentary, guardianship orders, or other probate documents. Request certified copies from the Clerk of the Superior Court in Room 110.
9. Close the case. When administration is complete, a final report and closing order are filed with the Superior Court. The court reviews the accounting and, if approved, enters a final order closing the estate or terminating the guardianship.

The Washington Courts forms portal is the official source for Superior Court forms used in probate and guardianship proceedings statewide.

A screenshot of the Washington Courts forms page is shown below.

The Washington Courts forms library includes civil hearing information forms and probate-related filings used in Pierce County Superior Court.

Form U (Civil Hearing Information Form) and other probate forms can be downloaded from this portal before filing with the Pierce County Superior Court Clerk.

Small Estate Affidavits in Pierce County

Not every death in Pierce County triggers a full court probate. Washington state law provides a simpler option for small estates through the small-estate affidavit process. When the statutory conditions are met, a successor can use a sworn affidavit to collect the decedent's personal property without opening a Superior Court case at all. This saves time and filing costs for modest estates.

The rules for small-estate affidavits are set out in chapter 11.62 RCW. The statute covers who qualifies as a successor, what property can be collected, the waiting period that must pass after the date of death, and what the affidavit must contain. Financial institutions, employers, and other holders of personal property may release assets to a successor who presents a proper affidavit under chapter 11.62.

Real estate cannot be transferred through a small-estate affidavit alone. If the decedent owned real property in Pierce County, a formal probate proceeding in Superior Court is generally required to clear title. Contested matters, claims by creditors, or disputes among heirs also tend to require formal court supervision rather than the summary affidavit process.

The official text of chapter 11.62 RCW is linked below and shows the current statutory framework for Washington small-estate procedures.

The Washington State Legislature page for chapter 11.62 RCW sets out the small-estate affidavit procedures that may apply to some Pierce County estates.

If the estate qualifies under chapter 11.62 RCW, no probate case needs to be opened in Pierce County Superior Court, and no records will appear in LINX for that transfer.

Pierce County Superior Court and Clerk Contact

Probate cases are heard in Pierce County Superior Court. The Clerk of the Superior Court handles case records, certified copies, and in-person access to filed documents. Both offices are in the same building in downtown Tacoma. The contact cards below show the addresses, phones, and hours for each office.

Mail requests for probate records should be sent to: Pierce County Clerk, ATTN Records & Copies, 930 Tacoma Ave S, Room 110, Tacoma, WA 98402-2177. Include your name, contact information, the cause number, and the specific documents you need. Payment must be a cashier's check or money order. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Call the Clerk at 253-798-7455 to confirm the exact amount before sending payment.

The Washington Courts directory also lists Pierce County court contact details and is a useful backup reference when the county pages do not show specific department information.

A screenshot of the Washington Courts directory is shown below.

The Washington Courts court directory includes Pierce County Superior Court contact information and judicial officer listings.

The state directory is maintained by the Washington Administrative Office of the Courts and reflects current courthouse addresses and court contacts across all counties.

Probate Record Copy Fees in Pierce County

Certified copy fees for Pierce County Superior Court records are set by RCW 36.18.016, which governs county clerk filing and copy charges statewide. The Clerk of the Superior Court cites this statute on its records and copies page. Non-certified copies and online access through LINX are cheaper than certified paper copies but may not be accepted by courts, banks, or title companies for legal purposes.

The table below shows the copy fee schedule for Pierce County Superior Court records. The probate filing fee line is marked for confirmation because an exact figure was not published in a publicly accessible fee schedule at the time this research was conducted. Contact the Clerk to confirm the current filing fee before you file.

The official county clerk fee statute is shown in a screenshot below.

The RCW 36.18.016 page on the Washington State Legislature site sets out the county clerk fees that govern certified copy charges in Pierce County.

Pierce County's certified copy fee of $5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page is directly authorized by this statute, which applies to all Washington county clerks.

Restricted Pierce County Probate Records

Not all probate and guardianship records in Pierce County are fully public. Washington General Rule 22 limits access to sensitive family-law and guardianship documents. Financial source documents, personal identifiers, health-care records, confidential reports, and some guardianship materials are restricted under GR 22 even if the case index and docket entries are visible to the public in LINX. This means you may be able to see that a guardianship case exists and find its docket entries, but individual restricted documents within that file may not be viewable or purchasable online.

Court orders can also place restrictions on specific records beyond what GR 22 automatically limits. A court may seal a document, redact personal identifiers, or restrict access to an entire file when a party shows legal grounds. If a document that should be present in a case is not accessible in LINX, that may reflect a sealing order or a GR 22 restriction rather than a missing record.

One important boundary: adoption is not a probate matter. Adoption cases in Washington are confidential under RCW 26.33.340 and are handled separately from the Probate/Guardianship case type. Searching LINX under Probate/Guardianship will not return adoption cases. Those records are restricted regardless of the search method.

Note: If you need a guardianship document that appears restricted in LINX, contact the Clerk's Office at 253-798-7455 to ask whether in-person inspection is available or whether a court order allows access with proper identification.

Related Pierce County Records

Probate and guardianship records sit alongside several other record types in the Pierce County Superior Court system. Knowing where each record type lives helps you find what you need without extra steps.

• Marriage and divorce records in Pierce County are split between the Superior Court (for divorce/dissolution cases) and the Pierce County Auditor (for marriage licenses and recorded marriage certificates).
• The Clerk of the Superior Court maintains all Superior Court case records, including probate files, and handles certified copy requests for any case type in the system.
• Court records in Pierce County cover the full range of Superior and District Court case types. Probate is one of five main case types in LINX alongside Criminal, Civil, Domestic, and Tax Warrant/Judgment.
• The Superior Court page covers the broader Pierce County Superior Court structure, including departments, judges, and case types beyond probate.

For any probate matter that requires an attorney, the Pierce County legal-help resources page at piercecountywa.gov/Legal-Help-Advice lists lawyer referral, law library access, and the family law facilitator program. Pierce County Library's law library at mypcls.org also offers legal resources and TacomaProBono links for residents who need help with probate matters but cannot afford an attorney.