Where Your Washington DUI Case Will Be Heard

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Two things decide almost everything about the first month of a Washington DUI case: which courthouse your case lands in, and whether you personally have to stand in it.

Neither answer is obvious. Washington has 39 counties and hundreds of courts of limited jurisdiction, and where your case goes depends less on where you live than on which agency stopped you and whether that happened inside a city's limits. A DUI on the highway outside Shelton and a DUI on Railroad Avenue in Shelton go to two different courts with two different prosecutors.

The second question surprises people more. Since a statewide rule change in July 2024, whether you can appear by video at your arraignment is left to each individual court. The result is that Washington courts now sit all over the map. Some let you appear from your kitchen. Some require you in the room. One county requires your attorney in the room too.

Below is what actually happens in each of the ten counties this firm covers.

The rule underneath all of it

Washington's rule for misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor courts, CrRLJ 3.4, was rewritten effective July 9, 2024. It now says a defendant's “physical appearance (or remote appearance in the court's discretion)” is required at arraignment.

That phrase in parentheses is why this page exists. The state rule does not decide whether you can use Zoom. It hands that decision to each court, one at a time. So the answer genuinely differs depending on which side of a county line you were stopped on.

One thing that does not vary: a DUI arraignment is not a hearing your lawyer can simply attend without you. In most Washington courts a represented defendant can waive appearance for routine misdemeanors. DUI is commonly carved out of that. Expect to participate, whether that means driving there or logging in.

County by County

Where your case goes, and whether you have to be there

Thurston County

Video accepted

Olympia · Lacey · Tumwater · Yelm · Rainier · Tenino · Bucoda

Which court: Thurston County District Court, 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Building 3, Olympia. Note a recent change: Olympia Municipal Court closed in early 2026 and its cases moved here, so an Olympia DUI is now a district court case. Lacey, Tumwater, Rainier, Tenino and Bucoda have always been heard here. Yelm runs its own court on McKenzie Avenue, though Yelm jury trials are held in Olympia.
Do you have to appear: Yes, but a video appearance counts. The court publishes Zoom access for all five courtrooms. Your appearance at a DUI arraignment cannot simply be waived through counsel the way it can for lighter charges, but satisfying it from a screen is permitted. Yelm Municipal Court, by contrast, wants you in person.
Treatment court: Thurston is one of the few counties with a program that names DUI outright. The Superior Court DUI/Drug Court is open to adult DUI offenders whose crime is related to or caused by drug or alcohol addiction, as an alternative to jail.
Worth knowing: A local rule holds someone arrested for DUI without bail until their first appearance if they have qualifying prior offenses. That is a rule about the first night, and it is a reason to call before that hearing rather than after.

Pierce County

Depends on the city

Tacoma · Lakewood · Puyallup · Bonney Lake · Gig Harbor · Fife · Sumner · Spanaway · Parkland · Graham

Which court: The most fragmented county in the region. Eleven separate municipal courts operate here, and which one you land in is decided by city limits. Tacoma, Lakewood (which also hears Steilacoom and DuPont), Puyallup (also Milton), Bonney Lake (also Sumner), Fife, Fircrest (also Ruston), Gig Harbor, Buckley, Orting, Roy and Wilkeson all run their own. If you were stopped in unincorporated Pierce County, including Spanaway, Parkland or Graham, your case goes to Pierce County District Court at 930 Tacoma Avenue South.
Do you have to appear: It depends which court. Tacoma Municipal Court expressly permits arraignment by video conference under a rule it adopted in 2026, and treats you as consenting unless you object on the record. Pierce County District Court runs virtual hearings only where a case has already been set that way.
Treatment court: No DUI-specific program, but Pierce County District Court runs a Veterans Treatment Court and a Mental Health Court, and DUI cases do get in.

Kitsap County

In person for DUI

Bremerton · Silverdale · Port Orchard · Poulsbo · Bainbridge Island · Kingston

Which court: All four incorporated cities run their own courts: Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo and Bainbridge Island. Everywhere else, including Silverdale and Kingston, goes to Kitsap County District Court at 614 Division Street in Port Orchard.
Do you have to appear: This one catches people out. Kitsap County District Court runs full Zoom courtrooms and tells parties they generally should appear remotely. DUI is the exception. The out-of-custody DUI calendar requires in-person appearance, and so does every arraignment. Video is available later in the case for pretrial hearings that are not resolving anything, for sentencing, and for compliance reviews. Bainbridge Island Municipal Court is the opposite and permits video for all proceedings.
Treatment court: No DUI-specific court, but Kitsap runs Behavioral Health, Veterans, Drug and Felony Diversion courts, and DUI clients do get placed. Entry runs through the Prosecuting Attorney's office, which controls consent.

Mason County

Arraignment in person

Shelton · Belfair · Allyn · Union · Hoodsport · Matlock

Which court: Shelton is the only incorporated city in Mason County, so it is the only one with a municipal court. Roughly eight in ten Mason County residents live in unincorporated areas, which means most Mason County DUI cases go to Mason County District Court at 414 West Franklin Street in Shelton.
Do you have to appear: Yes. The local rule is unusually blunt: arraignments on criminal cases shall always be in person unless the presiding judge orders otherwise. Zoom for other criminal hearings has to be authorized by the judge in advance. Shelton Municipal Court does not publish its Zoom information at all; access is by request.
Treatment court: Mason runs a Veterans Court, but a district court case has to be transferred up to Superior Court before it can be considered, which is a real procedural step rather than a formality.
Worth knowing: Mason County District Court is closing to the public at 2:00 p.m. on Fridays through the end of 2026 while it migrates case management systems. It affects scheduling more than outcomes, but it is worth knowing before you drive there on a Friday afternoon.

Lewis County

No video anywhere

Centralia · Chehalis · Napavine · Winlock · Morton · Mossyrock · Toledo · Vader · Pe Ell

Which court: Centralia, Chehalis, Napavine and Winlock each run their own court. Morton and Mossyrock cases are heard in Napavine, Toledo in Winlock, and Pe Ell and Vader at Lewis County District Court in the Law and Justice Center at 345 West Main Street, Chehalis, along with everything from unincorporated parts of the county.
Do you have to appear: Yes, everywhere, at every level. Lewis County District Court stopped allowing video appearances entirely in February 2024. Chehalis and Napavine both ended theirs in January 2026, and Centralia has followed. If your case is in Lewis County, plan on being physically present. Superior Court still allows some video for scheduling and omnibus hearings, but requires you there for arraignment, trial, plea and sentencing.
Treatment court: Lewis County runs Drug, Mental Health and Family Recovery courts through Superior Court, but publishes no eligibility criteria, and there is no DUI-specific program. Whether a DUI fits is a question to ask, not to assume.
Worth knowing: Two local rules bite harder here than elsewhere. A DUI arrest means being held without bail until first appearance. And a presentence report is automatically ordered on every DUI conviction, which lengthens the back half of the case.

Grays Harbor County

Everyone in person

Aberdeen · Hoquiam · Montesano · Ocean Shores · Westport · Elma · Cosmopolis · Oakville

Which court: Grays Harbor has eight independent municipal courts, more than any county its size in the region, so the city you were stopped in matters a great deal. If your case is not a city case, it goes to Grays Harbor County District Court 1 in Montesano, at 102 West Broadway Avenue. That distinction is easy to get wrong: the Aberdeen courthouse handles civil matters and infractions, while criminal cases are heard in Montesano.
Do you have to appear: Yes, and so does your lawyer. The district court's rule is that you may not appear by Zoom for an arraignment or a jury confirmation hearing, and that restriction reaches counsel as well as defendants. A Grays Harbor DUI arraignment is a trip to Montesano for both of you. Aberdeen Municipal Court runs the other way entirely and authorizes remote appearance for all hearings unless a judge orders otherwise. Hoquiam allows video only for out-of-state defendants or unusual circumstances, with two weeks notice.
Treatment court: Grays Harbor runs a genuine DUI Therapeutic Court through the district court, aimed at second and subsequent offenses where there is a moderate to severe substance use disorder. It requires frequent in-person appointments, so it is a commitment rather than a shortcut.

Cowlitz County

Video encouraged

Longview · Kelso · Kalama · Woodland · Castle Rock

Which court: The simplest county on this list. Cowlitz has no municipal courts at all. Longview, Kelso, Kalama, Woodland and Castle Rock all route to Cowlitz County District Court at 312 SW 1st Avenue in Kelso. One courthouse, one calendar, the entire county's DUI docket.
Do you have to appear: Less often than anywhere else covered here. The court states that for most matters appearing by video is highly encouraged, and its local rule permits video conference for trial proceedings including entry of a guilty plea. Attorneys are expected to appear by video rather than telephone. There is also a local rule worth knowing: appointing counsel eliminates the need for a further arraignment.
Treatment court: Be aware of a limit here. Cowlitz County Drug Court expressly excludes DUI cases, along with violent and sex offenses. A Mental Health Court exists, but Cowlitz has no verifiable therapeutic path built for a DUI charge.

Clark County

Arraignment in person

Vancouver · Battle Ground · Camas · Washougal · Ridgefield · La Center

Which court: Vancouver, despite being the largest city in the county, has no municipal court. Vancouver DUI cases are filed by the city attorney in Clark County District Court at 210 East 13th Street. Battle Ground Municipal Court hears its own cases and also covers Ridgefield and La Center. Camas and Washougal share a court in Washougal.
Do you have to appear: For arraignment, yes. Clark County District Court splits its calendars deliberately: arraignment, readiness, trial, change of plea and sentencing are all in person, while mandatory pretrial hearings earlier in the day are remote. Battle Ground is in person as well.
Treatment court: Clark runs a dedicated DUI Court, a minimum twelve month program in four phases. It requires being a Clark County resident throughout, and two or more alcohol-related driving offenses. Anyone with fewer is routed to the Treatment Alternative Court instead.

King County

In person for DUI

Seattle · Bellevue · Kent · Renton · Federal Way · Auburn · Kirkland · Redmond

Which court: King County has both the most municipal courts and the most cities without one. Seattle, Kent, Renton, Federal Way, Kirkland, Bothell, Des Moines, Tukwila, SeaTac, Mercer Island, Issaquah, Enumclaw and others run their own. But Bellevue, Redmond, Auburn, Shoreline, Burien, Covington, Sammamish and Kenmore have no municipal court, and those cases go to one of the three divisions of King County District Court, spread across nine locations.
Do you have to appear: For DUI, yes. King County District Court's East Division, which covers Bellevue, Issaquah and Redmond, requires all parties in person for arraignment on DUI and domestic violence cases specifically, and in person for trials, pleas and sentencing. King County Superior Court, which handles felony DUI, requires you in person for arraignment unless it approves a virtual appearance in advance.
Treatment court: Among the strongest options anywhere in the state. The Regional Veterans Court and Regional Mental Health Court, both run through the district court, expressly provide compliance monitoring of up to 60 months on DUI cases. DUI is squarely in scope rather than tolerated at the margins.

Snohomish County

Depends on the court

Everett · Lynnwood · Marysville · Edmonds · Monroe · Lake Stevens · Mukilteo

Which court: Everett, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Marysville and Monroe run their own courts, and Lake Stevens cases are heard in Marysville. Everything else goes to one of four divisions of Snohomish County District Court: Everett, Cascade in Arlington, Evergreen in Monroe, and South in Lynnwood.
Do you have to appear: Everett Municipal Court is the clearest example on this page of DUI being singled out. It permits arraignment by video generally, then names the exceptions: anyone charged with DUI, driving under 21 after consuming, or physical control must appear personally before the Court for arraignment. Lynnwood requires in person for arraignment, sentencing and jury trial. Snohomish County Superior Court runs the other way, treating arraignment as presumptively remote unless the State is seeking a no-contact order.
Treatment court: Snohomish runs an Adult Recovery Court at the felony level and a Mental Health Court, but neither publishes whether a DUI qualifies. Worth asking rather than assuming.

What this means for you

If your first hearing is in Lewis or Grays Harbor County, clear your calendar. Those are the two places on this list where showing up is not optional and cannot be handled from a screen. Grays Harbor is the only one that requires the attorney to be physically present as well.

If you were stopped inside a city, find out which court before you do anything else. A Vancouver DUI goes to the county district court. A Bellevue DUI goes to a district court division. An Olympia DUI now goes to Thurston County District Court, which was not true two years ago. Getting this wrong means missing a hearing in a court you did not know you had one in.

If this is a second offense, ask about treatment court early. Grays Harbor and Clark run DUI-specific programs, Thurston's DUI/Drug Court names adult DUI offenders directly, and King, Kitsap and Pierce all take DUI cases into their veterans and mental health courts. Cowlitz is the one county here that shuts the door on it. These programs have entry windows, and some require a plea first, so the timing matters.

Court practice changes without much notice, particularly on remote appearances. Everything above reflects what these courts were doing as of August 2026. Before you rely on any of it, confirm with the court or with a lawyer who appears there.

Not sure which court has your case?

Bring the paperwork you were given at release. It names the court, and that single line determines the next month of your life. If you would rather just ask, call and we will tell you where you stand, whether or not you hire anyone.

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