How to format and fill out court documents and forms

If you’re filling out and submitting your own court papers for a court case in Washington State, you should know the rules for how court papers should look and be formatted: 

• You must use letter-sized (8½ x 11 inches) white paper. 
• You must write or type on only one side of the page.
• All handwriting must be printed, readable, and in black or dark blue ink.
• The 1^st page must have a margin of at least 3 inches from the top and 1 inch from the other 3 sides. Each page after that must have at least 1 inch for each margin.
• Your papers shouldn’t have any highlighting or colored marking.

You can read the rules about how to format your court papers at Civil Rule 10(e). 

What if I don’t follow these rules?

It depends. 

• The court may fine you. 
• The clerk may return your documents to you without filing them. This could cause you to miss a court deadline.
• The clerk may say your paper or material can't be filed or scanned. The court may order the paper sealed or converted to an exhibit. 

Are there other pre-made forms I can use that already are formatted properly? 

Maybe. For many kinds of cases, the Washington state Administrative Office of Courts (AOC) has created forms you must or should use, called mandatory forms or pattern forms. Pattern forms are available for many types of common court cases, such as family law. If you use a pattern form, you’ll know the format is correct. We've also created forms for many situations AOC doesn't cover.

Using forms from AOC or our Form Library is easier than creating your own form. We may change or update forms after the law changes or for other reasons. The forms in our library and on AOC's website should be current.  

Your county’s superior court may also have its own forms you should use. Get those from the clerk or at the law library.

Should I make sure that I use up-to-date forms?

Yes. Before using a pattern form, make sure it’s the latest version. The last date the form was updated (called the revision date) is in the footer in the lower left corner of the form, just above the form number. For example, this footer shows a form updated in January 2023 (01/2023):

RCW 26.09.020; 26.60.100
Mandatory Form (01/2023)
FL Divorce 201

Should I review my completed papers before filing them with the court? 

Yes, you should review your papers to make sure nothing in them might cause the clerk to reject them. Here are some things to check for: 

• You’ve filled out the case caption wherever needed.
• The case number is correct wherever you’ve put it. 
• You’ve included all pages of each document. 
• You scheduled a hearing on a day the judge is available to hear it.
• You put the parties’ names on the case caption in the correct order. 
• Your papers are formatted correctly.
• If you’re trying to file an order, decree, judgment, or bond, make sure that the judge has signed it.
• You don't have to file discovery documents.

What if I still have questions after reading this?

If your county has a family law facilitator, they may be able to help you.