Family Law Instructions (with links to forms)

Below are some of the instructions that are available through the Family Law Facilitators Office.  Additional instructions (and required forms) are available by contacting the Family Law Facilitators Office directly.  You also may find helpful materials by visiting the Northwest Justice Project website.

The instructions are not legal advice.  If you need to consult with an attorney, you may wish to contact the King County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service to receive an attorney referral.

If you have questions about which forms you should use, or how to obtain forms, please contact the Family Law Facilitators Office, at 206-296-9092 (Seattle), or 206-205-2526 (Kent).

Child Support

General Information about Child Support
Instruction Number Instruction Title
C-1 Child Support Modification
C-2 Response to Petition for Child Support Modification
C-3 Agreed Child Support Modification
C-8 Obtaining the Other Party's Address from DCS

Dissolution (Divorce)

General Information about Dissolution
Instruction Number Instruction Title
D-1 Contested Dissolution
D-2 Responding to Dissolution after You Have Been Served
D-3 Agreed Dissolution
D-4 Dissolution by Default in Ex Parte
D-6 Dissolution by Default in Family Law
D-8 How to Dismiss a Dissolution

Contempt

General Information about Contempt
Instruction Number Instruction Title
E-5 Contempt Motion

Family Law Motions

Instruction Number Instruction Title
F-2 Response to a Family Law Motion
F-4 Motion for Temporary Orders
F-5 Response to Motion for Temporary Order or Ex Parte Restraining Order
F-6 Reply to Response
F-14 Response to Petition for Domestic Violence Order

Guardianship

General Information about Guardianship
Instruction Number Instruction Title
G-1 Establishing a Guardianship
G-2 Petition and Order for Approval of Budget, Disbursements in a Guardianship
G-3 Access of Guardian to Assets Held by Financial Institutions
G-4 Order Approving Guardian's Report and Accounting
G-5 Notice of Change of Address or Change of Circumstances; Notice of Death
G-6 Notice of Hearing and Declaration of Mailing in a Guardianship
G-7 Receipts for Funds Deposited or Transferred into Blocked Accounts
G-8 Petition and Order for Withdrawal from Blocked Account
G-9 Petition for Order Approving Guardian's Activities and Final Report
G-10 Petition for Order Closing Guardianship and Discharging Guardian

Invalidy (Annulment)

Instruction Number Instruction Title
I-1 Contested Invalidity
I-2 Response to Invalidity
I-3 Agreed Invalidity
I-4 Invalidity by Default Ex Parte

Motions Before a Judge (Requiring Notice of Hearing)

Instruction Number Instruction Title
J-1 Changing a Family Law Trial Date

Legal Separation

General Information about Legal Separation
Instruction Number Instruction Title
L-1 Contested Legal Separation
L-2 Response to Legal Separation
L-3 Agreed Legal Separation
L-4 Legal Separation by Default in Ex Parte
L-5 Motion to Convert Legal Separation to Dissolution

Third-Party (Non-Parental) Custody

General Information about Third-Party Custody
Instruction Number Instruction Title
N-1 Contested Nonparental Custody
N-2 Response to Petition for Nonparental Custody
N-3 Agreed Nonparental Custody

Parenting Plan Modifications

General Information about Parenting Plan Modifications
Instruction Number Instruction Title
P-1 Custody Decree / Parenting Plan Modification
P-2 Response to Petition for Custody Decree / Parenting Plan Modification
P-3 Agreed Parenting Plan Modification

Establishing a Parenting Plan (Unmarried Parents)

General Information about Parentage and Parenting Plans for Unmarried Parents
Instruction Number Instruction Title
P-4 Petition for Residential Schedule / Parenting Plan / Child Support
P-5 Response to Petition to Establish a Parenting Plan/Affidavit of Paternity
P-8 Motion for Temporary Order/Petition for Parenting Plan

Relocation

General Information about Relocation
Instruction Number Instruction Title
R-1 Notice of Relocation
R-2 Objection to Relocation
R-5 Response to Objection to Relocation

Service of Process

Instruction Number Instruction Title
S-1 Information on Service of Process (Summons, etc.)
S-2 Post-Process Service
S-3 Service by Mail
S-4 Service by Publication