Listing of self-help materials and informational publications.
There are 30 resources
General Information
Parentage and Parenting Plans for Unmarried Parents in Washington The legal information in this publication is designed to help you learn about the laws that apply when you have a child and you are not married to that child's other parent. It includes information on: 1) How to determine if paternity has been legally established and, if appropriate, how to file to establish the paternity of your child (called a parentage action); 2) How to get a custody order (which is called a parenting plan or residential schedule). This publication may also help you if you want to legally establish that you are not the child's parent (called "disestablishment of parentage").
By: Northwest Justice Project
How do I Request a Copy of My Paternity Affidavit?
A Paternity Affidavit (also known as a Paternity Acknowledgment or Acknowledgment of Paternity) is a special form typically used by unmarried parents to state who the father of the child is. This publication gives you instructions on how to get a copy.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Options for Unmarried Parents For parents who have never been married and who want to get court-ordered support, visitation or custody. [link to PDF file]
By: Northwest Women's Law Center
Working With GALs and Parenting Evaluators: Tips for Parents in Family Law Cases
If you are involved in a divorce, paternity or nonparental custody case where the other parent does not agree with you, the court may appoint a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) or Parenting Evaluator. This publication contains tips to help you work successfully with the GAL.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Dissolution When the Wife is Pregnant
(Separate Website)
This page describes the law and procedures which must be followed in a dissolution (divorce) when the wife is pregnant. [PDF file]
By: Northwest Women's Law Center
Parenting Plans (court orders about child custody)
This publication provides general information about what a parenting plan is and how to get one. It also explains how to enforce or change a permanent parenting plan.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Contempt of Court in a Family Law Case: The Basics
This publication gives general information about the law concerning contempt in family law cases. It covers only the type of contempt most commonly used in family law cases, here called "coercive civil contempt". The main goal is to have a person who is violating a court order obey that order in the future.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Basic Tips on How to Prepare for a Court Hearing or Trial
Tips on how to prepare for a hearing.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
How to Write a Declaration in a Family Law Case This publication tell you what a declaration is, what should be included and tips on how to write one. There is a family law declaration and forms attached that you can fill out.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Which Court Has the Right to Enter a Custody Order? Questions and Answers about Jurisdiction These questions and answers describe when a Washington court may decide custody if a child has lived in more than one state, should enforce (follow) custody/visitation orders from other states, or may modify (change) custody/visitation orders from other states.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Court Forms and Procedure
Filing a Petition for Establishment of Parentage (Paternity) 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, you want to start a court case to ask the court to establish the parentage (paternity) of your child, and you meet the following criteria: (1) There is no Paternity Affidavit which establishes parentage of your child OR Your child has a Washington State Paternity Affidavit that was signed before July 1, 1997; AND (2) There is no court order in any state that establishes parentage of your child.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to a Petition for Establishment of Parentage (Paternity) 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
Filing an Agreed Petition for Parenting Plan (Custody) When Parentage Has Been Established 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 a Petition for Parenting Plan (Custody) or Child Support When Parentage Has Been Established 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 parentage (paternity) of your child has already been established, and you want to ask the court in Washington for a residential schedule, parenting plan or child support court order.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Responding to a Petition for Parenting Plan (Custody) or Child Support When Parentage Has Been Estab
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
Filing a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (Waiver of Filing Fee) This packet includes the instructions and forms needed to ask the court to waive (not ask for) the filing fee required to file for divorce. These forms are generic. Some counties require that you file forms that our specific to that county. Call your county clerk and ask before filling out the forms included in this packet.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Filing a Motion for Emergency Orders for Parentage Cases and Modifications of Parentage Cases A Motion for an Emergency Order is officially called a Motion for an Ex Parte Restraining Order/Order to Show Cause. This type of motion is a way for you or another party to ask the court to enter a court order that gives you certain rights and/or protections in your family law case between the time your case is filed and the date it is finished. The main difference between this type of motion and a Motion for Temporary Orders is that you use it in an emergency -- you will be asking the court for a court order that takes effect immediately, without prior notice to the other party. Because the court usually does not want to enter an order before the other party has a chance to tell her/his side of the story, you usually should only file a Motion for Emergency Orders if there is an emergency or urgent reason why you need an order entered before you can have a temporary orders hearing.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Filing a Motion for Temporary Orders for Parentage Cases and Modifications of Parentage Cases A Motion for Temporary Orders is one way for you to ask the court to enter a court order that gives you certain rights and/or protections after your family law case has been filed, but before it is finished. You may ask the court to enter temporary (short-term) orders for restraining orders, a parenting plan or residential schedule, child support, a guardian ad litem (GAL), genetic testing, attorney·s fees and costs or other relief.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Parenting Plans, Residential Schedules and Child Support for Parentage Cases and Modifications of 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
Responding to Motions for Temporary or Emergency Orders for Parentage Cases or Modifications of 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
Declaration Form - Family Law
(Separate Website)
Family Law Decarlation court form that can be used in all family law cases.
By: Administrative Office Of The Courts
Home Page
(Separate Website)