With the passing of E2SHB 1320, changes to the laws and forms pertaining to protection orders went into effect July 1, 2022. Civil Protection Order Packets (CPO) can be picked up at the Benton County Clerk’s Office. Forms are also available online. Click here for a reference sheet on How to File for a Protection Order.
There is now a single Petition and Order for Protection that incorporates all the following:
- Domestic Violence – Protection from an intimate partner or family or household member who has committed domestic violence, nonconsensual sexual conduct or penetration, unlawful harassment, or stalking. (No fee)
- Sexual Assault – Protection from someone who has committed sexual assault. (No fee)
- Stalking – Protection from someone who has committed stalking. (No fee)
- Vulnerable Adult – Protection from someone who has abandoned, abused, financially exploited, or neglected a vulnerable adult (or threatened to do so). (No fee)
- Anti-Harassment - Protection from someone who has committed unlawful harassment. (Fee required)**
When completing your form, you will have to choose only one (1) of the examples above.
Please read ALL forms carefully and completely to ensure all necessary documents are completed for your type of action. Type or complete LEGIBLY in black ink, do not write on the back of any form. If needed, use extra 8.5” x 11” straight edge sheets of white paper.
Civil Protection Orders can be submitted either in-person at our office (preferred) or by E-Submission. There is no charge to use E-Submission for Civil Protection Order documents.
Minimum documents necessary to initiate a Civil Protection Order case are Petition for Protection, LECIF (Law Enforcement Confidential Information Sheet), Temporary Order for Protection and the final Order for Protection (this order is held until your final hearing). Forms are available at Washington State Court forms. Information about filing a Civil Protection Order can be found here.
**Anti-Harassment petitions should be filed in-person as there is a $53 fee associated with initiating this type of action. Documents filed after the initial petition may be filed using E-Submission.
If submitting your documents in person, once your forms are completed, bring them to the Benton County Clerk’s Office for filing at 1:00 pm to be presented for the court’s review at the 1:30 pm Ex Parte docket. You must remain present while the court is reviewing your paperwork. If your request is granted, you will receive a copy of the Temporary Protection Order and Hearing Notice from the Clerk’s Office.
If using E-Submission for your documents, once the documents are reviewed by the Clerk's Office staff, you will receive an email confirmation with your case number and the decision of the Judicial Officer that reviewed your request for a Civil Protection Order. A copy of the decision order will be emailed to the email provided. You will need to come to the Clerk's Office to obtain your "certified copy" of your order.
Documents being filed using E-Submission must be:
- State standardized court forms which can be found at: Washington State Court forms
- PDF Format, 8.5 x 11 paper, portrait orientation
- Does not contain embedded videos
- Documents or images must be bitonal (black & white). Any grayscale or color images are automatically converted to bitonal. For any grayscale or color images, please submit the document in its entirety, in-person at our office or mail to the Benton County Clerk at 7122 W. Okanogan Place, Ste. A210, Kennewick, WA 99336.
- All follow-up documents being filed must be in proper legal format which includes the case caption and case number. Random images, photos or screenshots cannot be filed without the proper legal formatted coversheet.
- Multiple documents should be filed individually and not as one continuous document.
- Documents must be signed. Electronic signatures are acceptable.
You must appear in court on your scheduled hearing date listed on your Temporary Protection Order. If you do not appear your Temporary Protection Order is no longer valid, and no other Order for Protection can be issued.
E-Submission is for Civil Protection Orders and their follow-up documents ONLY. Do not use this platform for submitting any other documents for filing.
General Information
If you decide that your Protection Order is no longer necessary, its conditions should be modified, or you wish to extend your order you may request a hearing to change your order. Please come to the Clerk’s Office to file the appropriate forms.
Begin your request to modify or extend your order no later than one month prior to its expiration to allow enough time to ensure your order is updated prior to expiration. If your order expires, you will have to start the process over to obtain a new order. You will need to come to court to terminate, modify or extend your order or the order will stay in effect until the expiration date on the original order.
Documents submitted after hours, weekends or holidays will be reviewed and processed the next judicial working day.
Hope Cards
If you have a full protection order, request a free, wallet-sized Hope Card - your portable indicator of your protection order.
- For Hope Card Program information and to request a card, visit www.courts.wa.gov/hopecard
- Email: HopeCard@courts.wa.gov
- Phone: 360-704-4042
