Chelan County Divorce Decree

Chelan County divorce decree records are kept by the Superior Court Clerk at the Chelan County Courthouse in Wenatchee. Dissolution case files go back to the 1880s and are held permanently by the Clerk. You can search for a divorce decree in person at the courthouse, make a mail request, or use the statewide Odyssey Portal to look up case information online. A courthouse facilitator is available Monday through Thursday to help self-represented litigants with forms and procedures. The filing fee for a new dissolution in Chelan County is $364.00 as of 2026. Call the Clerk at (509) 667-6380 with questions.

Chelan County Superior Court Clerk

The Chelan County Superior Court Clerk is the official record keeper for all dissolution cases filed in the county. The office is in the Chelan County Courthouse at 350 Orondo Avenue in Wenatchee. The Clerk maintains all court case files, issues certified copies of decrees, and processes records requests from the public. The courthouse also houses a public law library with public access terminals on the second floor, which can help with case research.

Chelan County covers a large geographic area in north-central Washington. It includes Wenatchee, East Wenatchee (which is in Douglas County), Lake Chelan, and the Cashmere and Leavenworth areas. If you live anywhere in Chelan County, your dissolution is filed at the Wenatchee courthouse. The Clerk's office handles records from residents across the county, not just from Wenatchee proper.

Records date back to approximately the 1880s. Older historical case files are also available through the Washington State Digital Archives at the Central Regional Branch. You can contact the archives by phone at (509) 963-2136 or by email at cebrancharchives@sos.wa.gov.

Find a Chelan County Divorce Decree

You can look up Chelan County dissolution records in person, by mail, or online. In person is the most direct route. Visit the courthouse at 350 Orondo Avenue in Wenatchee during business hours. Staff can search by party name or case number and provide copies. You can also view a case file at no charge. Copies carry a fee.

For online access, use the statewide Odyssey Portal to look up Chelan County cases. This system covers most Washington counties and allows searches by party name, case number, or attorney. You can view case status, docket entries, and basic case information. The portal does not give you the full documents but confirms whether a case exists and its current status.

The public law library on the second floor of the Chelan County Courthouse at (509) 667-6380 has public access computer terminals available for case searching. This is a free option if you want to research while at the courthouse.

For historical records from before the Odyssey era, the Washington State Digital Archives holds Chelan County Superior Court case files going back many decades. The Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg handles this collection and can be reached at (509) 963-2136 or cebrancharchives@sos.wa.gov.

The Washington State Courts directory provides contact information and jurisdiction details for the Chelan County Superior Court.

Chelan County Divorce Decree Copy Fees

The Chelan County Clerk charges $5.00 certification fee per document plus $0.50 per page for standard copies. Non-certified copies run $0.50 per page. Exemplified copies, which are needed for use in courts or agencies outside Washington, carry a $6.00 exemplification fee in addition to the copy rate. Search fees may apply for extensive searches where no case number is provided.

The filing fee for a new dissolution petition in Chelan County is $364.00. This covers the various state and county surcharges included in the filing fee structure under Washington law. If both spouses agree on all terms, you can file an agreed dissolution without a contested hearing. That tends to reduce total costs compared to a litigated case.

For divorce certificates rather than full decrees, the Washington State Department of Health charges $25 per certified copy for records from 1968 to the present. Pre-1968 records are only at the county level. Call the Chelan County Clerk to request older records.

Note: Fee waivers are available for those who cannot pay. Ask the Clerk for the fee waiver form or find it at courts.wa.gov/forms.

Filing a Dissolution in Chelan County

Dissolution of marriage in Chelan County is governed by RCW Chapter 26.09. You file the Petition for Dissolution and a Summons at the Chelan County Superior Court Clerk's office. Washington is a no-fault state. The only required ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. No proof of fault is needed. Either party can file.

Under RCW 26.09.030, at least one spouse must be a Washington resident or a military member stationed in the state. After the petition is filed and the respondent is served, the mandatory 90-day waiting period begins. Washington does not allow courts to waive this period. The minimum time from filing to finalization is 90 days.

If children are involved, both parents must complete a court-approved Parenting Stabilization Class before the dissolution can be finalized. This is a 4-hour seminar. Parents must file a Certificate of Completion with the Clerk. This requirement applies in Chelan County to any dissolution involving minor children. The seminar is available through approved providers in the county.

A courthouse facilitator is available at the Chelan County Courthouse Monday through Thursday. Sessions cost $25 per 30 minutes. The facilitator can review your forms and provide procedural guidance. This is not legal advice, but it helps self-represented litigants avoid mistakes that can delay their case. All approved dissolution forms are available at courts.wa.gov/forms.

Property division in Washington follows community property law. Under RCW 26.09, the court divides community property in a just and equitable manner. Assets acquired during the marriage are generally community property. Inheritances and gifts kept separate are not. The court also considers the economic circumstances of each spouse when dividing assets.

What Is in a Chelan County Divorce Decree

A Chelan County divorce decree is the court order that formally ends the marriage. It is signed by a Superior Court judge after both parties agree or after a court proceeding. The decree spells out all legal obligations and rights going forward. Once entered, it is binding and permanent.

A typical dissolution decree in Chelan County includes: the names of both spouses, the date of marriage, the date the decree was entered, property and debt division terms, spousal maintenance if ordered, a parenting plan and residential schedule if children are involved, and child support amounts. Financial declarations and supporting documents filed during the case are also part of the court file at the Clerk's office.

Most dissolution records are public. You do not need to be a party to request copies. Sealed documents or records involving minors may have access restrictions. The Clerk will advise you if a record has any limitations. Certified copies are available by in-person visit, mail, or by contacting the Clerk at (509) 667-6380.

Note: Vital records law under RCW 70.58A applies to the DOH's divorce certificate. The actual court decree held by the Chelan County Clerk is governed by court record access rules rather than vital records statutes.

Legal Help for Chelan County Residents

The Northwest Justice Project offers free legal help to low-income Chelan County residents on family law matters including dissolution. Call their CLEAR line at 1-888-201-1014 or check their site at nwjustice.org for eligibility and services. The WashingtonLawHelp.org website has step-by-step guides for handling your own dissolution.

Court-approved forms for Washington dissolution cases are at courts.wa.gov/forms. These are required for all dissolution filings. The courthouse facilitator at Chelan County Courthouse can help you review your forms for a $25 fee per 30 minutes, available Monday through Thursday. For attorneys, use the Washington State Bar Association directory at wsba.org to find a family law attorney serving Chelan County.

Cities in Chelan County

Chelan County spans a broad area of north-central Washington. All dissolution cases from communities across the county go through the Superior Court Clerk in Wenatchee.

Other communities in Chelan County include Cashmere, Leavenworth, Chelan, Entiat, and Waterville. Dissolution filings for all of these go through the Chelan County Superior Court in Wenatchee.

Nearby Counties

Chelan County is surrounded by several other central and eastern Washington counties. Check the county of residence at the time of filing if searching for an older case.