If you are needing protection most often you will request a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO).

There are other types of protection that are a lesser degree such as Stalking/Harassment.

You can obtain these in District or Superior Court.

Most courts have someone dedicated to assisting clients in getting the initial temporary order after completing the Petition which can help in getting the order same day and cost you nothing but dedicating your time to focusing on providing the information that has caused you to pursue a protection order. The court will set a final hearing when they issue the temporary order and this is when you might want to seek assistance in getting additional documentation filed to support your Petition. 

If you have been served a protection order, you will want to see about getting assistance to file documents refuting the allegations prior to the hearing.

A restraining order is similar, except that it is only available in family law matters if there is a current case pending. If the case has been completed then you would want to get a protection order or speak to a LLLT or attorney about what your options are dependent on the issues. If you are in immediate need then you would want to proceed with a Petition for a temporary protection order and then proceed with reaching out to a legal professional for advice on how it may affect your family law matter.

The orders tend to provide options such as do not disturb, don't enter certain places/distances, not to harass, stalk, etc. and may require the person to surrender weapons.

FYI- King County has provided a new method to obtain protection orders-go to this link and follow the instructions should you need to submit one. There is an emergency exit button should you need to exit at any time...

https://dja-prd-ecexap1.kingcounty.gov/?q=node/531
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​#protection orders #restraining orders #WAprotectionorders #domesticviolenceawareness

If you have reviewed your case schedule that was issued when you filed your Petition, you will see there is a cutoff date for discovery.

If you are in agreement with the other party, this should not be an issue. If you are trying to work toward an agreement, then you might need to provide one another information in an ability to have all you need to make an informed decision.

If you and the other party are not in agreement and it doesn't appear you are going to be able to work toward an agreement, then discovery might be an important factor in pushing the case forward.

Interrogatories/Request for Production
The most common discovery tool utilized is requesting interrogatories (questions requiring answers) and production (documents requested). These are required to be answered, even if a party objects it still has to be answered. Failure to do so could result in appearing in court for them to order them to be completed and requiring fees to be paid to the other party that could be in the thousands. 

Each county has a limit on the number of questions that can be asked. This is utilized to get information that may not be known, but may materially affect the case if it is not provided.

This could be something as simple as another person living in the home to the date the person asserts when they separated from the other party.

This is also to learn whether or not there are financial accounts that are unknown to one party including bank accounts, retirement, etc.

This is a method to find out where a person may reside or work, salary, length of employment, etc.

This is also a method to find out what they may be asking for property or why they are asking for the parenting plan they are.

Requests for documents could be loan documents, credit card statements, bank statements, paystubs, tax documents, etc.

Request for Admissions
This would be asking yes or no questions that have to be answered. Failure to answer results in them being admitted.

Depositions
Depositions are another method, although used much less in family law due to cost and time constraints. This would be essentially a practice run of going to trial. All questions would have to be answered under oath and there would be a transcriptionist present.

Even if there is an objection, the question has to be answered.


These tools can help to have a complete picture of all of the issues that need resolved, but they can also be used at trial. If there are contradictory statements in what was provided in discovery as opposed to what a party states at trial. This could affect that party's credibility with the court and impact the court's ruling.

#Discovery#Trial