Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Washington
precedence research
where can I research precedence on small claims court rulings in Washington State? I'd like to find out the results of cases filed similar to my own.
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: precedence research
You should google it and also check if your county as a website that has information about small claims. Because these types of cases are so small, they usually aren't recorded beyond the judgment, but those should be public record. The problem is finding ones that match your facts. I think you would be better off posting your facts here or consulting with an attorney.
Re: precedence research
Small Claims are heard in District Court. An appeal, if any, goes to the Superior Court and then to the Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals can choose whether or not to publish. If it is appealed again to the Supreme Court and cert is accepted, it will be published.
You'd do better to do a search for results that's based on your issues, not the fact that you are in small claims.
If you really want to get a handle on small claims, go watch a docket of the cases. The clerk in the District Court will tell you when the docket will happen. It's public, so you are welcome to be there. You'll learn a lot.
Hope that helps. Elizabeth Powell