Listing of self-help materials and informational publications.
There are 305 resources
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Contempt of court
Filing a Petition to Modify/Adjust a Parenting Plan/Custody Decree in a Dissolution Case 3260EN - This packet contains forms and instructions for filing a petition to modify/adjust a parenting plan or custody decree. Use this packet only if you and the other parent have been divorced and already have a parenting plan/custody decree from a Washington State court.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Filing an Agreed Petition for Parenting Plan (Custody) When Parentage Has Been Established 3603EN - This packet is intended to help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need if you are not married to the other parent of your child, the paternity of your child has already been established, and you and the other parent want to ask the court to enter an agreed residential schedule, parenting plan and/or child support court order. You should use this packet only if you and the other parent agree 100% about your parenting plan or child support and you just want to ask the court to enter final court orders that follow your agreement.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Filing for Dissolution of a Domestic Partnership 3925EN - This packet is to help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need to start a dissolution of your registered domestic partnership in Washington.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Filing for Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) 3202EN - This packet was written to help you get a divorce. It provides general information about the law and some of the forms you will need to fill out. If you read the information carefully and follow the instructions, you should be able to do your own divorce.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Finishing a Modification of Your Child Support Court Order 3229EN - This packet is designed to help you finish a modification of your Washington State Child Support court order. You can use this packet only if you already have a child support modification case that has been filed in court. You may use this packet whether you filed a modification or responded to one.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Finishing Your Dissolution of Domestic Partnership by Default 3930EN - This packet will help you fill out and file the forms and papers needed to complete a dissolution of domestic partnership case when your partner hasn't filed a Response to the dissolution papers. It explains how to make a motion for default. To use this packet, you must've already filed and served your partner with the papers that start your dissolution.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Finishing Your Dissolution of Domestic Partnership with Children by Agreement 3928EN - This packet will help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need to complete a dissolution of domestic partnership case when you and your partner have children and you?ve reached an agreement (or settlement) about all the issues in your dissolution.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Finishing Your Dissolution of Domestic Partnership without Children by Agreement 3929EN - This packet will help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need to complete a dissolution (divorce) case when you and your partner have an agreement (or settlement).
By: Northwest Justice Project
Finishing Your Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) with Children by Agreement 3251EN - This packet will help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need to complete a dissolution (divorce) action when you and your spouse have an agreement (or settlement) and children are involved.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Finishing Your Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) without Children by Agreement 3250EN - This packet will help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need to complete a dissolution (divorce) action when you and your spouse have an agreement (or settlement) and no children.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Finishing Your Dissolution of Marriage by Default 3205EN - This packet was written to help you complete a dissolution (divorce) action that has been filed, but has no final orders signed by the Judge. It provides information about the law and some of the forms you will need to fill out. You may use this packet if your spouse agrees with what you are asking for or fails to respond in time. This packet will help you get final orders signed by the judge dissolving your marriage, dividing property and debts, changing your name (if desired), awarding maintenance (alimony) to one spouse, and entering a restraining order (if desired).
By: Northwest Justice Project
Finishing Your Modification/Adj. of a Parenting Plan, Res. Schedule or Custody Decree in Parentage 3624EN - To use this packet, you must have already filed and served the other parties with the papers that start your modification/adjustment action, or you must already have filed and served a Response to the petition.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Finishing Your Modification/Adjustment of a Parenting Plan or Custody Decree in a Dissolution Case 3262EN - This packet will help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need to finish a petition for modification/adjustment of a parenting plan/custody decree in a dissolution case. It will help you prepare the final orders in your case and present them to the judge.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Finishing Your Nonparental Custody Case 3114EN - This packet contains information and forms to finish a nonparental custody case. Most of the instructions are written from the petitioner’s point of view because the petitioner typically prepares the final court papers if s/he is receiving custody of the child/ren, or if s/he chooses to drop the case. However, the general information about how to finish a case can be useful to both parties. In addition, a respondent might use some of the forms in this packet if s/he wins at trial or if the case is dismissed before trial.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Finishing Your Petition for Parenting Plan (Custody) or Child Support When Parentage Has Been Establ 3606EN - This packet will help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need to finish a petition for residential/parenting plan and child support case. It will help you prepare the final orders in your case and present them to the judge. To use this packet, you must have already filed and served the other parties with the papers that start your petition for a parenting plan or child support, or you must already have responded to the petition.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Finishing Your Petition to Establish Parentage 3625EN - This packet will help you fill out and file the forms and papers you will need to finish a parentage petition. Use this packet only if the petition in your case was filed on form number WPF PS 01.0100
By: Northwest Justice Project
How to Serve Papers on the Other Party in a Family Law Case When you file a family law case, you must make sure that a copy of the petition, summons, and other papers you are filing are delivered to the person you are filing the case against "the other party" in a legally correct way.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
How to Serve Papers on the State 3218EN - When you set or change child support, you must notify the State if you, the other parent, or the children receive public assistance. This packet contains the forms and instructions for serving your court papers on the state.
By: Northwest Justice Project
How to Subpoena Witnesses and Documents
If you are going to an evidentiary hearing or trial and need to make sure that a witness shows up, or that someone brings documents or other items, you can have the person served with a subpoena issued by the court clerk. This publication tells you how to do this.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
How to Withdraw a Joinder in a Family Law Case Parties to a family law court case may sign a form called a Joinder to show the court that they're in agreement as to all the issues that a court must rule on in that case. If you signed this form but later decide that you are not in agreement, use this packet to file a withdrawal of the joinder.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Motion to Vacate Judgment/Order in a Family Law Case 3215EN - A Motion To Vacate is a request to the court to withdraw a previous order or judgment it entered.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Parenting Plans and Child Support for Dissolution (Divorce) Cases and Modifications of Dissolution 3209EN - This packet is intended to help you fill out the forms and papers for parenting plans and child support. You should not use this packet by itself. You should use this packet only if you are the petitioner (the one who is starting the court case) or the respondent (the one who is responding to the court case) in a dissolution of marriage or domestic partnership (divorce), if you are the petitioner or respondent in an action to modify a custody decree or parenting plan in a dissolution of marriage or domestic partnership.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Parenting Plans, Residential Schedules and Child Support for Parentage Cases and Modifications of 3604EN - This packet is intended to help you fill out the forms and papers for parenting plans, residential schedules, and child support in parentage (paternity) cases, which are family law cases for parents of a child who are not married. You should not use this packet by itself. You should use this packet only if you are the petitioner (the one who is starting the court case) or the respondent (the one who is responding to the court case) in a Petition for a Residential Schedule/Parenting Plan or Child Support, a Petition to Establish Parentage, or another type of parentage (Paternity) case, or if you are the petitioner or respondent in an action to modify a custody decree or parenting plan in a Parentage case.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Residential Schedules and Child Support for Nonparental Custody Cases 3116EN - Petitioners and Respondents in a nonparental custody action may use this packet if they need to fill out Child Support Worksheets, Financial Declarations, Sealed Financial Records Cover Sheet to go with private financial records, Child Support Orders, and Proposed Temporary and/or Final Residential Schedules.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to a Motion for Adjustment of Your Child Support Court Order 3223EN - You should use this packet if you have received papers that ask the court to adjust (change) your child support court order by motion in superior court. This packet will help you to file your own response to the motion for adjustment of support, to ask the court for what you want, and to prepare for your hearing.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to a Motion for Contempt in a Family Law Case 3110EN - This packet is intended to help you fill out and file court forms if you have been served with a Motion or Petition for Contempt for violating a temporary or permanent parenting plan/residential schedule, a child support order, or other family law order.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to a Petition for Dissolution (Divorce) 3203EN - This packet was written to help you respond to a Petition for Dissolution. It provides general information about the law and some of the forms you will need to fill out if you have been served with divorce papers.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to a Petition for Dissolution (Domestic Partnership) 3926EN - This packet is to help you fill out, file and serve the forms and papers you need to respond to a dissolution filed by your domestic partner. Read the information carefully. Follow the instructions. You may be able to respond to the dissolution action on your own.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to a Petition for Establishment of Parentage (Paternity) 3621EN - This packet is intended to help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need to respond to a Petition for Establishment of Parentage on form number WPF PS 01.0100 (to find out the form number, look at the first page of the Petition in the bottom left-hand corner).
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to a Petition for Modification of Your Child Support Court Order 3228EN - This packet is intended to help you fill out and file the forms and papers you need to respond to a Petition for Modification of a child support court order in superior court. If you read the information carefully and follow the instructions, you may be able to respond to the support modification on your own. You should not use this packet if you are served with a petition to modify an administrative child support order.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to a Petition for Nonparental Custody 3113EN - This packet is intended to help you respond if you were served with a petition for nonparental custody. A petition for nonparental custody asks a court to give the petitioner permanent legal custody of the child/ren named in the petition.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to a Petition for Parenting Plan (Custody) or Child Support When Parentage Has Been Estab 3605EN - This packet is intended to help you fill out and file the forms and papers you need to respond to a Petition for Parenting Plan/Residential Schedule or Child Support when you are not married to the other parent of your children and parentage has been established.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to a Petition to Modify/Adjust a Parenting Plan or Custody Decree in a Dissolution Case 3261EN - This packet is intended to help you respond to a Petition to Modify/Adjust an existing parenting plan or custody decree. Use it only if:
*you and the other parent have been divorced and *you already have a parenting plan/custody decree and *you have been served with a Petition for Modification/Adjustment of Custody Decree/Parenting Plan.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to a Petition to Modify/Adjust a Parenting Plan, Res. Sched. or Cust. Dec. for Parentage 3623EN - This packet is intended to help you respond to a Petition to Modify/Adjust an existing parenting plan, residential schedule or custody decree. Use it only if paternity of your child has already been established and you already have a parenting plan, residential schedule or custody decree and you have been served with a Petition for Modification/Adjustment of Custody Decree/Parenting Plan/Residential Schedule.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to Motions for Temporary or Emergency Orders for Dissolution Cases and for Custody/Pare 3222EN - This packet contains the forms and instructions you will need to fill out if you have received papers that ask for a court to award temporary or emergency orders in a dissolution (divorce) or custody modification matter. This packet will help you respond to the request for temporary or emergency orders by the other party. If you got papers from a party filing for dissolution, paternity, custody modification, or nonparental (third party) custody, we have separate response packets which you will need in addition to responding to the motion for temporary orders.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Responding to Motions for Temporary or Emergency Orders for Parentage Cases or Modifications of 3609EN - This packet is intended to help you fill out and file the forms and papers you need to respond to a Motion for Temporary Orders or a Motion for an Ex Parte Restraining Order/Order to Show Cause. This packet should only be used where the parties have already filed a Petition to Establish Parentage, a Petition for Parenting Plan/Residential Schedule or Child Support, or where one party seeks to modify an existing parenting plan or custody decree that was entered in a parentage action.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to Temporary or Emergency Orders for Nonparental Custody Cases 3125EN - This packet's intended to help you fill out and file the forms and papers you need to respond to a Motion for Temporary Orders or a Motion for an Ex Parte Restraining Order/Order to Show Cause filed in a nonparental custody case. Use this packet only to respond to these motions.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Service by Certified Mail or Publication 3220EN - This packet applies when you are the petitioner and you must serve the opposing party with the petition and other documents in your case when your case first begins. When you have tried to serve the other party in person but cannot, you can ask the court to allow you to serve by certified mail or publication.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Family Law Forms in Spanish
(Separate Website)
The King County Superior Court has the following forms and instructions available in Spanish at its website at www.metrokc.gov/kscc/famlaw/spanish.htm. The same forms are also available in English at www.metrokc.gov/kscc/forms and at www.courts.wa.gov/forms, the Washington Courts website. You can find additional forms and instructions available in Spanish and in English at this website: www.washingtonlawhelp.org.
By: King County Superior Court
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Washington State Court Forms
(Separate Website)
Here you can access divorce, child support, paternity and other state mandatory forms.
Most of the forms found on this website are in Word 6.0 or a PDF format.
By: Administrative Office Of The Courts
Child Protective Services (CPS) and Dependency Actions
(Separate Website)
Provides information about parents' rights when they are being investigated by CPS or when the state is considering removing children from their home.
By: Legal Voice
Read this in:
Russian / Pусский
How Do I "Do Discovery"? Help with Interrogatories and Requests for Production in Family Law Cases Use this publication if: you are a party in a contested family law case ("contested" means you and the other party disagree about issues) AND you want or need to get more information from the other party about his/her side of the issues.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Mediation: Should I Use It?
(Separate Website)
3226EN - Mediation is an informal way to resolve disputes without going to court. The parties attempt to negotiate a mutually agreeable settlement with the help of a neutral mediator. Mediation can be used in many types of disputes.
By: Legal Voice
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Motion to Vacate Judgment/Order in a Family Law Case 3215EN - A Motion To Vacate is a request to the court to withdraw a previous order or judgment it entered.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Name Change 3400EN - In Washington State, any person over eighteen years of age can choose and use any name he or she wishes as long as the purpose of the change in the name is not to defraud another. For example, it is not legal to change names to avoid creditors or to escape obligations such as child support. Changing your name is legal and relatively easy to accomplish. This publication describes the process.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Español
Placement of Minor Children in Case of Death
(Separate Website)
Explains legal options for single parents who are concerned about who will take care of their children if something happens to them. [link to PDF file]
By: Legal Voice
Questions and Answers on Powers of Attorney It is often convenient - or even necessary - to have someone else act for you. When you give someone the power to act for you, you give what is called a power of attorney. If you give a power of attorney, you are called the principal and the person you give it to is called the agent or the attorney-in-fact.
By: Columbia Legal Services
Other Formats:
Word File
Read this in:
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Español
Basic Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples
(Separate Website)
This memo provides you with some basic background information to get you started on preparing your "estate plan."
By: Legal Voice
Dismissing a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) or Domestic Partnership 3219EN - This packet will help you dismiss a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage or Domestic Partnership that you filed. You may use this packet if you change your mind and no longer want to get divorced. An Order of Dismissal will cancel your dissolution and you will stay married or as a registered domestic partnership.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Domestic Partnerships: Your Family Law Rights and Responsibilities Beginning December 3, 2009, the law regarding unmarried couples changed. Previously, same-sex couples did not have any of the same legal rights or responsibilities as married couples. Now, some couples can register as domestic partners in Washington State. Read this publication to find out more.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Adobe Acrobat Reader required. (If you are using a screen reader that does not support PDF format, copy the PDF link, and use the Access Adobe online form to convert this file to HMTL text.)
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