Skip to main content
King County logo
  1. Juvenile Court
  2. FAQ

Juvenile Court - Frequently Asked Questions

 

The letter will give you either a number to call or a date and time to appear in court for your first hearing.  If you have any questions, please call Court Operations at (206) 263-5719.​

If your child has been arrested and brought to detention, a juvenile court services counselor will call you to discuss the situation. If you have any questions, please call Screening at (206) 263-9595. ​

 

Your attorney or Juvenile Probation Counselor are the best people to discuss the situation with. If you do not have contact information for your attorney or Juvenile Probation Counselor, please contact Court Operations at (206) 263-5719.  


  • If you are experiencing family violence, contact Family Intervention and Restorative Services (click HERE for FIRS): (206) 263-9001 or Step-Up: (206) 477-2071 (click HERE for Step-Up).​
  • If you need assistance and support from the court to maintain the care, custody, and control of your child, contact At-risk Youth (ARY): (206) 477-4946 (click HERE for ARY).​
  • For connections to housing, education and training, public health, and behavioral and mental health resources, contact the Resource Center: (206) 263-8634 (click HERE for the Resource Center).
  • For a child who has been abandoned, abused or neglected, or whose guardian is incapable of providing adequate care, contact Dependency: (206) 477-4245 (click HERE for Dependency).
  • For advocates for children involved in legal proceedings due to abuse or neglect, contact Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA): (206) 477-4245 (click HERE for CASA).
  • For the safety and support of commercially sexually exploited children, contact CSEC: (206) 477-3114 (click HERE for CSEC).
  • For teens experiencing bullying, drug and alcohol concerns, relationship challenges, stress, depression or any other issues, contact Teenlink: (click HERE for Teenlink).

To visit the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center webpage click HERE.

Bring any court documents you may have received, which could include your court order, court summons, or any letters from the court.  For any additional information please reach out to your Juvenile Probation Counselor or contact Administrative Support at (206) 477-3066.​


Hazardous (those that can cause harm to others, including weapons of any kind) and illegal materials are not allowed in the courthouse The King County Sheriff’s Office provides security screening for at the front door of the Clark Children and Family Justice Center for these materials.​


To find out when your hearing is scheduled, you should contact:​

  • Your Juvenile Probation Counselor (JPC), if you already have a JPC; or​
  • Your attorney, if you already have an attorney assigned to the case; or​
  • Call Court Operations at (206) 263-5719.

These Department of Licensing websites include information about how to get your license back once the period of suspension is complete: ​

For more information about how to petition the court to reinstate your driver’s license, please contact Court Operations at (206) 263-5719.​

 

A travel permit from a Juvenile Probation Counselor is required for youth on probation who would like to leave the state for more than 48 hours (2 days.) Youth who are on probation for a “sex-related offense”, an offense that "resulted in personal injury or death," or an offense committed with a weapon may not leave the state for any period of time without a travel permit issued by a Juvenile Probation Counselor. ​

​

Washington is a signatory to the Interstate Compact for Juveniles, which establishes the legal guidance for interstate travel (see RCW 13.24.) A complete listing of all Interstate Compact Rules can be found on the Interstate Commission for Juveniles website.


A person who has been the subject of criminal charges in Juvenile Court may file a motion asking the court to seal their court file, if the person meets certain requirements. Sealing a court record does not necessarily affect the records maintained by law enforcement agencies, other government offices, or private concerns. Requests concerning those records must be made directly to those organizations. ​

​

If you would like to ask the court to seal your court file, please read the following materials:​

 

 

 

  • If you would like help with sealing juvenile records or other juvenile court related issues, please click HERE to review a flyer from the King County Department of Public Defense.

Please read the following: Juvenile Court Payment Instructions.