Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts

The Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) serves as the central administrative support entity for the state’s judicial system. It provides a range of services that enable courts to operate efficiently, including case management, electronic record keeping, and public access to court information. The organization maintains the statewide case management system that underpins electronic court record searches, judgment balances, and fine-related data. Through these functions, the AOC supports the day-to-day operations of trial and appellate courts across Washington.

In October 2024, the AOC experienced a cyberattack that caused a statewide outage affecting its dependent systems and public website accessibility. The incident disrupted electronic court record searches, judgment balances, and fine-related information, while essential court operations continued with minimal disruption. Response actions included taking systems offline as a precaution and initiating restoration efforts after securing critical infrastructure. Courts that used independent case management systems were not affected by the outage.

As a state government agency, the AOC operates under the authority of the Washington State judicial branch and is headquartered in the United States of America. Its role is distinct in that it provides centralized technological and administrative support to ensure uniformity and reliability across the state’s court system. The organization’s mandate includes maintaining the integrity of court data and facilitating public access to judicial records.