Unrepresented Litigants

Contact Us

The Washington State Law Library's Reference Staff is here to help. Reference personnel can answer basic questions, help you locate materials and provide help with using the library's print and electronic resources. We also provide a list of online legal resources.

Library staff cannot provide services that might be interpreted as the unauthorized practice of law, such as locating relevant cases, interpreting statutes or giving legal advice. See our Legal Research and Advice Policy for more information.

Additional Law Libraries in Washington

The best resource for help with legal research is a law library. Below you will find information about other law libraries in Washington including county, academic and court libraries. Other types of libraries may also have legal collections. Many large public libraries have legal collections that include selected primary source material (such as the Revised Code of Washington and the United States Code) as well as a variety of self-help law books written for the general public. Some community colleges have paralegal programs with library collections to support legal research instruction.

Contact an Agency or Organization

You may want to contact an agency or organization that specializes in your type of problem. The Washington State Office of the Attorney General has compiled a list of topics with links to agencies or organizations that may be better equipped to help you.

Contact an Attorney

Despite your best efforts, some legal problems may be too complicated or too time consuming for you to handle on your own. Below are links to organizations and resources that may help put you in touch with needed assistance.

The Washington State Bar Association does not operate a lawyer referral service, nor do they provide direct legal services. However, on their Find Legal Help page, you will find resources for lawyer referral services and access to services for moderate-to-low-income people including:

Directories, Resources, Organizations

• Northwest Justice Project (NJP)
  The largest civil legal aid provider in Washington. NJP operates the state's intake and referral process through CLEAR and 211 hotlines.
• Directory of legal aid programs in Washington by county from Washington LawHelp.
• ImmigrationLawHelp.org
  Online directory of nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost immigration legal help. Search the site by state, county, or detention facility and refine your search by areas and types of legal assistance provided, populations served, and languages spoken.
• Columbia Legal Services
  A non-profit law firm that represents people and organizations in Washington State with critical legal needs who have no other legal assistance available to them.
• Team Child
  Upholding the legal rights of youth to ensure that they have opportunities to succeed.
• QLaw Foundation of Washington Referral Network
• Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
  This organization provides direct legal services to low-income immigrants in order to pursue and defend their legal status.
• ACLU of Washington State
  This local affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union handles civil liberties and civil rights matters that happen in the state of Washington.
• Martindale-Hubbell
  Advanced search for lawyers, law firms and organizations throughout the country. You can also browse by practice area or geographical area.
• National Indian Law Library - Finding Legal Help
  Provides information on legal clinics, legal aid as well as lawyers and law firms.
• Latina/o Bar Association of Washington
  Association of Latina/o legal professional, Latina/o law students, and their friends who are committed to representing the goals of the Latino people of the State of Washington.
• Neighborhood Legal Clinics
  This civil legal aid program through the King County Bar Association offers free, limited legal advice and referrals to King County residents or people with legal issues in King County.
• Courthouse Facilitators
  Individuals who assist self-represented parties with their family law cases in superior court.

Self-Help

• Washington LawHelp
• Self-Help Information from Disability Rights Washington
• Self-Help Publications from Legal Voice
  (formerly Northwest Women’s Law Center)
• Nolo Legal Topics
• Nolo's Free Dictionary of Law Terms and Legal Definitions
• Introduction to Basic Legal Citation by Peter W. Martin (LII)

Washington Court Resources

• A Guide to Terms Used in Washington State Courts
• A Guide to Washington State Courts (La Guía de los Tribunales de Washington)
• A Guide to Sealing and Destroying Court Records, Vacating Convictions, and Deleting Criminal History Records
• Appellate Case Processing Guide
• Courthouse Facilitator Program
• eService Center
  Answers to your questions from the Administrative Office of the Courts
• Family Law Handbook - Marriage Edition
• Family Law Handbook – Domestic Partnership Edition
• Self-Help Resources and Links
• Self-Represented Persons in District Court (Personas que se representan a sí mismas en el Tribunal de Distrito)
• Self-Represented Persons in Municipal Court (Personas que se auto representan en los Tribunales Municipales)
• Self-Represented Persons in Superior Court Civil Proceedings (Personas que se auto representan en procedimientos civiles en el Tribunal Superior)
• An introduction to Small Claims Court

Local Court Resources

Other States

• LawHelp.org