Start your protection order petition

Before applying for a protection order, check if it is the right next step for your situation.

• Learn more about what a protection order can do and how a safety plan can help.
• Find out which civil protection order type could work for you.
• Making the decision to file a protection order can be difficult. Work with an advocate to help you understand your options.

An advocate, community advocate, or attorney can help you with these forms.

Get your protection order forms by:

• Use our online Protection Order Portal to create your protection order paperwork  
• Picking them up in-person at King County Superior Court or District Court clerk's offices
• Printing them out on the WA Courts website

You can file online with King County Superior Court or file in-person or online with District Court.

If you submit a protection order petition after 1:15 p.m. during office hours, your temporary protection order hearing may be held on the next business day. If submitted prior to 1:15 p.m. during office hours, your temporary protection order hearing may be held same day.

Once you have filed your forms, you will go to an Ex Parte Court. These are held either online or in person. A judge will review your petition and approve or deny your order.

After a temporary order is either granted or denied, a 2-week return hearing is scheduled.

The respondent in the case must also be served orders. This is a packet of information that must be given to the person a certain number of days before the next hearing.

Learn more about serving, filing additional materials, and requesting a copy of a police report

There could be multiple hearings that you need to attend throughout this part of the process.

Tips for phone and video hearings (408KB)

Your protection order is either granted or denied.