Justice of the Peace Dockets

Series — Box: 1

Identifier: 5603-03

Staff Only

Scope and Contents note

Summary of civil and criminal cases heard in Justice Court. Includes case number, date, names of parties to the case, offense, fees, and judgment. Each record also contains an account of the progression of the case, with dates of filings, subpoenas, hearings, and trials. Case numbers do not correspond to case numbers in the Criminal Dockets. Volume 15 contains cases in 1892 and 1893, and then was later used by a different judge for unnumbered cases from 1899 to 1900. The majority of civil cases relate to debts, while the most common criminal offenses are grand larceny, petit larceny, assault & battery, and burglary. Some of the more unusual offenses include smoking opium, refusing to pay poll tax, seduction, disposing of liquor on election day, and using words with the intent to provoke a breach of the peace.

Dates

Creation: 1890-1900

Creator

Washington (State). Justice of the Peace Court (King County) (Organization)
Washington (State). Municipal Court (Seattle) (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access note

Records are open to the public.

Historical Note

The first judicial officer for Seattle was appointed by the City Council in 1875 from among the King County Justices of the Peace serving the Seattle Precinct. In 1886, a charter amendment made each Seattle Precinct Justice a Police Justice with jurisdiction over ordinance violations. The 1890 Freeholders Charter officially established a Police Court in the city. This provision was repealed in 1892, after an 1891 state law created a Municipal Court system that included a Justice Court and Police Court. The Police Court was a “court of limited jurisdiction” under the purview of the city of Seattle. (In contrast, the county was the parent agency for the Justice Court.) One of the justices of the peace in the Seattle Precinct was appointed to serve on the Police Court in addition to his duties on the Justice Court. The Police Court heard violations of state law that occurred within the city limits, as well as violations of City ordinances. It dealt with misdemeanors, traffic offenses, minor civil suits, and small claims, and also heard liquor-related cases during Prohibition.

The Police Court was called by varying names over the years. Before 1891, it seems to generally have been known as the Police Court. From 1891 to 1897, it was called the Municipal Court, and then again was referred to as the Police Court until 1928, when it was once again called the Municipal Court. It retained that name from then on, except for 1954-1955, when it was called the Municipal Police Court. The currently constituted Municipal Court was created in 1955 under Chapter 290 of the Washington State Laws. It has exclusive original jurisdiction over violations of all city ordinances, collects fines and forfeitures relating thereto, and hears cases related to misdemeanor defined by State statute that occur within the City limits. Municipal judges are elected by the qualified electors of the City of Seattle.

The Justice Court, also created by the 1891 state law, was a “court of limited jurisdiction” under the purview of King County. The justices of the peace on the bench of the Justice Court dealt with misdemeanors, traffic offenses, minor civil suits, and small claims, and also heard liquor-related cases during Prohibition. More serious cases were referred to the county’s Superior Court. In 1961, the Washington State Justice Court Act combined the Justice Court and the District Court into one entity, a change that was adopted by King County in 1962.