General information
Parentage involves unmarried parents. This includes legal parents asking for parenting plans 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 Washington Parenting Law for Unmarried Couples 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.
Forms and instructions
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
- Petition to Decide Parentage
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
- Amend (Change) Your Petition or Parenting Plan
- 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
- Instructions for Filing to End a Guardianship or Nonparent Custody Order to Get Your Children Back
Washington LawHelp has guides with instructions and forms for people who need to establish a legal parent:
- File a Petition to Decide Parentage
- Respond to a Petition to Decide Parentage
- Finalize a Petition to Decide Parentage
Washington LawHelp has guides with instructions for the parenting plan form:
- Make a Parenting Plan - printable packet of forms and instructions
- Make a Parenting Plan - online interview to create the completes forms
Checklists of forms for parentage cases where an Acknowledgment of Paternity was filed at the Washington State Department of Health can be found on the Family Court Facilitator's family law instructions page.
For more information about petitioning for child support, see the child support page.
For information about changing a final parenting plan or child support order, see the modification page.
Additional resources
Clark County Superior Court Local Court Rule LCR 0.6 includes a suggested parenting time schedule for school-age children whose parents live in the same geographic location.
Information about how to become a legal parent in Washington State is available from Legal Voice.
Information about establishing parentage and parenting rights is available from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.
Navigate Law Group has a blog post about how to file and prepare for your contested child custody/parenting plan hearing
Free eBooks about parenting agreements and other family law topics
