Thurston County, Washington

The content on the Thurston County website is currently provided in English. We are providing the “Translation” for approximately 10 languages. The goal of the translation is to provide visitors with limited English proficiency to access information on the website in other languages. The translations do not translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. The translations are made through an automated process, which may not result in accurate or precise translations, particularly of technical and legal terminology.
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Thurston County Washington

Prosecuting Attorney

Media Information

One of the foundational values of the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is transparency. It is our goal to keep our community informed about high-profile court cases, legal decisions, office policies, and issues related to public safety in Thurston County. To help ensure the community that we serve is well-informed, our office strives to provide members of the media with timely, accurate, consistent, and comprehensive information.

Attending & Recording Court Proceedings

Important Information: Media Recording in the Courtroom

  • Under General Rule 16, journalists must request permission from the presiding judge at the start of a hearing.
  • Email the Public Information Officer (PIO) in advance so the Court is aware of your presence.
  • Be prepared to appear before the judge and explain your request, including whether you want to record the Court’s online livestream.
  • No video or audio recording is allowed until the judge has granted explicit approval.
  • Judges may require media outlets to pool footage to reduce courtroom congestion. Many outlets choose to coordinate with each other in advance.
  • Please see the sections below for specific details about attending and recording in Superior and District Courts.

 

Superior Court

  • Observe Virtual Hearings: Join Superior Court Hearings

    • Recording: To request permission to record virtual Superior Court proceedings, include your name and media outlet in your participant name. This lets the judge know you are a media representative and initiates the process for requesting permission to record or photograph portions of the hearing.
    • Note: If there isn't a virtual option to attend a proceeding, such as a trial, you must be present in the courtroom to make the request. 

  • Attend In-Person Hearings (Building 2): Check Courtroom Assignments

    • A display board at the entrance of Building 2 lists all the hearings taking place that day, along with the time and courtroom location. Occasionally, trials may take place in Chandler Court, located just a few blocks away from the main courthouse campus at 2404 Chandler Court SW, Olympia, WA 98502.
    • Recording: To request permission to record a hearing, you must identify yourself as a member of the media and make the request to the judge in court before the matter is heard. 

 

District Court

  • Observe Virtual Hearings: Observe District Court Hearings

  • Attend In-Person Hearings (Building 3): 

    • A display board at the entrance of Building 3 lists all the hearings taking place that day, along with the time and courtroom location.
      • Recording: To request permission to record a hearing, you must identify yourself as a member of the media and make the request to the judge in court before the matter is heard. 

Requesting Court Documents or Hearing Details 

Media can directly request the following by emailing the Public Information Officer: 

  • Case Number
  • Probable Cause Statement
  • Charge Information
  • Upcoming Hearing Details
  • Hearing Outcomes 

To request other court documents, email the Clerk's Office or submit a Public Records Request. 

The Odyssey Portal provides information related to:

  • Criminal case attorneys, charges, calendars and hearings
  • Civil case parties, attorneys, calendars and hearings

Note: All Juvenile Court records are confidential. Journalists may petition the court to release juvenile court documents.

 

Questions for an Attorney or Requests for Interviews

All media questions or requests for comments or interviews should be routed to the Public Information Officer. 

 

Receiving press releases

If you’re interested in receiving press releases, email the Public Information Officer with a request to be added to the distribution list. All press releases are posted online in the News Releases section of our webpage.

 

Pronunciation of Staff Names 

  • Filak: Fee-lack
  • Kitmacher: Kit-mah-ker
  • Leddige: Led-uh-ghee
  • Rochford: Rotch-ferd
  • Tsehlana: Set-lah-na
  • Tunheim: Toon-hime
  • Zhou: Zoh