Helping Low-Income People Find Solutions to Civil Legal Problems

Family Law >  Do-it-Yourself Family Law Packets   Listing of self-help materials and informational publications. There are 45 resources     Dissolution (Divorce) Packets      Filing for Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) 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           Filing a Motion for Change of Venue in a Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) or Modification... This packet contains the instructions and forms you will need to ask the court to move a marital dissolution or a modification of a parenting plan, child support order, or decree entered in a dissolution to a different county - this is called a Motion for Change of Venue. 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             Yakima County - 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 in Yakima County. By: Northwest Justice Project             Filing a Motion for Temporary Orders for Dissolution Cases and for Custody/Parenting Plan Modifica This packet was written to help you get temporary orders while your case is pending in court. Temporary Orders can order who gets to use what property, who shall pay which bills, appoint a guardian ad litem, and establish temporary child support payments and a parenting plan to be followed until final orders have been entered. This packet can be used for any type of family law action, including dissolution or modification of an existing parenting plan or custody decree. By: Northwest Justice Project             Filing a Motion for Emergency Orders for Dissolution Cases and Modifications of Custody/PP in Diss This packet was written to help you get emergency orders while your case is pending in court. This type of motion is a way for you or another party to ask the court to enter an immediate 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. By: Northwest Justice Project       Read this in: Spanish / Español           Parenting Plans and Child Support for Dissolution (Divorce) Cases and Modifications of Dissolution 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 (divorce), if you are the petitioner or respondent in an action to modify a custody decree or parenting plan in a dissolution of marriage. By: Northwest Justice Project       Read this in: Spanish / Español           Responding to a Petition for Dissolution (Divorce) 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 Motions for Temporary or Emergency Orders for Dissolution Cases and for Custody/Pare 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           Dismissing a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) This packet will help you dismiss a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage 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. By: Northwest Justice Project             Finishing Your Dissolution of Marriage by Default 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 Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) with Children by Agreement 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 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             Motion to Vacate Judgment/Order in a Family Law Case A Motion To Vacate is a request to the court to withdraw a previous order or judgment it entered. By: Northwest Justice Project            Modifying/Adjusting Parenting Plan or Custody Decree in a Dissolution Action      Filing a Petition to Modify/Adjust a Parenting Plan/Custody Decree in a Dissolution Case 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             Responding to a Petition to Modify/Adjust a Parenting Plan or Custody Decree in a Dissolution Case 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             Finishing Your Modification/Adjustment of a Parenting Plan or Custody Decree in a Dissolution Case 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            Contempt of Court      Filing a Motion for Contempt in a Dissolution Case This packet is intended to help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need if you already have a temporary or permanent parenting plan, child support order, or other family law order in a dissolution (divorce) case, and you want to ask the court in Washington for an order holding the other party in contempt for violating it. By: Northwest Justice Project             Filing a Motion for Contempt in a Parentage Case This packet is intended to help you fill out and file the forms and papers that you need if you already have a temporary or permanent parenting plan, residential schedule, child support order, or other family law order in a parentage (paternity) case, and you want to ask the court in Washington for an order holding the other party in contempt for violating it. By: Northwest Justice Project             Responding to a Motion for Contempt in a Family Law Case 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            Serving Papers      Serving Papers on the State 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             Service by Certified Mail or Publication 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            Parentage (Paternity) Packets      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             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             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.