Behalf of Evergreen Freedom Foundation.
Larry Dean Stout, Olympia, Amicus Curiae on Behalf of Washington Association of Realtors.
Daniel Nicholas Fazio, Olympia, Amicus Curiae on Behalf of Washington State Farm Bureau.
*428 Honorable Norm Maleng, King County Prosecutor, Oma Lynn Lamothe, Deputy, Seattle, Amicus Curiae on Behalf of Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.
Bryan Harnetiaux, Debra Leigh Stephens, Spokane, Stephen Kirk Festor, Stephen Kolden Strong, Seattle, Amicus Curiae on Behalf of Washington State Trial Lawyers Association.
SMITH, J.
Petitioner Kathleen O'Connor seeks direct review of orders of the King County Superior Court denying her request for public records under the Public Records Act from Respondent Washington State Department of Social and Health Services and the Attorney General's Office and directing Petitioner to seek records under the Superior Court Civil Rules for discovery. We grantedreview. We reverse.

QUESTION PRESENTED
The question presented in this case is whether the trial court properly required litigants against the Department of Social and Health Services to obtain public records from the agency only under discovery provisions of the Civil Rules for Superior Court instead of under the Public Records Act, RCW 42.17.250-.348.

STATEMENT OF FACTS
On June 28, 1999 Petitioner Kathleen O'Connor, individually and as guardian ad litem for her son, Dustin O'Connor (Petitioner) filed a summons and complaint in the King County Superior Court against Respondent Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).[1] The complaint asserts that Dustin O'Connor, then 15 years old, was molested and abused by Kevin Keo, an employee of DSHS, at the Indian Ridge Juvenile Corrections Facility in Snohomish County, Washington during the spring and