Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 2.32.050 (2026)

Powers and duties of court clerks

✓ current as of May 2026

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The clerk of the supreme court, each clerk of the court of appeals, and each clerk of a superior court, has power to take and certify the proof and acknowledgment of a conveyance of real property, or any other written instrument authorized or required to be proved or acknowledged, and to administer oaths in every case when authorized by law; and it is the duty of the clerk of the supreme court, each clerk of the court of appeals, and of each county clerk for each of the courts for which he or she is clerk:

(1) To keep the seal of the court and affix it in all cases where he or she is required by law;

(2) To record the proceedings of the court;

(3) To keep the records, files, and other books and papers appertaining to the court;

(4) To file all papers delivered to him or her for that purpose in any action or proceeding in the court as directed by court rule or statute;

(5) To attend, either in person or electronically if the proceeding is virtual, the court of which he or she is clerk, to administer oaths, and receive the verdict of a jury in any action or proceeding therein, in the presence and under the direction of the court;

(6) To keep the minutes of the proceedings of the court, and, under the direction of the court, to enter its orders, judgments, and decrees;

(7) To authenticate by certificate or transcript, as may be required, the records, files, or proceedings of the court, or any other paper appertaining thereto and filed with him or her;

(8) To exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred and imposed upon him or her elsewhere by statute;

(9) In the performance of his or her duties to conform to the direction of the court;

(10) To publish notice of the procedures for inspection of the public records of the court.

[ 2021 c 122 s 2; 2017 c 183 s 1; 2011 c 336 s 45; 1981 c 277 s 1; 1971 c 81 s 12; 1891 c 57 s 3; RRS s 77. Prior: Code 1881 ss 2180, 2182, 2184.]

Notes:

Rules of court: SAR 16.

Finding—Intent—2021 c 122: "The legislature finds that the ability of county elected officials to fulfill their statutory responsibilities through continued conduct of essential functions and services during the current COVID-19 pandemic and potential future public health crises requires updating, and at times temporary waiver, of these requirements in statute. The legislature intends to update the manner in which services may be provided; maintaining access and opportunity. In addition, the legislature intends to clarify the conditions under which waiver or suspension of specific statutes may be assumed by county elected officials in order to eliminate temporary barriers to continuity of operations." [ 2021 c 122 s 1.]

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 15 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1972–2022 · leading case: Nast v. Michels, 730 P.2d 54 (Wash. 1986).

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Nast v. Michels, 730 P.2d 54 (Wash. 1986). · cites it 4× “See RCW 2.32.050(10). It is precisely because they are deemed public records that the common law provides access to them.”

Riddle v. Elofson, 439 P.3d 647 (Wash. 2019). “030 (county clerk is elected by the qualified voters of the county); RCW 2.32.050 (powers and duties of clerks).”

Gronquist v. Dep't of Licensing, 309 P.3d 538 (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). “We recognize that RCW 2.32.050(4) requires the superior court clerk to “file all papers delivered to him or her .”

State v. Flaherty, 296 P.3d 904 (Wash. 2013). · cites it 2× “” RCW 2.32.050(4). No petition or motion for collateral attack on a criminal judgment and sentence “may be filed” more than one year after the judgment becomes final if the judgment and sentence is valid on its face and was rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction.”

State Ex Rel. Henderson v. Woods, 865 P.2d 33 (Wash. Ct. App. 1994). “" RCW 2.32.050(2). Here, not only are we lacking a verbatim report of proceedings, we do not even have a summary of the witnesses' testimony.”

State v. Stephens, 500 P.2d 1262 (Wash. Ct. App. 1972). “RCW 2.32.050. In State v. Price, 59 Wn.2d 788, 792 , 370 P.”

Judges of Benton & Franklin Counties v. Killian (Wash. 2020). · cites it 4× “See RCW 2.32.050(3) (stating that the clerk must “keep the records, files, and other books and papers appertaining to the court”); see also RCW 36.”

State of Washington v. Jason D. Waits, 502 P.3d 878 (Wash. Ct. App. 2022). “, RCW 2.32.050(2). In terms of best practices, anytime a court audio records a hearing or trial a member of the court’s staff should periodically check the recording to ensure all participants are adequately picked 4 This court is not sure what counsel means by the term “remand.”

In re Recall of Riddle (Wash. 2017). · cites it 2× “94788-1 court are set forth in RCW 2.32.050 and, for Yakima County specifically, LAR 3 and 7 through 10.”

State Of Washington v. Calvin Norman Rouse, Jr. (Wash. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 2× “And Rouse provides no other authority for the proposition that a superior court clerk has a duty to correct an alleged error in a judgment and sentence.”

In re Recall of Riddle (Wash. 2017). · cites it 2× “94788-1 court are set forth in RCW 2.32.050 and, for Yakima County specifically, LAR 3 and 7 through 10.”

Show all 15 citing cases →

— Wash. Rev. Code § 2.32.050(10) — 1 case

Nast v. Michels, 730 P.2d 54 (Wash. 1986). “See RCW 2.32.050(10). It is precisely because they are deemed public records that the common law provides access to them.”

— Wash. Rev. Code § 2.32.050(2) — 2 cases

— Wash. Rev. Code § 2.32.050(3) — 1 case

Judges of Benton & Franklin Counties v. Killian (Wash. 2020). “See RCW 2.32.050(3) (stating that the clerk must “keep the records, files, and other books and papers appertaining to the court”); see also RCW 36.”

— Wash. Rev. Code § 2.32.050(4) — 5 cases

Gronquist v. Dep't of Licensing, 309 P.3d 538 (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). “We recognize that RCW 2.32.050(4) requires the superior court clerk to “file all papers delivered to him or her .”

State v. Flaherty, 296 P.3d 904 (Wash. 2013). “” RCW 2.32.050(4). No petition or motion for collateral attack on a criminal judgment and sentence “may be filed” more than one year after the judgment becomes final if the judgment and sentence is valid on its face and was rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction.”

State v. Flaherty (Wash. 2013).

State v. Flaherty, 271 P.3d 371 (Wash. Ct. App. 2012).

— Wash. Rev. Code § 2.32.050(6) — 1 case

— Wash. Rev. Code § 2.32.050(9) — 5 cases

In re Recall of Riddle (Wash. 2017). “94788-1 court are set forth in RCW 2.32.050 and, for Yakima County specifically, LAR 3 and 7 through 10.”

State of Washington v. Paul John Yaskanich (Wash. Ct. App. 2022).

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