In which county can I file for a civil anti-harassment protection order?
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