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).
Information about Unmarried Couples: Washington Parenting Law is available from Washington LawHelp.
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 Parenting Plans/Custody 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 parentage cases.
Washington LawHelp has guides with instructions for the parenting plan court form (FL All Family 140):
- Make a Parenting Plan - printable packet with forms that you can fill out by hand
- Make a Parenting Plan - online interview that can help you fill out the forms
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 parentage case, Washington LawHelp has forms and instructions:
- Ask for Immediate Restraining Orders: Parentage Cases
- Ask for Temporary Family Law Orders: Parentage Cases
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.
For legal parents
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:
The Washington State Court has official mandatory pattern forms without instructions for a:
Washington LawHelp has guides with instructions and forms for legal parents:
- File an Agreed Petition for a Parenting Plan, Residential Schedule, or Child Support: Parentage cases
- File a Petition for a Parenting Plan, Residential Schedule and/or Child Support: Parentage Cases
- Respond to a Petition for a Parenting Plan, Residential Schedule and/or Child Support: Parentage Cases
- Finalize a Petition for a Parenting Plan, Residential Schedule and/or Child Support: Parentage Cases
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:
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
- Amend (Change) Your Petition or Parenting Plan from Washington LawHelp
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
