Protection orders cover a variety of situations. An overview of the more common types, along with links to help you decide which you need, is available on the Court Clerk’s website, the District Court website, and the Washington State Protection Order Resources website.

Forms for many types of protection orders are available free from the Clark County Court Clerk’s Office. For Domestic Violence Protection Orders, you can also meet with a Family Court Facilitator at no cost who can assist you with making sure your forms are completely filled out and walk you through the process.

Washington LawHelp has information for these types of protection orders:

• Domestic violence
• Antiharassment
• Stalking

For all protection orders, you must file your paperwork with the Court Clerk before 11:00 am in order to have a judge review your paperwork that day. If you file later than 11:00 am a judge will review it on the next business day.

Legal Voice offers a number of resources for gender-based violence.

Washington LawHelp has information about how to hide your address from a stalker or abuser.

Information about abusive litigation, such as when a domestic violence abuser uses the court system to repeatedly bring the victim back to court, is available from Legal Voice. 

A free Sealed Name Change for Domestic Violence Survivors self-help kit is available for download due to the generosity of the King County Law Library. You can change the heading on the forms to indicate Clark County rather than King County.

Joel's Law allows for a Petition for Initial Detention to be filed by a family member, guardian, conservator, or federally recognized Indian tribe. These petitions address situations where a person with a behavioral health disorder is a danger to themself, others, property, or is gravely disabled. The Washington State Health Care Authority has a fact sheet with information about the process.