Restraining Orders

As of 2023, there could be a filing fee of $53 and a service fee when filing a petition for a civil anti-harassment order, depending on who you are filing against.¹ You cannot be charged a fee for filing or serving the order if you are seeking an order against an abuser who:

• has stalked you;
• committed a sex offense against you;
• committed a hate crime against you; or
• is a family or household member and committed domestic violence against you.² 

If any of these things have happened to you, you may also be eligible for another type of protection order, but you cannot be denied an anti-harassment order simply because you do qualify for another kind.³ 

If you cannot afford the filing and service fees, you may file an application to  ask the judge to waive the fee. If the judge decides you cannot pay, will not have to pay the filing fee or other related court costs.⁴ However, you may still have to pay the cost of having the abuser served with the court papers for a civil anti-harassment order.

Note: The judge may require the abuser to pay the filing fee and court costs, including service fees, and to reimburse you for your costs in the case, including reasonable attorney’s fees.⁵

¹ R.C.W. §§ 36.18.020(2)(d); 7.105.105(9)(b)
² R.C.W. § 7.105.105(9)(b)(i)
³ R.C.W. § 7.105.100(5)
⁴ R.C.W. §  7.105.105(9)(b)(ii)
⁵ R.C.W. § 7.105.310(1)(j)

The law says that you “should” file your petition in the county where you live. However, the law also says you “may” file in:

• the county where the act happened that is causing you to file for a protection order;
• the county where a child to be protected by the order primarily lives;
• the county where you lived before you relocated, assuming you relocated due to the abuser’s actions; or
• the court closest to your current home or your prior home if you left that home due to the abuser’s actions.¹

¹ R.C.W. § 7.105.075