The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington serves over 5.3 million citizens in 19 counties, spanning from the Oregon border to Canada.

The district includes courthouses in Seattle and Tacoma, which house Clerk’s Office staff, U.S. probation and pretrial services, and 22 judicial officers. One part-time magistrate judge holds hearings monthly in Bellingham, primarily for citations issued on federal property, including federal parks.

The Public Information Officer for the court is the District Court Executive/Clerk of Court, Ravi Subramanian. He may be reached at (206) 370-8460.

Court Resources for the Media

• 9th Circuit Courts & Community Committee
  The committee promotes public and media engagement with the court via special events and online resources.
• Cameras in the Courtroom
  Find information on the pilot project, including how to request certain civil proceedings be recorded.
• Copy Requests
• Court Calendars
  Weekly calendars for district and magistrate judges in Seattle and Tacoma.
• Court's Policy on Photographs and Recordings (PDF)
  View the General Order regarding use of cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices.
• PACER
  Register to access electronic court records from federal courts nationwide.
• Pilot Program re Applications and Orders for Pen Registers and Trap and Trace Devices and re 2703(d)
• Special Case Notices
  Information and select documents for significant cases in this district.
• Special Mailing Group (SMG)
  Register to receive Notices of Electronic Filing (NEF) in particular cases, using PACER to view documents

Additional Resources

• A Journalist's Guide to the Federal Courts
• Court Coverage Tutorial: Everything a reporter needs to know to cover the Ninth Circuit
• Federal Judiciary News Releases
• Statistical Data on the Federal Judiciary