How to Fill Out Washington Form PO 001 (w/Examples) + FAQs

Washington Form PO 001 is the Petition for Protection Order that any person in Washington State files in superior, district, or municipal court to ask a judge to order another person to stop abuse, threats, stalking, harassment, sexual assault, or the exploitation of a vulnerable adult under RCW 7.105. The form is the unified, statewide petition created after Washington merged six separate protection order types into one streamlined process, and it is the gateway to a temporary order that can be granted the same day you file.

The current version is the Mandatory Pattern Form PO 001 published by the Washington Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), revised 01/2024. Filing the wrong order type, missing the firearms section, or leaving out the relationship box can trigger a denial at ex parte review, and roughly 1 in 5 protection order petitions in Washington are returned for correction or denied for incomplete facts according to the AOC Protection Order Workgroup data.

Here is what this guide will give you:

📝 A line-by-line walkthrough of every box on Form PO 001 with sample entries
👨‍👩‍👧 Three full filled-out examples (domestic violence with kids, anti-harassment, stalking)
📂 A pre-filing checklist of every document and ID number you need before you start
🏛️ Every filing channel explained — in person, mail, the Washington Courts e-filing portal, and the new statewide protection order portal
⚠️ The 10 most common mistakes that get petitions denied and how to avoid each one

What Form PO 001 Is and Who Must File It

Form PO 001 is the single petition form Washington courts use for all six civil protection order types: domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, anti-harassment, vulnerable adult, and extreme risk (firearm). The Washington Legislature unified these orders in 2021 through SB 5160, which took effect July 1, 2022, replacing the patchwork of older forms with one petition that routes itself to the right order type based on your relationship to the respondent and the conduct you describe.

You must file this form if you want a Washington court to order another person to stay away from you, stop contacting you, surrender firearms, vacate a shared home, or stop harassing or exploiting a protected person. The petitioner can be the person harmed, a parent or guardian filing for a minor, or in vulnerable adult cases, an interested party such as the Department of Social and Health Services.

The court that hears the petition depends on the order type. Superior court hears domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, vulnerable adult, and extreme risk petitions, while district and municipal courts can hear anti-harassment matters. Filing in the wrong court is the single fastest way to get bounced, so the form’s relationship section is the most consequential box on the page.

The agency that receives the form is the county superior court clerk or the district/municipal court clerk where you live, where the respondent lives, or where the harm happened. The statute that governs the petition, the deadlines, the proof standards, and the relief available is RCW 7.105, and violating a granted order is a criminal offense under RCW 7.105.450.

Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need

Gather these items before you open the petition. Every missing piece slows the court, and some missing items will cause the judge to deny the temporary order outright at the ex parte hearing.

Your full legal name, current address, and a safe contact method. The court uses this to mail orders and to confirm jurisdiction. If your address must stay secret, you will use the Address Confidentiality Program substitute address instead.
The respondent’s full legal name, date of birth, and last known address. Service of process fails without this, and a petition that cannot be served cannot become a final order.
A physical description of the respondent. Height, weight, hair color, eye color, race, and any scars or tattoos help the sheriff serve the order on the right person.
Names and dates of birth of any minor children involved. The court needs this to decide custody, visitation, and which children to include in the protected-persons section.
A clear, dated list of incidents. Write down what happened, when it happened, where it happened, and who witnessed it. Vague petitions are denied at ex parte review.
Police report numbers, if any. Add the agency, case number, and date. The court can pull these to corroborate.
Photos, texts, voicemails, social media screenshots, and medical records. These attach as exhibits and turn allegations into evidence.
A list of every firearm you know the respondent owns or possesses. This drives the firearms surrender order under RCW 9.41.800 and is one of the most-skipped sections.
Any existing court orders. Divorce decrees, parenting plans, prior protection orders, and out-of-state orders must be disclosed so the new order does not contradict them.
A Law Enforcement Information Sheet (LEIS). This is filed under seal so officers can identify and locate the respondent for service.

If you cannot find an item, write unknown in the field rather than leaving it blank. Blank fields look like skipped fields to a reviewing judge, and skipped fields create doubt.

Where to Get the Form and How to Access It

The official, fillable PDF of Form PO 001 lives on the Washington Courts forms library under the “All Forms” index, filed alphabetically as “Petition for Protection Order.” Always download from the courts.wa.gov domain because third-party copies can be outdated and judges reject obsolete versions.

You can also pick up a paper packet at any superior court clerk’s office. The packet bundles PO 001 with companion forms PO 021 (Law Enforcement and Confidential Information Form), PO 040 (Temporary Protection Order), and PO 045 (Protection Order Hearing Notice). The clerk cannot fill the form out for you, but they can hand you the right packet for your county.

For pro se filers who want guided help, the Washington Protection Order portal walks you through the same questions in a friendlier interface and produces a finished PO 001 you can e-file or print. The portal is free, available in multiple languages, and is sponsored by the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy.

If you are filing for a vulnerable adult, DSHS Adult Protective Services keeps copies and can help an interested party complete the petition. Always confirm the revision date in the lower-left footer reads 01/2024 or later before you start writing.

Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out Form PO 001 Line by Line

Form PO 001 is organized into a caption, eleven numbered sections, and a verification block. Every section maps to a legal element the judge must find, so each box matters. Use a black-ink pen if you are filling out a paper copy, write in block capitals, and never use white-out — strike a single line through errors and initial them.

Caption: Court, County, and Case Number

The caption sits at the top of page 1 and asks for the Superior Court of Washington for the County of _____ and a No. (case number) box. In plain English, this tells the court system which county owns the case and which case file holds the documents.

Write the county where you live, where the respondent lives, or where the harm happened, and leave the case number blank — the clerk stamps it when you file. Maria Lopez writes “King” on the county line and leaves the No. box empty. If you live in one county and the respondent in another, you can pick whichever is safer or more convenient.

A common mistake is writing the city (Seattle, Tacoma) instead of the county (King, Pierce). The consequence is a rejected filing at the intake counter because Washington courts are organized by county, not city. A misconception is that you must file where the respondent lives — under RCW 7.105.080 you may file where you live, where the respondent lives, or where the abuse occurred.

Section 1: Petitioner Information

This section asks for your full legal name, year of birth, and address for legal mailing. The court uses these to identify you, confirm you are an adult (or a minor 15+ filing on your own behalf), and send you copies of every order.

Print your legal name exactly as it appears on your ID. Use a safe address — your home, a P.O. Box, an attorney’s office, a domestic-violence shelter, or your ACP substitute address. Maria Lopez writes “Maria Elena Lopez,” year of birth “1988,” and her ACP address “PO Box 257, Olympia, WA 98507.”

A nuance applies to minors: a person 15 or older may file on their own behalf for protection from a dating partner, and a parent files for a child under 15. The common mistake here is writing your work address; the consequence is that the respondent (who is mailed everything except the LEIS) learns where you work. The misconception is that you must list a residential address — you do not, and the form explicitly allows a mailing address.

Section 2: Confidential Information

Section 2 asks for your date of birth, phone, email, and any address you want kept confidential. These details are filed on the companion form PO 021 and sealed from the respondent.

Write your full DOB in MM/DD/YYYY format, list a phone where the court can reach you, and check the box requesting confidentiality of the address. Maria writes “04/12/1988,” phone “360-555-0142,” and checks the “keep my address confidential” box. If you are in the Address Confidentiality Program, write your ACP authorization number on the line provided.

The common mistake is writing your real address in Section 1 and again in Section 2 without checking the confidentiality box; the consequence is that the respondent receives your address with the served petition. The misconception is that the court automatically hides your address — it does not unless you affirmatively request it under GR 22.

Section 3: Respondent Information

Here you list the respondent’s full legal name, any aliases, year of birth, address, and physical description. The sheriff cannot serve a person they cannot identify.

Spell the name as it appears on official records, list aliases the respondent uses on social media, and add height, weight, hair, eyes, race, and identifying marks. Maria writes “Daniel R. Vega, aka ‘Danny V,’ YOB 1985, 1422 S 14th St, Tacoma, WA 98405, 6‘0”, 210 lb, brown hair, brown eyes, tattoo of a snake on right forearm.”

A nuance covers unknown addresses: if you do not know where the respondent lives, write last known and the most recent address you do have, plus any work address. The common mistake is writing only a first name; the consequence is that the sheriff returns the papers unserved and your case stalls. The misconception is that the court will find the respondent for you — service is your responsibility, though law enforcement serves protection orders for free under RCW 7.105.155.

Section 4: Relationship to Respondent

Section 4 is a checkbox grid that asks how you and the respondent are related. This single section determines which protection order type applies and which court has jurisdiction.

Check every box that applies: spouse, former spouse, dating relationship, parent of a shared child, family or household member, vulnerable adult, or none of these (which routes to anti-harassment or stalking). Maria checks “former dating partner” and “parent of a shared child.” If you check none of the relationship boxes, the court treats the petition as anti-harassment, stalking, or sexual assault depending on the conduct described.

The common mistake is checking “dating relationship” for a casual acquaintance; the consequence is that the court reclassifies the order at the hearing and your relief options shrink. The misconception is that “household member” requires a romantic tie — it does not, and roommates qualify under RCW 7.105.010.

Section 5: Type of Protection Order Requested

This box asks which of the six order types you want: domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, anti-harassment, vulnerable adult, or extreme risk. You may check more than one if facts support each.

Check the box that matches the conduct, not just the relationship. Maria checks “Domestic Violence” because Daniel is a former dating partner who has assaulted her. If you describe stalking by a stranger, check stalking even though no DV applies.

The common mistake is checking anti-harassment when the facts are domestic violence; the consequence is that anti-harassment offers narrower relief (no firearms surrender, shorter duration). The misconception is that you must pick only one order type — the unified petition explicitly allows multiple, and the judge issues whichever fits the proof.

Section 6: Minor Children

Section 6 lists every minor child who needs protection or whose custody the order will affect. Add full names, ages, and the relationship of each child to you and to the respondent.

Use one row per child, and check whether you want the child included as a protected person. Maria writes “Sofia Lopez-Vega, age 5, daughter of petitioner and respondent — include as protected person.” If a child is the respondent’s but not yours, note that in the relationship column.

A nuance covers existing parenting plans: disclose them in Section 9 so the court can craft a temporary order that does not violate them. The common mistake is forgetting to list a child you want protected; the consequence is that the order does not cover that child and the respondent can lawfully contact them. The misconception is that the protection order grants permanent custody — it grants only temporary care under RCW 7.105.310, and a separate parenting action handles long-term custody.

Section 7: Statement of Reasons (Facts)

Section 7 is the heart of the petition: a narrative box where you describe what the respondent did, when, where, and how it harmed you. Judges grant or deny the temporary order on these words alone at the ex parte hearing.

Write in chronological order, use dates (MM/DD/YYYY), and quote threats verbatim in quotation marks. Maria writes: “On 04/02/2026 at our shared apartment in Tacoma, Daniel grabbed my wrist, twisted it, and said, ‘If you leave me, I’ll kill you.’ I have a bruise photographed on 04/03/2026. Tacoma PD report 26-12345.” Attach exhibits as additional pages and label them Exhibit A, B, C.

The common mistake is writing conclusions (“he abused me”) instead of facts; the consequence is that judges deny ex parte relief because conclusions are not evidence. The misconception is that you need a police report — you do not, your sworn statement under penalty of perjury is itself evidence under RCW 9A.72.085.

Section 8: Firearms and Dangerous Weapons

Section 8 asks whether the respondent owns, possesses, or has access to firearms and which ones. Federal law and RCW 9.41.800 require the court to order surrender on most DV, SA, and stalking orders.

List each firearm you know about by type, caliber, and location if known. Maria writes “1 black 9mm Glock 19 kept in the nightstand at 1422 S 14th St; 1 hunting rifle in his truck.” Check the box requesting an order to surrender weapons.

A nuance: if you do not know the respondent’s firearms, check “I believe respondent has access to firearms but I do not know specifics” — the court can still order a search. The common mistake is leaving Section 8 blank because you “don’t know”; the consequence is that the firearms surrender order may not issue, and federal 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8) protections never attach. The misconception is that mentioning firearms is “escalating” — it is the single most life-saving box on the form.

Section 9: Other Court Cases

Section 9 lists every other court case involving you and the respondent: divorce, parentage, prior protection orders, criminal cases, dependency, or out-of-state orders. The court needs this to coordinate.

Write the case number, the court, and the case type for each. Maria writes “Pierce County Superior Court 25-3-04567-1, parentage action filed 11/2025; Tacoma Municipal Court CR-25-9988, criminal no-contact order entered 12/2025.”

The common mistake is hiding a prior denied protection order; the consequence is that the omission undermines your credibility and can be grounds for dismissal. The misconception is that prior denials sink your case — they do not, because each petition is judged on its current facts.

Section 10: Relief Requested

Section 10 is a checklist of specific orders you want the judge to issue: no contact, stay-away distance, vacate the home, surrender firearms, temporary care of children, transfer of phone numbers, mental-health or substance-abuse evaluations, and others.

Check every box that fits. Maria checks “no contact,” “stay 1,000 feet away from petitioner’s home, work, and children’s school,” “vacate the shared apartment by 5 p.m. tomorrow,” “surrender all firearms,” and “temporary care of Sofia to petitioner.” You may also write custom relief on the blank lines.

The common mistake is checking only “no contact” and forgetting stay-away distance; the consequence is that the respondent can lawfully stand on the sidewalk outside your home. The misconception is that the judge will add relief you forgot — judges grant only what you ask for, so over-check rather than under-check.

Section 11: Signature and Verification

The verification block is your sworn statement, signed under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington. It is what turns the petition into evidence.

Sign your full legal name, print it below, write the date and city of signing. Maria signs “Maria Elena Lopez,” prints “Maria Elena Lopez,” writes “04/15/2026, Olympia, WA.” Do not sign before a notary — Washington uses GR 13 penalty-of-perjury declarations instead, no notary required.

The common mistake is signing without dating or without writing the city; the consequence is that the verification is defective and the judge cannot rely on it for ex parte relief. The misconception is that you need a notary — you do not, and bringing a notarized petition wastes time and money.

Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios

Example 1: Maria Lopez — Domestic Violence with a Minor Child

Maria left a violent former boyfriend, Daniel, and is filing in King County Superior Court for herself and her 5-year-old daughter Sofia.

Form Section	What Maria Enters
Caption (county)	King
Section 1 (petitioner)	Maria Elena Lopez, YOB 1988, PO Box 257, Olympia, WA 98507
Section 2 (confidential)	DOB 04/12/1988, 360-555-0142, address confidential — checked
Section 3 (respondent)	Daniel R. Vega, aka “Danny V,” YOB 1985, 1422 S 14th St, Tacoma WA, 6‘0” 210 lb, snake tattoo right forearm
Section 4 (relationship)	Former dating partner; parent of shared child
Section 5 (order type)	Domestic Violence Protection Order
Section 6 (children)	Sofia Lopez-Vega, age 5, daughter — include as protected person
Section 7 (facts)	On 04/02/2026 Daniel grabbed and twisted my wrist and said “If you leave me, I’ll kill you.” Tacoma PD report 26-12345.
Section 8 (firearms)	1 Glock 19 in nightstand; 1 hunting rifle in truck — order surrender
Section 10 (relief)	No contact; 1,000-ft stay away; vacate home; surrender firearms; temporary care of Sofia
Section 11 (signature)	Maria Elena Lopez, 04/15/2026, Olympia WA

Example 2: Aisha Brown — Anti-Harassment Against a Neighbor

Aisha’s neighbor, Greg, has been screaming slurs at her, photographing her children, and posting threats on the neighborhood Facebook group. They have no relationship that fits DV, so she files anti-harassment in Pierce County District Court.

Form Section	What Aisha Enters
Caption (county/court)	Pierce — District Court
Section 1 (petitioner)	Aisha N. Brown, YOB 1990, 8821 N Pearl St, Tacoma WA 98407
Section 3 (respondent)	Gregory T. Hahn, YOB 1972, 8819 N Pearl St, Tacoma WA, 5‘9” 175 lb, gray hair
Section 4 (relationship)	None of the above (neighbor)
Section 5 (order type)	Anti-Harassment Protection Order
Section 7 (facts)	Three or more incidents 02/01/2026, 02/14/2026, 03/03/2026 — slurs, photos of children, Facebook post “I’ll burn that house down.”
Section 8 (firearms)	Unknown — believe access; request inquiry
Section 9 (other cases)	None
Section 10 (relief)	No contact; 500-ft stay away from home and children’s school; no posting about petitioner online
Section 11 (signature)	Aisha N. Brown, 03/10/2026, Tacoma WA

Example 3: Janet Cole — Stalking with Online Evidence

Janet was followed home twice by a former co-worker, Marcus, who now sends her dozens of Instagram messages a day from burner accounts. She files stalking in Snohomish County Superior Court.

Form Section	What Janet Enters
Caption (county)	Snohomish
Section 1 (petitioner)	Janet R. Cole, YOB 1995, 1100 Wetmore Ave, Everett WA 98201
Section 3 (respondent)	Marcus J. Pell, YOB 1993, 4400 Rucker Ave, Everett WA, 5‘11” 180 lb, sleeve tattoo left arm
Section 4 (relationship)	None of the above (former co-worker)
Section 5 (order type)	Stalking Protection Order
Section 7 (facts)	Followed petitioner home 03/04/2026 and 03/18/2026; sent 142 Instagram DMs from accounts @m.pell, @notmarcus, @nightowl_ev — screenshots Exhibit A.
Section 8 (firearms)	Posted photo of an AR-15 captioned “for her” on 03/20/2026 — order surrender
Section 9 (other cases)	Everett PD report 26-7788; HR complaint at former employer
Section 10 (relief)	No contact across all platforms; 1,000-ft stay away; surrender firearms; no third-party contact
Section 11 (signature)	Janet R. Cole, 03/22/2026, Everett WA

How to File the Completed Form

Washington gives you four channels to file Form PO 001, and protection-order petitions are fee-free for domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and extreme risk filings under RCW 7.105.100. Anti-harassment petitions carry a filing fee that the court can waive on a showing of indigency.

In person at the county clerk. Bring three copies (court, you, respondent) of PO 001 plus the LEIS to the superior court clerk’s office of the county you chose. There is no filing fee for DV/SA/stalking/ERPO; anti-harassment is $83 unless waived. Payment is cash, check, or card depending on the county. Processing is same-day — most counties hear the ex parte motion within hours. Keep the clerk-stamped copy as your proof of filing.

Through the Washington Courts e-filing portal. Upload the signed PDF of PO 001 with exhibits attached. No fee for the protected types; $83 for anti-harassment, payable by card. Processing is typically same business day. Save the eFile receipt and confirmation email as proof.

Through the statewide Protection Order Portal. The portal walks you through the same questions, e-files for you, and routes the petition to the correct county. No fee is charged through the portal for any order type because it absorbs the anti-harassment fee through grant funding. Processing is same-day. Your portal account stores a copy as proof.

By mail. Mail signed copies to the county clerk’s mailing address, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope so the clerk can return a stamped copy. Mail filings are slower, take 3–5 business days to reach the judge, and are not recommended when ex parte relief is urgent. The clerk-returned stamped copy is your proof of filing.

In every channel, ask the clerk or portal to schedule the ex parte hearing the same day so a temporary order can issue immediately and stay in effect until the full hearing 14 days later under RCW 7.105.205.

What Happens After You File

Once filed, the judge reviews the petition the same day for ex parte relief. If the judge finds reasonable proof, a Temporary Protection Order (Form PO 040) issues immediately and lasts up to 14 days. If the judge denies ex parte relief, the case still proceeds to a full hearing — denial of the temporary is not denial of the case.

The clerk then forwards the order to law enforcement for free service on the respondent under RCW 7.105.155. The sheriff or local police hand-delivers a copy to the respondent and files a Return of Service with the court. The respondent must surrender any firearms within 24 hours under RCW 9.41.804.

The full hearing happens within 14 days. Both sides may testify, present exhibits, and call witnesses. The court can issue a final order for one year, two years, or longer — and in some cases permanent — under RCW 7.105.310.

If the respondent violates the order at any point, call 911. Violation is a gross misdemeanor or felony under RCW 7.105.450, and arrest is mandatory when probable cause exists.

Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form

Writing a city instead of a county in the caption. The clerk rejects the petition at intake.
Listing only a first name for the respondent. Service fails and the case stalls indefinitely.
Leaving the firearms section blank. The federal firearm prohibitor under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8) may not attach.
Checking anti-harassment when the facts are domestic violence. You lose access to vacate orders and child-care relief.
Writing conclusions instead of facts in Section 7. Judges deny ex parte relief because conclusions are not evidence.
Forgetting to check stay-away distance in Section 10. The respondent can stand on your sidewalk legally.
Putting your work or home address in Section 1 without confidentiality. The respondent learns where to find you.
Skipping Section 9’s prior cases. Hidden cases damage credibility and can lead to dismissal.
Signing without a date or city. The verification is defective and unusable for ex parte review.
Filing in the wrong court. District courts cannot grant DV, SA, or ERPO orders — only superior courts can.
Missing the 14-day full hearing. The temporary order expires and the respondent walks free of restrictions.
Using an outdated form (pre-2022). Clerks reject any version that does not say revision 01/2024 or later.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

Do download the form fresh from the Washington Courts forms library every time, because revisions happen yearly.
Do write facts in chronological order with dates, because judges look for a pattern.
Do attach screenshots, photos, and police reports as labeled exhibits, because exhibits convert allegations into evidence.
Do over-check the relief boxes in Section 10, because the judge grants only what you ask for.
Do request address confidentiality if the respondent does not already know where you live, because once disclosed, your address cannot be unlearned.
Do call a domestic violence advocate before filing, because advocates can attend court with you and help you prepare a safety plan.

Don’ts

Don’t lie or exaggerate, because perjury under RCW 9A.72.085 is a felony and destroys your case.
Don’t forget the LEIS form, because without it law enforcement cannot serve the respondent.
Don’t sign before a notary, because Washington uses penalty-of-perjury declarations and notarization is unnecessary.
Don’t contact the respondent to “warn” them, because contact undermines your fear narrative.
Don’t skip the full hearing, because absence ends the case and dissolves the temporary order.
Don’t post about the case on social media, because the respondent will use your posts as cross-examination material.

Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help

Pros of filing pro se

Free or low cost — no attorney fees.
Same-day filing because you control the timeline.
The Protection Order Portal walks you through every box.
Court staff and DV advocates can answer procedural questions.
You learn your own case better than anyone else can.

Cons of filing pro se

Legal language is dense, and one wrong checkbox can shrink your relief.
Cross-examination at the full hearing is hard without an attorney.
You may miss arguments based on case law that an attorney would raise.
Stress and trauma can interfere with clear writing in Section 7.
If the respondent hires counsel, the playing field tilts.

Pros of filing with a lawyer or advocate

An attorney drafts Section 7 in admissible form.
Advocates from organizations such as WSCADV provide emotional support and safety planning.
Counsel can subpoena records and witnesses for the full hearing.
Many legal aid programs handle protection orders free for low-income filers.
You preserve appellate rights more cleanly with counsel.

Cons of filing with a lawyer or advocate

Private attorney fees can run $1,500–$5,000 for a contested order.
Scheduling around an attorney can delay your filing.
Some advocates cannot give legal advice, only support.
Legal aid waitlists can stretch past the 14-day hearing window.
You may feel less in control of your own case.

FAQs

Do I have to pay a filing fee for Form PO 001?

No. Domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and extreme risk petitions are fee-free under RCW 7.105.100. Anti-harassment petitions carry an $83 fee that courts waive for indigent filers.

Can a 16-year-old file Form PO 001 without a parent?

Yes. A person 15 or older may file on their own behalf for protection from a dating partner or for stalking, sexual assault, or anti-harassment under RCW 7.105 without a parent’s signature.

Do I need a notary to sign the petition?

No. Washington uses penalty-of-perjury declarations under GR 13. Sign and date the form yourself with the city of signing — no notary required, no witness required.

What do I write in Section 4 if the respondent is my roommate?

Yes, check “family or household member” because under RCW 7.105.010 people who currently or formerly share a residence qualify, even without a romantic relationship between them.

Should I list firearms in Section 8 if I only suspect the respondent has them?

Yes. Check the box stating you believe the respondent has access to firearms even without specifics. The judge can still order surrender and direct law enforcement to inquire further.

Can I list multiple order types in Section 5?

Yes. The unified PO 001 allows you to check more than one box. The judge will issue whichever order types the proof supports at the ex parte and full hearings.

What if I don’t know the respondent’s date of birth?

Yes, write “unknown” or your best estimate of year, because blank fields look skipped while “unknown” shows the court you tried. Provide any identifying details you do have.

Do I file in the county where I live or where the respondent lives?

Yes, either works. Under RCW 7.105.080 you may file where you live, where the respondent lives, or where the abuse happened — pick the safest and most convenient.

Can I include my children in the protected persons section?

Yes. Section 6 lets you add each minor child by name and date of birth. Check the box requesting that each child be a protected person to extend the no-contact and stay-away terms.

What happens if I miss the full hearing 14 days after filing?

No order will issue and your temporary order expires. The court typically dismisses the case, though you may refile with new facts. Calendar the hearing date the moment you file.

Do I write my maiden name or married name in Section 1?

Yes, write the legal name on your current ID, and add the other name as an alias on the same line. Consistency between the petition and your ID prevents identity confusion at service.

Can the respondent see my address if I write it on the form?

No — only if you check the confidentiality box in Section 2 and put address details on PO 021 instead. The PO 021 is sealed from the respondent under GR 22.

Is a police report required to file Form PO 001?

No. Your sworn statement under penalty of perjury is itself evidence under RCW 9A.72.085. Police reports help, but their absence does not bar relief.

Can I file Form PO 001 against someone in another state?

Yes, if the respondent has Washington contacts or the harm occurred in Washington. Service across state lines uses the UIDDA and the order is enforceable nationwide under federal full-faith-and-credit law.

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