General information
Parentage involves unmarried parents. This includes legal parents asking for parenting plans and/or child support for the first time (Petition for a Parenting Plan, Residential Schedule and/or Child Support). It also includes cases to determine a child's legal parents when they are unmarried (Petition to Decide Parentage).
Washington LawHelp has information for unmarried parents:
Clark County's Family Court Facilitator program provides assistance to individuals who choose to represent themselves in matters dealing with many family law issues. The facilitator is available for in-person assistance by appointment for a fee.
For all parentage cases
Information
Washington LawHelp has information about parentage and parenting plans in the Custody and parenting section.
Vital records information about obtaining and changing birth certificates is available from the Washington State Department of Health.
Forms and instructions
Clark County's Family Court Facilitator has instructions and checklists of forms for many family law cases including parentage when an Acknowledgment of Paternity or birth certificate was filed at the Washington Center for Health Statistics, for emergency and temporary orders, and for service:
The Washington State Court has official mandatory pattern forms without instructions for a Petition for a Parenting Plan / Residential Schedule and/or Child Support with Paternity Acknowledgment or Final Parentage Order.
Washington LawHelp has a guide with instructions that can help you fill out the parenting plan court form (FL All Family 140). There is also an interactive interview that you can use to fill out the form:
Clark County Superior Court Local Administrative Rule LAR 0.6(i) includes a suggested parenting time schedule for school-age children whose parents live in the same geographic location.
If you want to add immediate and/or temporary orders to your case, Washington LawHelp has forms and instructions:
For additional information about immediate and temporary orders, see the steps in a family law case page.
If you are asking for child support as part of your parentage case, the child support page has additional information.
For information about changing a final parenting plan or child support order, see the modification page.
To establish parentage
Information
- How to become a legal parent in Washington State from Legal Voice
- Establishing parentage and parenting rights from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
Forms and instructions
The Washington State Court has official mandatory pattern forms without instructions for a Petition to Decide Parentage.
Washington LawHelp has guides with instructions and forms for people who need to establish a legal parent:
Additional resources
- How to File and Prepare for Your Contested Child Custody/Parenting Plan Hearing in Washington State from Navigate Law Group
If you already filed your family law case and want to change something in your Petition after the other side responds:
If you are a legal parent and want to ask the court to end a guardianship or non-parent custody to get your children back, see the minor guardianship page.
Free eBooks about parenting agreements and other family law topics
