Washington LawHelp

General Info (3)+

• Non-Parent Custody: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

  This resource has general information about two ways under Washington law to get legal custody of a child who is not yours: 1) a non-parent custody petition filed in court under Ch. 26.10 RCW or 2) a Temporary Parental Consent Agreement (in agreed cases only). Instructions and a sample Temporary Parental Consent Agreement form are included. Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Filing for Non-parent Custody of an Indian Child in State Court

  3150EN - The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a special federal law. It applies to cases where someone other than a parent wants to get custody of an “Indian Child.” This publication has information for people who want to file for custody of an Indian child in Washington State. Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project

• Washington’s New Non-Parent Visitation Rights

  Effective June 7, 2018, certain non-parent relatives can file for non-parent visitation with a child. Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project

Guardians ad litem / evaluators (3)+

• Guardian ad Litems in Family Law Cases Cases

  3103EN - A judge may appoint a guardian ad litem (GAL) in a court case about custody or visitation rights. Any party to the case may ask for appointment of a GAL, or the judge can decide on his her/own to appoint one. A GAL may be a lawyer, mental health professional, or volunteer. This packet has the necessary forms and instructions. Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project

• How to Work with GALs and Parenting Evaluators

  If you are involved in a divorce, paternity or non-parent 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. Publication #3106EN Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• When you Disagree with a Guardian Ad Litem Report

  In a family law case where the parties disagree about the parenting plan, the court may appoint a Guardian ad Litem (GAL), or an Evaluator. A GAL or Evaluator’s job is to investigate both households to recommend to the court a residential plan in the child’s best interest. Publication 3111EN Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

Non-Parent Custody Self-Help Packets (7)+

• Filing a Non-Parent Custody Case

  You may use this packet to file a case in superior court to ask for custody of a child when you are not a parent. Packet #3112EN. Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project

• Filing for Temporary Non-Parent Custody Orders

  Use this packet to ask the court for an order giving you certain rights and/or protections after your case has been filed, but before it is finalized. Either petitioner or respondent may file a motion. The motion can cover issues such as temporary child support, temporary custody, temporary visitation, safety restraints, or custody investigations while the non-parent custody case is pending. Packet #3123EN. Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project

• Residential Schedules and Child Support: Non-Parent Custody Cases

  Petitioners and Respondents in a non-parent custody cases 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.This packet cannot be used alone. See our Filing, Responding and Finalizing Non-Parent Custody Case packets for more information. Packet #3116EN Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project

• Filing for Immediate Restraining Orders: Non-Parent Custody Cases

  This motion asks for a court order giving you certain rights and/or protections in your case between the time your case is filed and the date it ends. The main difference between this type of motion and a Motion for Temporary Family Law Orders is that you use it in an emergency. You ask for this court order to take effect immediately, usually with little or no advance notice to the other party. Packet #3124EN. Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project

• Responding to a Non-Parent Custody Petition

  You may use this packet if you have been served with a Petition for Non-Parent Custody. That petition asks a court order giving Petitioner permanent legal custody of the child/ren named in the petition. Packet #3113EN Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project

• Responding to a Motion for Temporary Non-Parent Custody Orders or Immediate Restraining Orders: Non-Parent Custody

  Once someone files a Petition for Non-Parent Custody, it can take at least several months before the court makes a final decision. In the meantime, you can file motions asking the court for Temporary Non-Parent Custody Orders covering child support, custody, visitation, safety restraints, or custody investigations while the case is pending. This packet should help you fill out and file the forms and papers you need to respond to a Motion for Temporary Non-Parent Custody Orders or a Motion for Immediate Restraining Orders filed in a Non-Parent custody case. Use this packet only to respond to these motions. Packet #3125EN Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project

• Finalizing Your Non-Parent Custody Case

  This packet has information and forms to finalize a non-parent custody case. Most of the instructions are from Petitioner’s point of view. Petitioner typically prepares the final papers if they are getting custody or chooses to drop the case. The general information about how to finalize can be useful to both parties. Respondent might use some of the forms in this packet if they win at trial or the judge dismisses the case before trial. Packet #3114EN Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project