Listing of self-help materials and informational publications.
There are 23 resources
Basic Tips on How to Get Ready for a Court Hearing or Trial
3210EN - Tips on how to prepare for a hearing.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Depositions (for unrepresented parties)
(Separate Website)
This memo provides an overview of what depositions are, how to schedule them and tips for answering questions at a deposition.
By: Legal Voice
Family Law Court Records and Your Privacy
(Separate Website)
Explains statewide court rules that protect personal information in court files and includes forms that you can use in your family law case.
By: Legal Voice
Filing a Motion for Waiver of Your Filing Fee 3204EN - This packet includes the instructions and forms needed to ask the court to waive (not ask for) the filing fee required to file court papers in a civil case because you can't afford to pay the fee.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Formatting Court Documents
(Separate Website)
Explains court rules about margins, stapling and other formatting of documents that you file with the court and what may happen if you don't follow these rules.
By: Legal Voice
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
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 Write a Declaration in a Family Law Case 3917EN - 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
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
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
New Court Rule: Filing Fee Waiver On December 28, 2010, Washington?s state courts adopted General Rule 34 (GR 34). This rule establishes who is eligible for a waiver of the filing fee to begin your civil case and other, mandatory charges.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Preparing for Your Day in Court - King County Superior Court
(Separate Website)
Supplemental written guide book to be used with the "Your Day in Court" video.
By: King County Superior Court
Self-Represented Litigants in Municipal Court
(Separate Website)
Understanding and making your way through the court process is not easy and can be quite frustrating, especially for those handling their own legal representation (pro se litigants). There are extensive state and local court rules and everyone appearing before the Municipal Court is
expected to follow them. The following may be of help in clarifying some of the mysteries of representing yourself.
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Self-Represented Persons in District Court
(Separate Website)
Understanding and making your way through the court process is not easy and can be quite frustrating, especially for those handling their own legal representation (pro se litigants). There are extensive state and local court rules and everyone appearing before the District Court is expected to follow them. The following may be of help in clarifying some of the mysteries of representing yourself.
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Self-Represented Persons in Superior Court Civil Proceedings
(Separate Website)
Understanding and making your way through the court process is not easy and can be quite frustrating, especially for those handling their own legal representation (pro se litigants). There are extensive state and local court rules (see E. 7) and everyone appearing before the Superior Court is expected to follow them. While a one-page handout can never tell you everything you need to know, the following will hopefully be of benefit in clarifying a few of the mysteries of representing yourself.
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Small Claims Court In Small Claims Court, a person may sue for up to $5,000. This court is meant to be a relatively quick, inexpensive way to resolve disputes that you've been unable to settle. The Small Claims Court is not complicated. Lawyers generally cannot participate and there are no juries, motions or objections. There is only a small charge for filing the lawsuit. A trial may be obtained much sooner than in other courts, and most trials are short, lasting about 20 minutes.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Spokane County Family Facilitator Information Information about making the most of your time at the court facilitator's office and the fees involved.
By: Spokane County Superior Court
Tips on How to Get Your Paperwork Ready So You Can Get Help with Your Family Law Case
Be ready for an appointment with someone who's going to help you with your family law case. That someone might be: an attorney; a family law facilitator; an advocate at your local Domestic Violence shelter; or a CLEAR advocate who is going over forms with you by phone.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Washington Court Rules
(Separate Website)
By: Administrative Office Of The Courts
Working with the Cowlitz County Superior Court Clerks If you're filing or otherwise involved in a court case in Cowlitz County, this publication will provide you with helpful information that so that you can file papers and appear for court faster and more easily.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Your Day in Court: How to Make Sure Your Voice is Heard in King County
(Separate Website)
A short flash video covering the basics of how to representing yourself in a lawsuit.
By: King County Superior Court
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.)
Washington LawHelp is provided as a public service by the Northwest Justice Project in collaboration with other legal aid providers in the Alliance for Equal Justice and Washington courts.
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