Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Seattle Police Court Records, 1886-1956
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Washington (State). Municipal Court (Seattle)
- Title
- Seattle Police Court Records
- Dates
- 1886-1956 (inclusive)18861956
- Quantity
- 311 volumes
- Collection Number
- 5601
- Summary
- Dockets, logs, and indexes of cases heard in Seattle's Police Court.
- Repository
-
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov - Access Restrictions
-
Records are open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Seattle’s Police Court was the forerunner to the current Municipal Court. 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 This provision was repealed in 1892, after an 1891 state law created a Municipal Court system that included a Justice Court and Police Court.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 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.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Court dockets, indexes, and case summaries relating to cases heard in the Police Court. Series are described more fully below.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
[Item and date], [Title of collection], Record Series 5601-[XX]. Volume [number], Page [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The Seattle Police Court Records are arranged into four series:
5601-01: Police Court Dockets, 1886-1956
5601-02: Police Court General Indexes, 1891-1956
5601-03: Minute Books, 1894-1911
5601-04: Police Judge’s Journal, 1897-1920
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
5601-01: Police Court Dockets, 1886-1956Return to Top
Summary of cases heard in Police Court involving violations of Seattle’s criminal codes. Each case includes a docket number, date, defendant’s name, offense, plea, costs, and disposition of the case. By the 1910s, witnesses, complainants, and bail were often also included. The earliest cases include a narrative account of the progression of the case, but in 1889 the courts started using forms for easier entry of information.
The first eight volumes overlap in time with the next eight, through October 14, 1890. The system changed from having two or more judges to one on October 15, 1890, and after this date, the volumes run sequentially until the end of the series. After 1926, the dockets are available only on microfilm. The first 15 microfilm reels do not correspond directly to volume numbers, but cases can be accessed by date. Volume 162 and volumes 178 through 223 were filmed one volume per reel and are numbered identically with the corresponding volume.
Some of the most common offenses listed in the early volumes are drunkenness, vagrancy, and disorderly conduct, with prostitution and fighting also making frequent appearances. Traffic violations appear on a large scale beginning in the 1920s. Some of the more unusual offenses include driving across a fire hose, using profane language, and “riding a horse in a public street at a fast rate of six miles an hour.”
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Volume | ||
No number | City Docket |
1886/08-1888/04 |
A1 | City Docket |
1888/04-1888/12 |
No number | City Docket |
1888/12-1889/05 |
H | City Docket |
1889/05-1889/10 |
No number | City Docket |
1889/10-1890/01 |
No number | Justice Court |
1890/01-1890/05 |
4 | City Docket |
1890/05-1890/08 |
No number | City Docket |
1890/08-1890/10 |
6 | City Docket |
1887/01-1888/08 |
7 | City Docket |
1888/08-1889/04 |
No number | City Docket |
1889/04-1889/09 |
4 | Police Docket |
1889/09-1889/12 |
5 | Justice Docket |
1889/12-1890/04 |
6 | Justice Court |
1890/04-1890/06 |
7 | Justice Court |
1890/06-1890/09 |
8 | Justice Court |
1890/09-1890/10 |
1 | Police Court Criminal
Docket |
1890/10-1890/11 |
2 | Police Court Criminal
Docket |
1890/11-1890/12 |
3 | Police Court Criminal
Docket |
1890/12-1891/02 |
4 | Police Court Criminal
Docket |
1891/02-1891/02 |
1 | Municipal Court
Docket |
1891/03-1891/06 |
2 | Municipal Court
Docket |
1891/06-1891/09 |
3 | Municipal Court
Docket |
1891/09-1891/12 |
4 | Municipal Court
Docket |
1891/12-1892/03 |
5 | Justice Docket |
1892/03-1892/06 |
6 | Justice Docket |
1892/07-1892/10 |
7 | Justice Docket |
1892/10-1892/12 |
H | Municipal Court
Docket |
1893/01-1893/01 |
K | Municipal Court
Docket |
1893/05-1893/08 |
No number | Municipal Court
Docket |
1893/08-1893/12 |
L | Municipal Court
Docket |
1893/12-1894/05 |
No number | Municipal Court
Docket |
1894/05-1894/10 |
No number | Municipal Court
Docket |
1894/10-1895/03 |
16 | Municipal Court
Docket |
1895/03-1895/11 |
17 | Municipal Court
Docket |
1895/11-1896/11 |
18 | Municipal Court
Docket |
1896/11-1897/07 |
19 | Police Court Criminal
Docket |
1897/07-1898/02 |
20 | Police Court Criminal
Docket |
1898/03-1898/07 |
21 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1898/07-1898/12 |
22 | Justice Dockets |
1898/12-1899/05 |
23 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1899/05-1899/10 |
24 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1899/10-1900/03 |
25 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1900/03-1900/07 |
26 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1900/07-1900/11 |
27 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1900/11-1901/03 |
28 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1901/03-1901/07 |
29 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1901/07-1901/11 |
30 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1901/11-1902/04 |
31 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1902/04-1902/09 |
32 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1902/09-1903/01 |
33 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1903/01-1903/06 |
34 | Police Court Criminal
Dockets |
1903/06-1903/11 |
35 | Police Court
Docket |
1903/10-1904/05 |
36 | Police Court
Docket |
1904/05-1904/10 |
37 | Police Court
Docket |
1904/10-1905/03 |
38 | Police Court
Docket |
1905/03-1905/07 |
39 | Police Court
Docket |
1905/07-1905/12 |
40 | Police Court
Docket |
1905/12-1906/04 |
41 | Police Court
Docket |
1906/04-1906/08 |
42 | Police Court
Docket |
1906/08-1906/12 |
43 | Police Court
Docket |
1906/12-1907/04 |
44 | Police Court
Docket |
1907/04-1907/07 |
45 | Police Court
Docket |
1907/07-1907/10 |
46 | Police Court
Docket |
1907/10-1908/01 |
47 | Police Court
Docket |
1908/01-1908/05 |
48 | Police Court
Docket |
1908/05-1908/08 |
49 | Police Court
Docket |
1908/08-1908/11 |
50 | Police Court
Docket |
1908/11-1909/02 |
51 | Police Court
Docket |
1909/02-1909/06 |
52 | Police Court
Docket |
1909/06-1909/09 |
53 | Police Court
Docket |
1909/09-1909/12 |
54 | Police Court
Docket |
1909/12-1910/04 |
55 | Police Court
Docket |
1910/04-1910/07 |
56 | Police Court
Docket |
1910/07-1910/10 |
57 | Police Court
Docket |
1910/10-1910/12 |
58 | Police Court
Docket |
1910/12-1911/01 |
59 | Police Court
Docket |
1911/01-1911/03 |
60 | Police Court
Docket |
1911/03-1911/06 |
61 | Police Court
Docket |
1911/06-1911/10 |
62 | Police Court
Docket |
1911/10-1911/12 |
63 | Police Court
Docket |
1911/12-1912/03 |
64 | Police Court
Docket |
1912/03-1912/07 |
65 | Police Court
Docket |
1912/07-1912/10 |
66 | Police Court
Docket |
1912/10-1913/01 |
67 | Police Court
Docket |
1913/01-1913/04 |
68 | Police Court
Docket |
1913/04-1913/06 |
69 | Police Court
Docket |
1913/06-1913/08 |
70 | Police Court
Docket |
1913/08-1913/10 |
71 | Police Court
Docket |
1913/10-1913/11 |
72 | Police Court
Docket |
1913/11-1914/01 |
73 | Police Court
Docket |
1914/01-1914/03 |
74 | Police Court
Docket |
1914/03-1914/05 |
75 | Police Court
Docket |
1914/05-1914/07 |
76 | Police Court
Docket |
1917/07-1914/10 |
77 | Police Court
Docket |
1914/10-1914/12 |
78 | Police Court
Docket |
1914/02-1914/02 |
79 | Police Court
Docket |
1915/02-1915/05 |
80 | Police Court
Docket |
1915/05-1915/07 |
81 | Police Court
Docket |
1915/07-1915/11 |
82 | Police Court
Docket |
1915/11-1916/03 |
83 | Police Court
Docket |
1916/03-1916/05 |
84 | Police Court
Docket |
1916/05-1916/10 |
85 | Police Court
Docket |
1916/10-1917/01 |
86 | Police Court
Docket |
1917/01-1917/05 |
87 | Police Court
Docket |
1917/05-1917/08 |
88 | Police Court
Docket |
1917/08-1917/10 |
89 | Police Court
Docket |
1917/10-1918/01 |
90 | Police Court
Docket |
1918/01-1918/04 |
91 | Police Court
Docket |
1918/04-1918/06 |
92 | Police Court
Docket |
1918/06-1918/09 |
93 | Police Court
Docket |
1918/09-1918/11 |
94 | Police Court
Docket |
1918/11-1919/01 |
95 | Police Court
Docket |
1919/01-1919/03 |
96 | Police Court
Docket |
1919/03-1919/05 |
97 | Police Court
Docket |
1919/05-1919/07 |
98 | Police Court
Docket |
1919/07-1919/09 |
99 | Police Court
Docket |
1919/09-1919/11 |
100 | Police Court
Docket |
1919/11-1919/12 |
101 | Police Court
Docket |
1919/12-1920/01 |
102 | Police Court
Docket |
1920/01-1920/03 |
103 | Police Court
Docket |
1920/03-1920/04 |
104 | Police Court
Docket |
1920/04-1920/06 |
105 | Police Court
Docket |
1920/06-1920/07 |
106 | Police Court
Docket |
1920/07-1920/09 |
107 | Police Court
Docket |
1920/09-1920/10 |
108 | Police Court
Docket |
1920/10-1920/12 |
109 | Police Court
Docket |
1920/12-1921/01 |
110 | Police Court
Docket |
1921/01-1921/03 |
111 | Police Court
Docket |
1921/03-1921/04 |
112 | Police Court
Docket |
1921/04-1921/06 |
113 | Police Court
Docket |
1921/06-1921/08 |
114 | Police Court
Docket |
1921/08-1921/09 |
115 | Police Court
Docket |
1921/09-1921/12 |
116 | Police Court
Docket |
1921/11-1922/01 |
117 | Police Court
Docket |
1922/01-1922/03 |
118 | Police Court
Docket |
1922/03-1922/04 |
119 | Police Court
Docket |
1922/04-1922/06 |
120 | Police Court
Docket |
1922/06-1922/07 |
121 | Police Court
Docket |
1922/07-1922/09 |
122 | Police Court
Docket |
1922/09-1922/10 |
123 | Police Court
Docket |
1922/10-1922/12 |
124 | Police Court
Docket |
1922/12-1923/01 |
125 | Police Court
Docket |
1923/01-1923/03 |
126 | Police Court
Docket |
1923/03-1923/04 |
127 | Police Court
Docket |
1923/04-1923/05 |
128 | Police Court
Docket |
1923/05-1923/06 |
129 | Police Court
Docket |
1923/06-1923/08 |
130 | Police Court
Docket |
1923/08-1923/09 |
131 | Police Court
Docket |
1923/09-1923/10 |
132 | Police Court
Docket |
1923/10-1923/10 |
133 | Police Court
Docket |
1923/10-1923/11 |
134 | Police Court
Docket |
1923/11-1923/12 |
135 | Police Court
Docket |
1923/12-1924/02 |
136 | Police Court
Docket |
1924/02-1924/03 |
137 | Police Court
Docket |
1924/03-1924/04 |
138 | Police Court
Docket |
1924/04-1924/05 |
139 | Police Court
Docket |
1924/05-1924/06 |
140 | Police Court
Docket |
1924/06-1924/07 |
141 | Police Court
Docket |
1924/07-1924/09 |
142 | Police Court
Docket |
1924/09-1924/09 |
143 | Police Court
Docket |
1924/09-1924/11 |
144 | Police Court
Docket |
1924/11-1924/12 |
145 | Police Court
Docket |
1924/12-1925/01 |
146 | Police Court
Docket |
1925/01-1925/02 |
147 | Police Court
Docket |
1925/02-1925/03 |
148 | Police Court
Docket |
1925/03-1925/04 |
149 | Police Court
Docket |
1925/04-1925/06 |
150 | Police Court
Docket |
1925/06-1925/07 |
151 | Police Court
Docket |
1925/07-1925/04 |
152 | Police Court
Docket |
1925/04-1925/10 |
153 | Police Court
Docket |
1925/10-1925/10 |
154 | Police Court
Docket |
1925/10-1925/11 |
155 | Police Court
Docket |
1925/11-1925/12 |
156 | Police Court
Docket |
1925/12-1926/01 |
157 | Police Court
Docket |
1926/01-1926/02 |
Reel | ||
1 | Police Court
Dockets |
1926/02-1926/08 |
2 | Police Court
Dockets |
1926/08-1926/12 |
3 | Police Court
Dockets |
1926/12-1927/05 |
5 | Police Court
Dockets |
1927/10-1928/04 |
6 | Police Court
Dockets |
1928/04-1928/11 |
7 | Police Court
Dockets |
1928/11-1929/07 |
8 | Police Court
Dockets |
1929/07-1930/03 |
9 | Police Court
Dockets |
1930/03-1930/11 |
10 | Police Court
Dockets |
1930/11-1931/11 |
11 | Police Court
Dockets |
1931/08-1932/05 |
12 | Police Court
Dockets |
1932/05-1933/03 |
13 | Police Court
Dockets |
1933/03-1933/12 |
14 | Police Court
Dockets |
1933/12-1934/06 |
15 | Police Court
Dockets |
1934/09-1935/03 |
162 | Police Court
Docket |
1927/04-1927/08 |
178 | Police Court
Docket |
1934/11-1935/03 |
179 | Police Court
Docket |
1935/03-1935/12 |
180 | Police Court
Docket |
1935/12-1936/08 |
181 | Police Court
Docket |
1936/08-1937/04 |
182 | Police Court
Docket |
1937/04-1937/11 |
183 | Police Court
Docket |
1937/11-1938/07 |
184 | Police Court
Docket |
1938/07-1939/03 |
185 | Police Court
Docket |
1939/03-1940/02 |
186 | Police Court
Docket |
1940/02-1940/12 |
187 | Police Court
Docket |
1940/12-1941/08 |
188 | Police Court
Docket |
1941/08-1942/03 |
189 | Police Court
Docket |
1942/03-1942/08 |
190 | Police Court
Docket |
1942/08-1943/01 |
191 | Police Court
Docket |
1943/01-1943/06 |
192 | Police Court
Docket |
1943/06-1943/11 |
193 | Police Court
Docket |
1943/11-1944/05 |
194 | Police Court
Docket |
1944/05-1944/10 |
195 | Police Court
Docket |
1944/10-1945/02 |
196 | Police Court
Docket |
1945/02-1945/06 |
197 | Police Court
Docket |
1945/06-1945/10 |
198 | Police Court
Docket |
1945/10-1946/02 |
199 | Police Court
Docket |
1946/02-1946/06 |
200 | Police Court
Docket |
1946/06-1946/11 |
201 | Police Court
Docket |
1946/11-1947/04 |
202 | Police Court
Docket |
1947/04-1947/09 |
203 | Police Court
Docket |
1947/09-1948/01 |
204 | Police Court
Docket |
1948/01-1948/06 |
205 | Police Court
Docket |
1948/06-1948/12 |
206 | Police Court
Docket |
1948/12-1949/05 |
207 | Police Court
Docket |
1949/05-1949/10 |
208 | Police Court
Docket |
1949/10-1950/04 |
209 | Police Court
Docket |
1950/04-1950/09 |
210 | Police Court
Docket |
1950/09-1951/02 |
211 | Police Court
Docket |
1951/02-1951/06 |
212 | Police Court
Docket |
1951/06-1951/11 |
213 | Police Court
Docket |
1951/11-1952/03 |
214 | Police Court
Docket |
1952/03-1952/09 |
215 | Police Court
Docket |
1952/09-1953/02 |
216 | Police Court
Docket |
1953/02-1953/07 |
217 | Police Court
Docket |
1953/07-1954/01 |
218 | Police Court
Docket |
1954/01-1954/07 |
219 | Police Court
Docket |
1954/07-1955/01 |
220 | Police Court
Docket |
1955/01-1955/07 |
221 | Police Court
Docket |
1955/07-1956/01 |
222 | Police Court
Docket |
1956/01-1956/07 |
223 | Police Court
Docket |
1956/07-1956/12 |
5601-02: Police Court General Indexes, 1891-1956Return to Top
Indexes to the Police Court Dockets (5601-01) list the defendant’s name, the volume or docket number in which the case appears, and the page number of the volume. (The first volume lists only the defendant’s name and case number.) Each volume indexes between 3 and 21 dockets; within each index volume defendants are organized by first letter of their last name and then listed in order of their case number.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Volume | ||
No number | General Index Municipal
Court |
1891-1892 |
No number | General Index Municipal
Court |
1893-1902 |
X | General Index |
1902-1907 |
2 | General Index |
1907-1910 |
3 | General Index |
1910-1911 |
4 | General Index |
1911-1914 |
5 | General Index |
1914-1917 |
6 | General Index |
1917-1919 |
7 | General Index |
1919-1921 |
8 | General Index |
1921-1923 |
9 | General Index |
1923 |
10 | General Index |
1923-1925 |
11 | General Index |
1925 |
12 | General Index |
1925-1926 |
13 | General Index |
1926-1927 |
14 | General Index |
1927-1928 |
15 | General Index |
1928-1929 |
16 | General Index |
1929-1931 |
17 | General Index |
1931-1933 |
18 | General Index |
1933-1934 |
19 | General Index |
1934-1936 |
20 | General Index |
1936-1938 |
21 | General Index |
1938-1941 |
22 | General Index |
1941-1942 |
23 | General Index |
1942-1943 |
24 | General Index |
1944-1945 |
25 | General Index |
1945-1946 |
26 | General Index |
1946-1947 |
27 | General Index |
1947-1949 |
28 | General Index |
1949-1951 |
29 | General Index |
1951 |
30 | General Index |
1952 |
31 | General Index |
1953 |
32 | General Index |
1954 |
33 | General Index |
1955 |
34 | General Index |
1956 |
5601-03: Minute Books, 1894-1911Return to Top
This series contains summary information of cases heard in Police Court and corresponds to the Police Court Dockets (5601-01). It was probably used to compute the final costs related to the cases. Includes date, case number corresponding to Police Court Docket case number, name of defendant, offense, names of attorneys, names of witnesses, plea, and judgment. Cases that were continued for two or more days have listings for each day they came before the judge. This record was compiled by the clerk of the court.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Volume | ||
1 | Minute Book |
1894/05-1894/12 |
2 | Minute Book, Municipal
Court |
1894/12-1895/09 |
3 | Minute Book, Municipal
Court |
1895/11-1897/04 |
4 | Minute Book, Municipal
Court |
1897/04-1898/07 |
5 | Minute Book, Municipal
Court |
1898/07-1899/09 |
6 | Minute Book, Police
Court |
1899/09-1900/08 |
7 | Minute Book, Police
Court |
1900/08-1901/07 |
8 | Minute Book, Police
Court |
1901/07-1902/10 |
9 | Minute Book, Police
Court |
1902/11-1904/06 |
10 | Minute Book, Police
Court |
1904/06-1906/01 |
11 | Minute Book, Police
Court |
1906/01-1907/03 |
12 | Minute Book, Police
Court |
1907/03-1908/02 |
13 | Minute Book, Police
Court |
1908/02-1909/04 |
14 | Minute Book, Police
Court |
1909/04-1910/08 |
15 | Minute Book, Police
Court |
1910/08-1911/02 |
5601-04: Police Judge’s Journal, 1897-1920Return to Top
This is a log of cases heard in Police Court and corresponds to the Police Court Dockets (5601-01). It includes summary information: date, name of defendant, offense, bail, plea, names of prosecution witnesses, and judgment. Beginning with Volume 5, the entries include a “sheet number” which corresponds to the “blotter number” in the Police Court Dockets. The Police Judge’s Journal does not include case numbers as found in the Dockets. This series appears to be a daily record maintained by the Judge during the course of hearings and trials. Cases that were continued for two or more days have listings for each day they came before the judge.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Volume | ||
No number | Municipal Judge's
Docket |
1897/03-1898/01 |
No number | Police Judge's
Docket |
1898/01-1898/10 |
No number | Police Judge's
Docket |
1898/10-1899/10 |
No number | Police Judge's
Journal |
1899/10-1901/01 |
No number | Police Judge's
Journal |
1901/01-1902/08 |
No number | Police Judge's
Journal |
1902/08-1904/08 |
No number | Police Judge's
Journal |
1904/08-1906/08 |
No number | Police Judge's
Journal |
1906/08-1907/11 |
2 | Police Judge's
Journal |
1907/11-1908/12 |
3 | Police Judge's
Journal |
1908/12-1910/03 |
4 | Police Judge's
Journal |
1910/03-1911/03 |
5 | Police Judge's
Journal |
1911/03-1912/11 |
6 | Police Judge's
Journal |
1912/11-1914/02 |
7 | Police Judge's
Journal |
1914/02-1915/05 |
8 | Police Judge's
Journal |
1915/05-1917/01 |
9 | Police Judge's
Journal |
1917/01-1918/06 |
10 | Police Judge's
Journal |
1918/06-1919/08 |
11 | Police Judge's
Journal |
1919/08-1920/05 |
12 | Police Judge's
Journal |
1920/05-1920/07 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Crime--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Law enforcement--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Municipal courts--Washington (State)--Seattle
Geographical Names
- Seattle (Wash.)
Form or Genre Terms
- Court records--Washington (State)--Seattle