Glossary

Coercive Control
Coercive control means a pattern of behavior that is used to cause another to suffer physical, emotional, or psychological harm, and unreasonably interferes with a person’s free will and personal liberty. This may include one or more of any of the following behaviors: psychological, emotional, financial, and physical abuse, using or displaying firearms in a way that causes fear, technology-related abuse (where the restrained person may be using digital technologies to threaten, extort, harass, or stalk, among many other types of behaviors more fully defined in statute).

(County) Clerk
In Washington State, a clerk is an elected official who serves as the administrative officer for the superior court in each county. The county clerk’s responsibilities include managing court records, processing legal documents, and maintaining the integrity and accessibility of court records.

Domestic Violence
Physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or the infliction of fear of physical harm, bodily injury, or assault; nonconsensual sexual conduct or nonconsensual sexual penetration; coercive control; unlawful harassment; or stalking of one intimate partner by another intimate partner or by a family or household member.

Ex Parte Hearing
This is the first court hearing that occurs when a petition for a protection order is filed.  The petitioner appears at this hearing (in person or remotely) where a judicial officer will review the petition and determine if there is legal sufficiency to enter an emergency temporary order, without notice to the other party.

Full Protection Order
This is a court order that can be entered after a hearing in which the restrained party had notice and an opportunity to appear. The full order occurs typically within 14 days of the entry of the temporary order. Petitioners who wish to have a full order entered must attend this hearing. The restrained person, once served, can choose to participate in this hearing or not. If approved, full orders are typically in place for one year, but can be longer or shorter depending on the case facts and other criteria.

Hearing
A specific court date and time when people are directed to appear to present their case to a judicial officer. A hearing can occur in a civil or criminal case. Protection order hearings are civil cases.

Motion for Modification
A request to change or alter the terms of an existing protection order, typically due to changes in circumstances or new evidence. This motion seeks to adjust the conditions or provisions of the original order.

Motion for Renewal
A request to extend a protection order beyond its expiration date. This motion is filed when the petitioner believes that the need for protection still exists and the order should remain in effect for a longer period.

Motion for Reconsideration
A formal request to a court to review and potentially change its ruling regarding a protection order, based on new facts, evidence, or legal arguments that were not considered in the original decision.

Motion for Revision
A request to a judge to change a court commissioner’s order, filed within 10 days if the party believes the commissioner made an error in law or facts. It asks the judge to reconsider the decision, reweigh the evidence, and potentially issue a new ruling.

Motion for Termination
A request to end or terminate an existing protection order. This motion is typically filed when the petitioner believes that the circumstances justifying the order no longer exist, and the order should no longer be in effect.

No-contact Order (NCO)
A court order entered in criminal cases that prohibits one person from contacting or communicating with another person. A no-contact order can be in place pre-trial while the criminal charge is pending or post-sentencing, if there has been a conviction. NCOs can restrict contact, among other prohibitions, while the criminal case is pending.

Service or Service of Process
The person who initiates a protection order must plan to have the person restrained by the protection order served so that they know of the order, why it has been obtained, any restrictions it includes, and when they can appear at a hearing to respond to it. In many protection order cases, service is handled by law enforcement either in person, or if allowed by law, electronically. A petitioner can also ask a person over the age of 18 to serve the restrained person but the petitioner is not allowed to serve the respondent. Without proof of service of the respondent, the court will not be able to enter a full protection order. Providing complete and accurate contact information for restrained people, including addresses, emails and other full identifiers are important to ensure that service properly occurs.

Petitioner
The person who files the civil protection order.

Respondent
The person who is restrained by the protection order. Also can be referred to as the restrained person.

Safety Plan
A safety plan is an individualized, survivor-informed plan, an advocate or another support person can help a survivor complete. Identifying risks and how to best mitigate them specifically, are critical to safety planning. Survivors know best about their situation and are critical in identifying the options that will work best for them under the circumstances. Safety planning before, during and after filing a protection order is important to try to help deter retaliatory violence or harm.

Sexual Assault
In Washington State, sexual assault is defined as any non-consensual sexual act or behavior, including forced or coerced sexual contact, penetration, or attempted penetration. This includes actions such as rape, attempted rape, and other forms of sexual abuse or exploitation.

Stalking
In Washington State, stalking is defined as intentionally and repeatedly following, harassing, or threatening someone in a way that causes them to feel afraid, intimidated, or harassed. It includes behaviors such as surveillance, unwanted communication, cyber harassment, and other actions that instill fear for the person’s safety or the safety of their family.

Temporary Protection Order
A civil legal order designed to provide immediate and short-term protection for individuals who are experiencing or are at risk of experiencing violence, harassment, or threats from a family member or intimate partner.

Sealing Documents
A court order that restricts public access to certain documents or records that are part of a legal proceeding. Protection order documents are public records with the exception of a few specific documents (LECIF, medical/health care records, etc.) With a proper motion and a legal basis, the court may consider sealing specific documents or the case file, but the law favors them remaining public. In ERPO cases, there are limited situations (described in law) that will allow for the restrained party to motion the court to seal the ERPO case.

Unlawful Harassment
Unlawful harassment in Washington State is a knowing and willful course of conduct or a single act of violence or threat that causes substantial emotional distress to a specific person and serves no legitimate purpose. This conduct or threat must alarm, annoy, or harass the person, and a reasonable person would also experience significant emotional distress.

Termination
Termination of a protection order is when the court, after a motion to terminate is filed by either party and notice given to the opposing party, decides to end the protection order before its expiration date. Petitioners can seek to terminate their order at any time. Restrained people may file to modify or terminate the order only one time during the 1 year period the order is in place.

Violation
To break or fail to comply with a rule or legal agreement, such as the terms of a protection order. Violations of a protection order can be criminal or civil in nature, depending on the type of violation. Some violations will result in mandatory arrest.

Vulnerable Adult
A vulnerable adult in Washington State is a person who meets at least one of the following criteria: they are 60 or older and unable to care for themselves, have a developmental disability, are under guardianship or conservatorship, are admitted to a facility, or receive specific services like home health or hospice care. It also includes individuals who self-direct their care and receive services from a personal aide.