Washington Courts: News and Information

As Washington’s Hope Card Program Passes the Six-Month Mark, Over 2000 Cards Have Been Issued to Protection Order Holders

The Hope Card program, launched Jan. 1, 2025, gives survivors a wallet-sized, portable copy of their protection order, similar to a driver’s license, that they can quickly show to law enforcement, employers, school officials and landlords if an abuser is violating an order. As of July 1, which marked 6 months since the program launched, a total of 2,000 cards have been issued on 710 cases.

The program was launched with the goal to offer survivors an easier and less stressful way to carry vital information about their full orders of protection, which typically range from 12 to 18 pages in their entirety.

“The fact that six months ago there were no Hope Cards in this state, I really see that as 2000 more opportunities where people, children have proof of a civil protection order to aid in that communication, enforcement and building safety,” said Lauren Pilnick, Hope Card Senior Court Program Analyst for the AOC. “It's really translating to a breaking of chains for people. Being able to have one less thing regarding their victimization on their mind every time they leave the house is hard to quantify, but it's huge for people.”

Hope Cards are completely free and available to anyone with the following types of valid full civil protection orders: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, Vulnerable Adult, Anti-Harassment and beginning July 27, Extreme Risk Protection Orders.

Hope Cards are voluntary and can be requested anytime while the order is active. They are valid until a protection order expires, is dismissed or materially modified. They are processed, issued and mailed by a centralized program at the AOC. If a Protection Order is on file, responses have been issued by the Hope Card program on average in less than three days.

Information and the request form can be accessed and submitted on AOC’s Hope Card website at https://www.courts.wa.gov/hopecard.

A press conference covering the launch of the Hope Card Program was held on Jan. 16 in a collaborative effort between the legislators who originally sponsored the bill, and the AOC who administers the program. The event was streamed live on TVW.

The AOC also recorded a podcast on the launch of the Hope Card program with Pilnick and the survivor leader who first pitched the bill to lawmakers. Tune in for more information on the background of how the program initially became legislation.

In the 2025 Legislative Session, HB 1460, a Hope Card “fix bill” passed and was signed by the governor to better align with program capabilities.

The bill ensures that any person requesting a Hope Card may not be charged a fee and removes the limit of free issuance of Hope Cards to an individual. It also expanded eligibility to Extreme Risk Protection Orders and reduces the amount of information that is required to be included about a restrained person to name and date of birth to better accommodate court capabilities and data entry, with physical descriptors included when available.

Additionally, the Hope Card team was able to collaborate with the AOC’s Office of Court Innovation, Interpreter and Language Access Commission (ILAC), and Equity Access teams to secure funding and support to translate key Hope Card Program materials into 13 additional languages. Because of this creative collaboration and determination, survivors across Washington will have better access to information about their protection orders and this program—regardless of language.

CONTACT: Patric Haerle, AOC Communications Officer, 360-712-1892, Patric.Haerle@courts.wa.gov; Lauren Pilnick, Hope Card Program Analyst, hopecard@courts.wa.gov.