King County launches online portal to give crime victims easier access to case updates

Many crime victims in King County will be able to check key information about their cases online through a new secure portal announced by King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion.

The Crime Victim Portal, the first of its kind in the state, is available for victims in charged adult felony cases, juvenile cases, and some misdemeanors. Victim representatives, next of kin of deceased victims, and guardians of child or vulnerable adult victims may also access it. The portal launched for adult cases charged after Oct. 13.

Users can receive information through the portal and choose text or email alerts. For many victims, the tool is intended to make it easier to find practical updates, such as the next court date, without waiting for a letter, email, or phone call or navigating court records independently.

“The Crime Victim Portal helps bring the rights of crime victims, which are guaranteed by our State Constitution, into the 21st Century,” Manion said.

Victims for whom contact could pose a safety concern, as well as Special Assault Unit victims, will continue to receive updates through a separate process, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said.

Online portal helps victims without an assigned advocate access case updates

The portal is intended to help address gaps in access, including in cases without an assigned victim advocate. The office said it does not have enough victim advocates to assign one to every case, and property crime cases are among those that may benefit from the tool.

“The portal can make information easier to access, particularly for people who are not working directly with an advocate,” Leticia Figueroa, the office’s director of victim services, said.

Those updates can also help victims manage the practical demands of participating in a court case.

“Timely updates can help survivors plan for childcare, transportation, time off work and safety,” Dana Swenson, manager of Crime Survivor Services at the Seattle Human Services Department, added.

The announcement follows the county’s online Protection Order Portal, launched in June 2024. The office said more than 3,200 survivors used that service in its first year to begin seeking a protection order online.

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