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DIRECTIONS TO CRIMINAL DIVISION SOUTHBOUND I-5 FROM SEATTLETake the City Center exit marked #133. Follow City Center signs off the exit. Go to the third stoplight which is 11th Street and turn left. A public parking lot is located on 11th Street between Tacoma Ave and Yakima Ave.
DIRECTIONS TO CRIMINAL DIVISION NORTHBOUND I-5 FROM OLYMPIA Take the City Center exit marked #133. Follow City Center signs off the exit. Go to the third stoplight which is 11th Street and turn left. A public parking lot is located on 11th Street between Tacoma Ave and Yakima Ave.
DIRECTIONS TO CIVIL/INFRACTION DIVISION SOUTHBOUND I-5 FROM SEATTLE Take the 72nd/84th Street exit marked #129 . Follow the signs to 84th Street. Turn Left onto 84th Street at the traffic light and go over the freeway to Hosmer Street. Turn right onto Hosmer and go 12 blocks to 96th Street. Hosmer turns into Steele Street about 200 yards before 96th Street. Turn left onto 96th Street (7/11 Foodmart will be on your left). Go about 100 yards. The building is on your right.
DIRECTIONS TO CIVIL/INFRACTION DIVISION NORTHBOUND I-5 FROM OLYMPIA Take the 84th Street exit marked #128 . The I-5 exit ends at a traffic signal intersecting Hosmer Street. Turn right onto Hosmer and go 12 blocks to 96th Street. Hosmer turns into Steele Street about 200 yards before 96th Street. Turn left onto 96th Street (7/11 Foodmart will be on your left). Go about 100 yards. The building is on your right.
| Criminal Division (CCB) |
Civil/Infraction Division (Hosmer) |
930 Tacoma Ave S Room 601
Tacoma WA 98402 |
1902 96th St S
Tacoma WA 98444 |
Counter Hours:
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Mon-Fri |
Counter Hours:
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and
1:30-4:30 p.m. Mon-Fri |
| (253) 798-7487 |
(253) 798-7487 |
Automated Information Line (253) 798-7487
Phone Operation Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mon-Fri |
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The office hours for the District Court Criminal Division located at 930 Tacoma Ave S, Room 601, Tacoma, WA 98402 are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Criminal Division is closed weekends and legal holidays. The Court does not have night or weekend court. Antiharassment Protection Orders must be filed by 10:30 a.m. the day you would like to go to court. Any filings after 10:30 a.m. will be seen the next business day. Antiharassment filings are not accepted after 4:15 p.m.
The office hours for the District Court Civil/Infraction Division located at 1902 96th St S, Tacoma, WA 98444 are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. A walk-up window is open from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Civil/Infraction Division is closed weekends and legal holidays. The Court does not have night or weekend court.
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Since all District Court proceedings are digitally recorded, courtrooms must be quiet. Everyone is asked to be quiet and respectful of those whose proceedings are being heard. There are no childcare facilities provided by the court. Children who become noisy will be required to stay in the hall outside the courtroom under adult supervision.
Appropriate dress includes professional attire such as suits, jackets, dresses or dress slacks. Casual clothing, such as sweat clothes, tank tops, shorts, and other similar summer beach wear is not appropriate for the courtroom. All hats must be removed when entering the courtroom.
Smoking, food, and beverages are not allowed in the courtroom. All pagers and cell phones must be turned off.
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First, you should contact the Pierce County Auditor's office at (253) 798-7435 for information on how to apply for your wedding license. A judge can perform the wedding three days after the date the license is issued.
Contact the District Court judges at the following telephone numbers:
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| Hon. Karla E. Buttorff |
253-798-6332 |
| Hon. Franklin L. Dacca |
253-798-7712 |
| Hon. James Heller |
253-798-7485 |
| Hon. Judy Rae Jasprica |
253-798-3313 |
| Hon. David Kenworthy |
253-798-6627 |
| Hon. Jack Nevin |
253-798-3314 |
| Hon. Pat O'Malley |
253-798-6288 |
| Hon. Margaret Vail Ross |
253-798-3312 |
Superior and Municipal Court judges also perform wedding ceremonies. Additional information is supplied by Superior Court in the Marriage Ceremony Providers information sheet.
At the time you schedule your wedding, the Judge will inform you of the fee for the service. The Judge can perform the wedding three days after the date the license is issued. You must appear with two witnesses over the age of 18 years for the ceremony.
You may request a wedding appointment by using the Court's automated information line. Call (253) 798-7474 and enter 8919 at anytime. Remember, this is only a request. The Judge or Judicial Assistant will call to schedule your appointment.
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Payment may be mailed or delivered in person to either of the Court's locations, Civil/Infraction Division (Hosmer) of Pierce County District Court, 1902 - 96th Street South, Tacoma, WA 98444 or Criminal Division (CCB) of Pierce County District Court, 930 Tacoma Ave. S. Room 601, Tacoma, WA 98402. See normal business hours section.
District Court accepts cash, personal checks, money orders, VISA, MasterCard, and debit cards at both court locations. Make all checks and money orders payable to Pierce County District Court. Please include the ticket number on your check or money order. Mail your payments to Pierce County District Court, 1902 96th St S, Tacoma, WA 98444.
If you wish to pay by phone with VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, debit card, or electronic check, you may call 1-800-272-9829. Please use the Jurisdiction Code 5684. To make a credit card payment online, go to www.officialpayments.com. To make an electronic check payment online, go to www.officialpayments.com/echeck. There is a $4.95 convenience fee for credit card payments and a $3.00 transaction fee for electronic checks.
To avoid additional penalties, you must pay the full fine amount within 15 days of the date the ticket was issued. If you do not pay within 15 days of the violation, a late penalty of $52.00 will be added to the amount due and the Court will notify the Department of Licensing of your failure to respond. This may place your license in a suspended status until you have paid the amount due. The court may also refer the ticket to a collection agency. If your ticket is referred to the collection agency, it is your responsibility to pay all collection costs in addition to all court imposed penalties.
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If your case has been assigned to collections, you must contact the collection agency, NCO Financial Systems, Inc. at 888-289-0907 or 916-630-2684. A NCO pay station is located at 1902 S 96th St, Tacoma, 98444 (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday ? Friday).
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If you agree that you committed the violation but would like to explain the circumstances, mark the box on the back of the ticket requesting a mitigation hearing. This hearing is to explain the circumstances, not to argue that you did not commit the violation. The Court will notify Department of Licensing that you committed this violation.
If you believe you did not commit the violation, mark the box on the back of the ticket requesting a contested hearing. Upon your request, the Court will provide you with instructions on how to request that the officer or other witnesses be present.
To receive a hearing date, you must either appear in person or mail your copy of the ticket to the Infraction Division of Pierce County District Court, 1902 - 96th Street South, Tacoma, Washington 98444 within 15 days of the violation date. See normal business hours section. The court will mail you a notice with a hearing date.
District Court allows you to have a hearing by mail. You must complete the Hearing by Mail Statement and mail it to the court. A judicial officer will review your statement and a court order will be mailed to you with the decision. If a penalty is imposed, you will be given a date the money is due. If you fail to pay the total amount due, a late penalty of $52.00 will be added, the case will be referred to a collection agency and the Department of Licensing will be notified. There is no appeal from a hearing by mail.
Pierce County District Court has adopted monetary reduction policies on certain infractions. You may be eligible for a reduction of the original penalty without requesting a hearing. For additional information, appear at either location of District Court or call (253) 798-7487. Reduction policies have been adopted for the following traffic infraction violations:
- Driving without Mandatory Insurance
- No Valid Operator's License with Valid ID
- Expired Vehicle License/Missing License Plate/No Registration Certificate in Vehicle
- License Not in Immediate Possession
- No Motorcycle Endorsement
- Operate Off-Road Vehicle without a Valid Permit
- Parked in a Disabled Parking Zone/Fail to Display Permit
- Defective Equipment Violations
- Private Carrier - Fail to Display Valid Medical Certificate
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If you cannot appear at your scheduled hearing, you must appear in person or contact the court by mail at the Infraction Division, Pierce County District Court, 1902 - 96th Street South, Tacoma, Washington 98444 prior to your hearing date. See normal business hours section. You will be allowed to reschedule your hearing only once. All written requests must be postmarked on or before the original Court date.
If you do not reschedule in a timely manner, $52.00 will be added to your penalty and the Court will notify the Department of Licensing of your failure to appear. This may place your license in a suspended status until you have paid the amount due.
The Court may also refer the ticket to a collection agency. If your ticket is referred for collection, it is your responsibility to pay all collection costs in addition to all court imposed penalties.
If you have further questions you may call (253) 798-7487. See normal business hours section.
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If you missed your hearing date, $52.00 will be added to your penalty and the Court will notify the Department of Licensing of your failure to appear at the hearing. This may place your license in a suspended status until you have paid the amount due. After failing to appear at a hearing, you must pay the fine imposed. Please review the section, I received a District Court traffic infraction (ticket). Where can I pay it?
The Court may also refer the ticket to a collection agency. If your ticket is referred for collection, it is your responsibility to pay all collection costs in addition to all court imposed penalties.
If you have further questions you may call (253) 798-7487. See normal business hours section.
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If a warrant has been issued for your arrest, you must appear at the Criminal Division, Pierce County District Court, 930 Tacoma Avenue So., Room 601, Tacoma, to request a hearing to quash (cancel) the warrant. There is a chance you will be taken into custody when you appear.
If you have further questions regarding a warrant, you may call (253) 798-7487. See normal business hours section. Please have your case number available.
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All individuals accused of a crime have the following constitutional rights:
- To have a lawyer present at all hearings;
- To have a lawyer appointed at public expense if the individual cannot afford to hire one;
- To represent themselves without a lawyer;
- To a public, speedy, jury or court trial;
- To cross-examine any witness who testifies against the individual;
- To call witnesses to testify on their behalf and compel the witnesses attendance by subpoena;
- To testify or not testify; and
- To require the State to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
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To change your name, or the name of your minor child, you must apply at the District Court in the County where you reside. See normal business hours section.
You must complete a Petition for Change of Name form which is available at the Civil & Infraction Division located at 1902 96th Street South, Tacoma, WA 98444. A nonrefundable filing fee of $157.00 is required. The Court will accept cash, VISA, or Mastercard for the filing fee. No checks are accepted. The filing fee includes the fee to record the name change order with the Pierce County Auditor.
If you are requesting that a name be changed for a minor child, the absent parent must sign an affidavit stating that she/he agrees and consents to the name change. You must also present the birth certificate of the child when you file the petition and you must also present your picture ID. Minors of age 10 and older must be present at the hearing before the judicial officer.
If a family name is being changed, each person must complete a separate petition. All persons in the family are included under one case number with one filing fee of $157.00 which includes certified copies and recording fees for one person. Each additional family member must pay $77.00 for certified copies and recording fees.
If a judicial officer is available to hear the case at the time of filing you will immediately be directed to a courtroom. If no courtroom is available, you will be given a date to return for your hearing before the Court.
If you have further questions you may call (253) 798-7487. See normal business hours section.
The Name Change information packet is in .pdf format. In order to view the .pdf file, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your system. You can download the Adobe Acrobat Reader software at no cost.
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You must file the lawsuit in the county where the defendant resides or conducts business. See normal business hours section.
A small claims case may be filed for the recovery of money only. The most you can sue for is $5,000.00. This money must be owed to you. You must be 18 years old to file a claim. New cases are only accepted for filing at the Civil Division, 1902 - 96th Street South, Tacoma. See normal business hours section. The filing fee is $39.00 cash, Visa or Mastercard. No personal checks are accepted.
To file a small claim you must complete forms that are available at the Court office. You will need the following information:
- The name and address of the person you are suing. If you are suing a company, you need the name and address of the owner of the company. If you are suing a corporation, you need the name and address of the corporation.
- You need the exact amount of money owed to you.
- You must know the date the money became due.
- You must explain why the money is owed to you.
If you are a business suing in Small Claims Court, the owner of the business must file the claim. A corporation suing in Small Claims Court must have a corporate authority affidavit as authorization for an individual to file on behalf of the corporation. Auto accident claims must be filed by the registered owner of the automobile.
If the Court rules in your favor and a judgment is entered, the court does not collect the money for you. After you receive a judgment you may wish to contact an attorney or a collection agency for assistance.
If you have specific questions about your case, you may call (253) 798-7487. See normal business hours section. Please have your case number available.
The Small Claims information packet is in .pdf format. In order to view the .pdf file, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your system. You can download the Adobe Acrobat Reader software at no cost.
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The Court uses Official Payments for phone and online payments.
Q. Who is Official Payments?
A. Official Payments is the leading provider of electronic payment options for federal, state and local government agencies. Official Payments makes it possible for you to pay your fines and penalties using your credit or debit cards or electronic checks via the internet (www.officialpayments.com and www.officialpayments.com/echeck) or the telephone (toll free, 1-800-272-9829).
Q. What is the advantage of using Official Payments?
A. The service makes paying your fines and penalties more convenient in many ways:
- Faster payment via phone or internet - no writing and mailing checks
- Flexibility to pay credit card balances over time
- Rewards from card issuers that carry such programs
- Comfort of knowing your payment has been made trough a trusted, secure service provider
Q. What cards does Official Payments accept?
A. American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and VISA cards are all accepted, including credit and ATM pin-less debit cards with a VISA or MasterCard logo. However, not all cards are accepted for all payment types. The cards that are accepted will be identified when you make your payment.
Q. How do I earn reward points?
A Depending on the nature of the card reward program, you can earn points, miles or money back for the payments you make. The value of the reward can exceed the cost of any convenience fee incurred. For specific information on your card's reward program, contact your card issuer directly using the number listed on the back of your card.
Q. Why is there a convenience fee and why am I paying for this?
A. Official Payments charges a convenience fee for processing the payment transaction. The fee is not charged by or paid to District Court. The convenience fee is assessed to cover operating costs and the costs associated with servicing thousands of card transactions.
You will be informed of all charges and fees before you authorize the payment. You may calculate the exact fee online at www.officialpayments.com/pc_feec.jsp.
When you use the service, two line items will appear on your card bill. One is for the fine or penalty owed to District Court and the other is for the convenience fee charged by Official Payments.
Q. How safe is Official Payments' system?
A. The system has been tested and proven. The IRS and more than 2,200 state and local governments have chosen Official Payments as an electronic service provider for their constituents. The information gathered is private and will not be forwarded to anyone.
Q. Will I receive a confirmation of my card payment?
A. Yes. You will be provided a confirmation number at the end of the payment transaction. This confirmation number and your card statement will provide confirmation of your card payment to District Court. If you pay over the internet at www.officialpayments.com, you will be issued an onscreen digital receipt, which can be printed as a transaction record. Additionally, if you provide Official Payments your email address you will receive an email verification of your online payment.
Q. How can I be sure that my payment was processed correctly?
A. You can verify your internet payment online at www.officialpayments.com/pc_paym.jsp if you have provided your email address to Official Payments. You will need your confirmation number and the last 4 digits of your card. You may also call 1-888-357-8394. You will need your payment amount to process your telephone inquiry.
Q. Who do I call if my payment does not appear on my card statement?
A. Call Official Payments Customer Service toll-free at 1-800-487-4567. Press 1 for English or 2 for Spanish and choose option 4.
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