The Twentieth Edition of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the basic citation resource for Washington appellate court opinions, except as set forth in the Style Sheet.
Washington cases are reported in the following reporters:
Supreme Court: Washington Reports, Washington Reports 2d.
Court of Appeals: Washington Appellate Reports
When citing Washington cases to Washington courts, follow the Reporter of Decisions Style Sheet, which uses different abbreviations for Washington court reports:
The Washington Courts website has searchable docket information for municipal, district, superior and appellate court cases. These dockets do not allow you to access the complete court file or pleadings but are a good tool for initial research. To obtain a court file, contact the clerk of the relevant court.
If your case is in Seattle Municipal Court, check their court records database for more detailed information. You can look cases up by Attorney, Defendant, Case Number or Citation Number. This is also a good source to check when you are doing a criminal background check.
Westlaw and Lexis have some Washington state court briefs, but before you pay for a brief, check to see if it is available for free at the Washington State Courts website.
In addition to Washington Practice, the WSBA Deskbooks, and Washington Lawyer's Practice Manual, forms are also available at:
You can access the Washington Pattern Jury Instructions (civil and criminal) through subscription databases, or for free.
