- Alternative dispute resolution
- Animals & pets
- Bankruptcy
- Business organizations
- Charities
- Civil rights
- Computers & the Internet
- Consumer protection
- Criminal law
- Divorce
- Domestic violence
- Education
- Elder law
- Elections & voting
- Family law
- Freedom of expression
- Gay men & lesbians
- Government assistance
- Health care
- Immigration
- Insurance
- Jury duty
- Labor & employment
- Landlord & tenant
- Lawyers & legal services
- Marriage
- Minors
- Motor vehicles
- Name change
- Native Americans
- Open meetings & public records
- Power of attorney
- Real estate
- Small claims
- Wills, probate & estate planning
- Women
Sources of Free Legal Information on
Washington State Law
Updated Jan. 14, 2009.
Prepared by Mary Whisner. Updated by Rachel Turpin (2008-09) and Chris
O'Byrne (2005-06).
This list identifies free Internet sources of information on Washington State law, organized by subject. This page supplements the content available at LawforWA and Washington LawHelp. Guides on those sites are not duplicated here. Instead, this page links to additional web sources of information on Washington law not found on either of those sites.
Additional sources include:
- FreeAdvice.com (question-and-answer summaries on topics ranging from accident and admiralty law to small claims and tax law)
- UW Law School Shidler Center for Law, Commerce & Technology's E-Commerce Genie.
- Nolo's Legal Encyclopedia
- Washington Courts' Self-Help Resources
For Internet sources of Washington laws, cases, and regulations, see Internet Legal Resources > Washington.
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Alternative Dispute Resolution (Arbitration, Mediation, Negotiation)
LawforWA > Arbitration and Mediation
Washington Courts > Washington State Dispute Resolution Centers (a directory)
Washington State Bar Association > Alternatives to Court
Dispute Resolution Washington (a directory)
Animals & Pets
LawforWa > Animal and Pet Law (animal welfare, dangerous dogs, endangered species, estate planning for your pet, injuries caused by pets, leash laws, lemon laws, noise & nuisance, travel & transportation, and wildlife preservation)
Animal Legal and Historical Center > Washington (statutes, regulations, and ordinances)
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Bankruptcy
Washington LawHelp > Consumer & Debt > Bankruptcy
Washington State Bar Association > Bankruptcy
Business Organizations
LawforWA > Business Law (contracts, corporate bankruptcy, employer rights & responsibilities, intellectual property, and interstate commerce)
Access Washington > Doing Business in Washington (starting a business, changing business status, growing a business, licenses & permits, hiring & managing employees, taxes, doing business with the state, and finding laws & regulations)
Washington Attorney General > Antitrust/Unfair Trade Practices
Washington Secretary of State > Corporations (the registration process & fees for corporations, limited liability companies, nonprofits, partnerships & professional service corporations, and a searchable directory)
Washington Department of Licensing
- Big List of Licenses (a list of "licenses, certificates, endorsements, and registrations administered by various Washington State agencies")
- Business Licensing (forms, licensing, fees & a master application)
- License Information (WALI) (contact information state and local licensing bodies)
- Operating a Business in Washington State: A Business Resource Guide
- Professional Licenses Internet Query (a searchable directory of licensed professionals)
- Professional Licensing (information on nearly 30 professions and industries)
U.S. Small Business Association, Washington District Office > counseling & training, a startup kit, and information about financing & business opportunities.
Seattle Office of Economic Development > Doing Business in Seattle ( environmental programs, financial support, infrastructure, licensing, taxes, technical assistance, utilities & the workforce)
King County Bar Association > How to Form and Maintain a a Nonprofit Corporation in Washington State
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Charities
Washington Attorney General > Charities (disputes, fund-raising & registration)
Washington Secretary of State > Consumer Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
Civil Rights
Washington LawHelp >
Civil Rights (Americans with Disabilities Act, discrimination,
prisoners' rights & other topics)
Washington LawHelp >
Housing Discrimination
LawforWA >
Civil Rights and Liberties (guns, hate crimes, privacy, voting rights &
the war on drugs)
LawforWA >
Disability Law (Americans with Disabilities Act, education, housing, the
Rehabilitation Act & Washington laws
LawforWA >
Employment Discrimination (age, disability, equal pay, filing
complaints, gender, immigration status, nationality, race, religion, Seattle
city laws, sexual harassment & sexual orientation)
Washington Human Rights Commission
- Washington Human Rights Commission >The Complaint Process
- Washington Human Rights Commission > Disability Matters
King County Civil Rights Commission
King County Office of Civil Rights (fair employment, fair housing, public accommodations & fair contracting ordinances in unincorporated King County)
King County Law Library > Section 1983 Civil Rights Litigation Research Guide
Computers & Internet
LawforWA > Consumer Law > Internet (complaints, dispute resolution, and Internet purchasing & advertising)
Washington Attorney General > Internet Safety (spam, Internet auctions, file-sharing, and kids & the Internet)
King County Prosecuting Attorney > Computer Crime Prevention (how to protect yourself & what to do if you suspect you are victim)
Consumer Information & Protection
Washington LawHelp > Consumer & Debt (contracts, credit denial, credit reporting problems, debt collection, fraud & unfair sales practices, and loans)
LawforWA > Consumer Law (complaints & dispute resolution, construction, contracts, day care, debt & credit, health clubs, Internet, investment, motor vehicles, privacy, safety regulations, small claims court & telephones)
Washington State Library > Find-It! Consumer (searchable)
Washington Attorney General > Consumer Issues A-Z (cell phones, contractors, franchises, identity theft, junk mail, pyramid schemes, senior fraud & other topics)
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries > Hiring a Contractor (searchable database of licensing contractors, electricians & plumbers)
Washington State Bar Association > Signing Documents
Crime Victims
LawforWA > Criminal Law > Crime Victims
Washington Labor and Industries Dep't > Help for Crime Victims (victim compensation program & forms)
King County Prosecuting Attorney > Victim Assistance (victim advocacy & rights, interpreters, notice, restitution & information for witnesses)
Criminal Law
Washington LawHelp > Criminal (expungement of criminal records and prisoners' rights)
LawforWa > Criminal Law (court records, crime victims, criminal procedure, dating violence, drugs & alcohol, evidence, police practices, prisons & prisoners, rights of suspects, traffic & motor vehicles, and the court & legal system)
The Washington State Office of Public Defense > Brief Bank (copies of appellate briefs filed for indigent clients; free, but registration required)
Seattle Police Department (fingerprinting, filing complaints, crime information, safety & prevention, and citizen & victim rights)
King County Prosecuting Attorney > computer crime, employee theft & insurance fraud
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington > Police Practices, What to Do If You Are Stopped by the Police & You and the Police
Washington State Bar Association > Criminal Law
King County Law Library > Vacating Records Research Guide.
Washington Courts > Criminal History and Criminal Records: A Guide on When and How to Challenge, Seal, Vacate or Expunge
King County Dep't of Adult and Juvenile Detention > Resource Guide (guide to assist those leaving detention and returning to the community)
See also Domestic Violence.
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Divorce
Washington LawHelp > Family Law (child support, divorce (called dissolution of marriage), do-it-yourself packets, parenting plans & relocation)
Washington State Bar Association > Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) & Divorce and Parenting: The Parenting Act
King County Prosecuting Attorney > Family Support Division
King County Law Library
- Family Law Research Guide: Dissolution
- Family Law Research Guide: Parenting Plans and Child Support
- Family Law Research Guide: Child Relocation
- Family Law Research Guide: Nonparental Custody
See also Family Law and Marriage.
Domestic Violence
Washington LawHelp > Domestic Violence & Antiharassment
LawforWA > Domestic Violence (child abuse, elder abuse & spousal/partner abuse)
Washington Secretary of State > Address Confidentiality (victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking)
King County > Domestic Violence Information Page
King County Prosecuting Attorney > Domestic Violence & Protection Order Advocacy Program
King County Law Library > Family Law Research Guide: Domestic Violence
Washington Courts
- Court Forms: Domestic Violence (Word & interactive PDF forms)
- Guidelines for Domestic Violence Protection and Antiharassment Orders
- A Safety Plan for Domestic Violence (advice & suggestions)
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Education
Washington LawHelp > Youth Law & Education (public education & schools, school discipline, special education & student loans)
LawforWA >
Education covers (discipline, records, student rights & testing)
LawforWA >
Youth (student loans & student rights)
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington State
- Military Recruitment at High Schools
- Parents' Guide to School Discipline in Washington
- Rights of Public School Students in Washington State
- Student Walkouts and Political Speech at School
Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Education
- Special Education
- Washington State's Laws Regulating Home-Based Instruction ("the pink book")
King County Prosecutor > truancy law (including "the Becca Bill")
Elder Law
Washington LawHelp > Aging / Elder Law (guardianship & power of attorney, kinship care, long-term care assistance, Medicaid & Medicare, medical & mental health issues for seniors, Social Security & Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and wills & probate)
LawforWA > Senior Citizens (age discrimination, elder abuse, guardianship, health care, power of attorney, Social Security, and wills & estate planning)
Washington Attorney General > Protecting Seniors (dealing with death, Medicaid and other fraud, prescription drug prices)
King County Prosecuting Attorney > Elder Abuse Project
Washington State Bar Association > Elder Law
Elections & Voting
LawforWA >
Civil Rights and Liberties (election reform & voting rights)
LawforWA >
Elections (running for office, voting & voter registration)
Washington Secretary of State > Elections & Voting
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington > How Ex-Felons Can Restore Their Right to Vote in Washington & Restoring the Right to Vote in Washington
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Family Law
Washington LawHelp > Family Law (child protection system, do-it-yourself packets, paternity & parentage, unmarried & same-sex couples, divorce, domestic violence, and marriage)
LawforWA > Employment >
Family and Medical Leave Act
LawforWA >
Family (adoption, child abuse, child custody, child support & alimony,
domestic violence, divorce, gay/lesbian families, marriage, name change,
parentage, and vital records)
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries > Washington State Family Leave Act Q&A, Family Leave Insurance
King County Prosecutor > Family Support
King County Law Library > Family Law Research Guide (annulment, divorce, parenting plans, child support, relocation, nonparental custody, domestic violence, guardians ad litem, and family court procedures)
The Family Law Handbook for Washington State (prenuptial agreements, ending a marriage, community property, alimony, shared parenting, relocation, child support, domestic violence, child abuse & neglect, and community resources)
See also see Divorce, Domestic Violence, Marriage, and Minors.
Freedom of Expression
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington > Street Speech: Your Rights in Washington to Parade, Picket, and Leaflet
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Gay Men & Lesbians
LawforWA > Employment Discrimination >
Sexual Orientation
LawforWA > Family >
Gay/Lesbian Families
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington > The Rights of Gays and Lesbians and the Work of the ACLU of Washington
Washington Human Rights Commission > Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Lambda Legal > Publications (anti-discrimination resources, marriage equality, etc.) and Help Desk (responds to community members seeking legal information or attorney referrals)
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Government Assistance
Washington LawHelp > Government Benefits (appeals & hearings, cash assistance for families (TANF) & people with disabilities (GA & SSI), child care, Dep't of Social & Health Services programs & problems, emergency & food assistance, benefits for immigrants & refugees, health care assistance (Medicaid & Medicare), long-term care assistance, public & subsidized housing, unemployment compensation, veterans' benefits, and energy assistance). See also Housing > Emergency Shelter & Assistance.
LawforWA > Government Benefits (food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF))
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Hate Crimes
LawforWA > Civil Rights and Liberties > Hate Crimes
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington > Hate Crimes: Current Laws and Policy Recommendations
Washington Human Rights Commission > Hate Incidents/Crimes
Health Care
WashingtonLawHelp > Health (basic rights of health care consumers, children's & seniors' medical & mental health care issues, obtaining & maintaining medical coverage, and the rights of the insured & uninsured)
LawforWA > Health (charity care & medical bills; files, records & information; insurance coverage; group plans; Medicare; and Medicaid.
American Civil Liberties Union in Washington > A Guide to Washington's Medical Marijuana Law and What You Should Know about Reproductive Freedom in Washington State
Northwest Health Law Advocates (information for Washington residents on low income medical insurance, individual health insurance, health insurance programs for children)
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Immigration
WashingtonLawHelp > Immigration (becoming a permanent resident or US citizen, government assistance, issues for children & minors, visa petitions, and other immigration issues)
LawforWA > Immigration (deportation, employment, family & adoption, foreign students & exchange visitors, forms, immigrant rights, naturalization, permanent residency, refugees, seeking asylum, and visas & the visa lottery)
Insurance
Washington Insurance Commissioner > consumer information page. Consumers with questions can call the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) HelpLine at 1-800-397-4422 or the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) Consumer Hot Line at 1-800-562-6900.
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Jury Duty
Washington Courts > Welcome to Jury Duty (frequently asked questions, do's & don'ts, information for employers, links to local juror websites, a glossary of terms, and a juror's guide)
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Labor & Employment
Washington LawHelp > Employment / Farm Worker Rights (discrimination, health in the workplace, pensions, termination, unemployment compensation, wage claims & workers' compensation)
LawforWA >
Employment (family & medical leave, Social Security & unemployment
insurance)
LawforWA >
Employment Discrimination (age, disability, equal pay, filing
complaints, gender, immigration status, nationality, race, religion, Seattle
city laws, sexual harassment & sexual orientation)
Washington Human Rights Commission > (discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, credit & and insurance)
Washington Department of Licensing > Professional Licensing
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Landlord &Tenant
Washington LawHelp > Housing (evictions, housing discrimination, mobile home park tenants, public & subsidized housing, and tenants' rights)
LawforWa > Housing (pets, public & subsidized housing, and rented housing)
Washington Attorney General > Landlord - Tenant
Washington State Bar Association
King County Law Library > Landlord/Tenant Research Guide
Washington Human Rights Commission > Fair Housing
Lawyers & Legal Services
Washington LawHelp > More Legal Information > Representing Yourself / Additional Court Procedures (depositions, in forma pauperis motions, obtaining a name change, preparing for a hearing or trial, sealing or vacating criminal records, subpoenaing documents & witnesses, and other matters)
LawforWA > Finding a Lawyer
Washington State Bar Association
- Communicating with Your Lawyer
- Consulting a Lawyer
- Lawyer Discipline in Washington
- The Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection
- Legal Fees
- Ethics Page for the Public (legal ethics & filing a grievance against an attorney)
- Databases
- Lawyer Directory (searchable)
- Discipline Notice Search (searchable database of Washington attorneys who have been subject to discipline for ethical violations)
Washington State Practice of Law Board (filing a complaint for the unauthorized practice of law)
Washington State Access to Justice Board > county-based lawyer referral services
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Marriage
LawforWA > Family > Marriage
Washington State Bar Association > Marriage in Washington State
King County Law Library > Family Law Research Guide: Declaration Concerning Validity (annulment)
See also Divorce, Domestic Violence, and Family Law.
Minors
Washington Law Help > Youth Law & Education (emancipation, foster care, homelessness, immigration issues, juvenile offenders, medical & mental health issues, public education & schools, school discipline, special education, and student loans)
LawforWA > Domestic Violence >
Child Abuse
LawforWA >
Youth (age of majority, at-risk youth, health care, student loans, and
student rights)
King County Prosecuting Attorney > Truancy
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington > Student/Youth Rights
King County Bar Association > On Your Own: Your Legal Rights (driver's rights & responsibilities, jobs, tenant's rights & duties, money & credit, freedom of expression, crimes, marriage & children, your day in court, and working with a lawyer)
See also Education and Family Law.
Motor Vehicles
Washington Law Help > Consumer & Debt > Auto: Purchasing, Repairs, Towing & Insurance and Drivers and Professional Licenses.
LawforWA > Consumer Law > Motor Vehicles (complaints & dispute resolution; insurance; lemons, warranties & service contracts; purchasing & leasing; repair; and repossession)
Washington Attorney General > Lemon Law
Washington Department of Licensing
- Boat Registration
- Car/Truck Title and Registration (lemon law, emissions testing, license plates & taxes)
- Driver Licenses (identification, tests, renewal & replacement, teens, seniors, motorcycles, commercial drivers, hearings, accidents, organ donation & related topics)
- Commercial Driver Licenses
King County Law Library > Traffic Infractions Research Guide
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Name Change
Washington LawHelp > More Legal Information > Representing Yourself / Additional Court Procedures > Name Change
LawforWA > Family > Name Change
King County Law Library > Name Change Research Guide
Native Americans
Washington LawHelp > Native American Issues (discrimination & economic development, government benefits, the Indian Child Welfare Act, treaty rights, tribal acknowledgement, tribal law, and tribal land issues)
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Open Meetings & Public Records
Washington Attorney General > Open Government (open meetings, public disclosure and records)
The American Civil Liberties Union > How to Get Government Records
King County Law Library > Washington Public Records Research Guide
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Power of Attorney
See Washington LawHelp > Health > Guardianships & Power of Attorney.
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Real Estate
Washington LawHelp > Consumer & Debt (buying & selling real estate, buying a manufactured home, filing complaints against contractors, foreclosure, forfeiture, predatory lending, quit claim deeds & reverse mortgages)
LawforWa >
Housing (buying, construction, deeds & selling property)
LawforWA >
Neighborhood Issues and Disputes (animals (pets and wildlife); noise &
other problematic behavior; property lines; street repairs; and trash, water
& foliage)
Washington State Bar Association > Real Estate
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Small Claims
Washington LawHelp > Consumer & Debt > Small Claims Court
LawforWA > Consumer Law > Small Claims Court
Washington Courts > An Introduction to Small Claims Court
Washington Attorney General > Disputes (small claims court, arbitration)
How to Win the Small Claims Game by Mark Rahner, Seattle Times (Jan. 26, 2003).
King County Bar Association > King County Small Claims Courts: A Guide on How to Use the Small Claims Courts and How to Collect Small Claims Judgments
King County Small Claims Court
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Utilities
Washington LawHelp > Consumer & Debt > Energy Assistance, Utilities & Telecommunications
Washington Attorney General > Utilities
LawforWA > Consumer Law > Telephones (complaints & dispute resolution, telephone sales & telemarketing, telephone service & billing, unfair & deceptive practices, unsolicited goods & trial offers, and warranties & service contracts)
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Wills, Probate & Estate Planning
Washington LawHelp > Aging / Elder Law > Wills, Probate & Alternatives
LawforWA > Wills and Estate Planning (estate planning, trusts, wills & probate)
Washington State Bar Association
Women
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington State > What You Should Know about Reproductive Freedom in Washington State
See also Divorce, Domestic Violence, Family Law, and Marriage.