The County Council, composed of five members, each nominated and elected from a separate district, establishes policies that offer direction for the operation of county government; adopts and enacts ordinances and resolutions; levies taxes; establishes salaries for all county officials and employees; appropriates expenditures; establishes or reorganizes government offices; adopts comprehensive land-use plans; conducts public hearings and meetings; reviews and adopts the county budget; appoints, upon the nomination by the Executive, members to most boards and commissions, and represents the county on regional boards and commissions. County Council members, partisan positions, are elected to four-year terms.

The Council appoints the Hearing Examiner, an independent, quasi-judicial official who reviews a variety of proposed land development issues for consistency with state and county laws. The review/hearing process may include State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) reviews, rezones, land subdivisions, shoreline management permits, conditional use and special use permits and zoning code variances.

The Council also provides administrative support to both the Board of Equalization, which considers appeals on property assessments relating to real and personal property, forest land and open space, and also to the Boundary Review Board, which considers municipal incorporations and annexations, extensions of sewer/water service areas, and special service district (fire, water and sewer) formations, annexations, mergers and withdrawals.

The judicial branch of Snohomish County government is independent of the executive and legislative branches. Superior, District, and Municipal Court judgeships are nonpartisan, elective positions. Judges serve a four-year term and must be attorneys licensed to practice law in Washington. Judges can appoint Court Commissioners to assist the court.

Approximately 45,000 jurors are summoned annually to serve Snohomish County's court system.

The Northwest Intertribal Court System (NICS), which is not related to the County's court system, provides court services to tribes located within the boundaries of Snohomish County, namely, the Tulalip (near Marysville), the Stillaguamish (near Arlington), and the Sauk-Suiattle (near Darrington).

Dispute Resolution Centers, which were authorized by the state legislature in 1984, provide an alternative to the courts for civil, nonviolent disputes. Typical cases handled by DRCs involve disputes between landlords and tenants, neighbors, citizens and agencies, employees and employers, family members, and consumers and merchants. DRCs also mediate small claims cases. The DRC for Snohomish County residents is located in Everett.

Snohomish County Superior Court has 14 judges and four court commissioners. The court is responsible for adjudicating all matters over which it has original or appellate jurisdiction, including criminal felony, civil, domestic relations, paternity, juvenile, probate, guardianship, and adoption cases. Superior Court also hears appeals from District and Municipal Courts, and certain state and local administrative agencies.

The Juvenile Court, a division of Superior Court, hears cases of crimes committed by youth under eighteen years of age. Superior Court judges rotate duty on juvenile court cases. It has jurisdiction over truant, abandoned, abused or neglected children and those who have a serious conflict with a parent or guardian. The Juvenile Court Services division provides detention, supervision, and counseling programs and services to youth and families.

Snohomish County District Court has four divisions (courts of limited jurisdiction): Cascade in Arlington (one judge and one appointed court commissioner); Everett at the county courthouse (two judges); South in Lynnwood (three judges); and Evergreen in Monroe (two judges). District Court judges must be residents of their judicial district. District Court judges hear criminal traffic cases, criminal and gross misdemeanors, preliminary hearings for felony cases, civil actions such as damages for injury to individuals and personal property, penalty and contract disputes up to $35,000, name changes, anti-harassment orders, domestic violence protection orders, and small claims disputes up to $2,500.

Municipal Courts are courts of limited jurisdiction located in the cities of Everett (two judges), Marysville (one judge), Edmonds (one judge), and Lynnwood (one judge). The other cities in the county contract with the county for municipal court services. Thus, Lake Stevens municipal court services are handled by the Marysville Municipal Court; Cascade District Court serves the needs of Arlington, Darrington, Granite Falls, and Stanwood; Everett District Court provides court services to the city of Mukilteo; Evergreen District Court serves the needs of Sultan, Snohomish, Monroe, Index, and Gold Bar; and South District Court provides court services to the cities of Woodway, Mountlake Terrace, Mill Creek, and Brier.