Washington
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Washington — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Washington
Washington's courts run Self-Help Washington, the official portal for people handling their own cases — courthouse facilitators can help with family law filings in Superior Court. Start there before anything else.
Washington Courts — Self-Help Washington
The official starting point: the courts' self-help portal for family law and other civil cases.
courts.wa.gov — self-help →Find a divorce lawyer
WA State Bar — Legal Directory
The Bar's searchable directory of every licensed Washington lawyer, searchable by practice area and county. (The Bar itself doesn't make referrals — its Find Legal Help page points to CLEAR at 888-201-1014.)
mywsba.org — legal directory →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Washington Law Help
The official statewide legal-aid portal: form library, self-help guides, and WA Forms Online.
washingtonlawhelp.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-866-363-4276 (1-866-END HARM) — 24/7. Phone-only reporting.
dcyf.wa.gov — report abuse →Foreclosure Fairness Program
Washington's Dept. of Commerce program: free housing counseling (1-877-894-4663), civil legal aid, and lender-borrower mediation once you've received a Notice of Default.
commerce.wa.gov — foreclosure fairness →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Unpaid wages in Washington
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Washington.
Where to go
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)
Time limit to file
3 years
What the floor is
$17.13 (2026)
Changing your name in Washington
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Washington.
How it works
petition the district court in your county
Typical court fee
varies by county (~$100–$300)
Newspaper notice required?
no
Small claims court in Washington
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Washington.
Maximum claim
$10,000 (individuals) / $5,000 (businesses and other entities)
Filing fee
$35 or $50 depending on the county
Can you bring one?
no, unless the judge gives permission
Clearing your criminal record in Washington
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Washington stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — "vacatur" (Washington's term for expungement)
What qualifies
certain misdemeanors and Class B/C felonies; not DUI or most sex/violent offenses
Waiting period
3 years after sentence completion (misdemeanors), 5 years (Class C felonies), 10 years (Class B felonies)
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in Washington →
Child support in Washington
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Washington.
How it's figured
income shares Washington State Child Support Schedule worksheets on courts.wa.gov
When it ends
age 18 or high school graduation, whichever is later (court may order post-secondary support)
Lemon law in Washington
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Washington's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new vehicles purchased or leased in Washington, including vehicles bought with under 24,000 miles; not used vehicles
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts of the same problem, 2+ attempts for a defect likely to cause death or substantial bodily injury, or 30+ cumulative days out of service within 2 years or 24,000 miles
What you get
replacement or repurchase (refund) of the vehicle
Tenant rights in Washington
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Washington.
Notice before eviction
14-day notice to pay or vacate for nonpayment; 20 days to end a month-to-month tenancy
Deposit limits & return
No statutory cap; return within 21 days; written itemized statement required
When the landlord won't fix things
May repair and deduct up to 2 months' rent after written notice and estimate (1 month's rent if doing the work personally)
DUI / DWI in Washington
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Washington handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.15
Typical penalties
24 hours to 364 days in jail, fines roughly $990 to $5,000, 90-day license suspension
How far back DUIs count
7 years
Gun laws in Washington
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Concealed pistol license (CPL) required; shall-issue (21+)
Carrying openly
Generally allowed, with some sensitive places restricted
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Universal background checks required — private transfers must go through a licensed dealer Waiting period: 10 business days.
Extreme risk protection
Yes. Courts can temporarily order firearms removed from someone found to be a danger.
Reciprocity
Recognizes out-of-state permits only from a short list of states meeting Washington's standards
Filming the police: your rights in Washington
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
All-party consent
State law generally requires everyone recorded to consent — but on-duty officers in public have no reasonable expectation of privacy, so courts have held that recording them is protected. (Wash. Rev. Code § 9.73.030)
No buffer-zone law
Washington has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
State v. Flora (Wash. Ct. App. 1992) held that conversations with police during an arrest are not 'private,' so the all-party-consent law does not bar recording on-duty police in public. The state attorney general has also opined that interactions with on-duty police are presumed public. The 9th Circuit recognized a First Amendment right to film matters of public interest in Fordyce v. City of Seattle (1995).
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Washington
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Washington
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Washington
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Washington
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Washington
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →