How to Respond to a Parenting Plan Petition in Washington State

You have been served with a parenting plan petition. You have a deadline - usually 20 days in Washington State - and you are likely feeling overwhelmed. This guide tells you exactly what a response requires, how to file it correctly, and what happens if you miss the deadline.

What it means to be served with a petition

When the other parent files a parenting plan petition, they are asking the court to enter a legal order governing your children's residential time and decision-making. Being served means you have been formally notified and your response clock has started.

The petition sets out what the other parent is asking for. Your response is your opportunity to tell the court your position - what you agree with, what you disagree with, and what you want instead. If you do not respond, the court can enter a default order based on what the other parent requested.

What a response consists of

A response to a parenting plan petition in Washington State typically involves three documents:

1. Response to Petition (FL Divorce 211 or FL Parentage 331)

This is the official response form. You go through the petition paragraph by paragraph and indicate whether you agree, disagree, or lack sufficient information to admit or deny each statement. You also state what YOU are asking the court to order.

2. Your proposed parenting plan (FL Parenting 311)

If you disagree with the parenting plan the other parent proposed, you file your own proposed parenting plan. This is your counter-proposal - what you believe the residential schedule and decision-making authority should look like. The court will consider both proposals.

3. A declaration supporting your position (FL All Family 140)

Your declaration is your written statement of facts explaining why your proposed parenting plan serves the children's best interests. It is the most important document you file. See our guide to writing an effective declaration for exactly what to include.

How to respond - step by step

1. Download the correct forms from courts.wa.gov/forms. The specific forms depend on whether this is a dissolution (divorce) case or a parentage case. The form numbers are different but the process is the same.
2. Read the petition carefully before you start filling out the response. Understand what the other parent is asking for in each section - residential schedule, decision-making, child support, any limitations they have requested.
3. Fill out the Response form going paragraph by paragraph. For each paragraph: agree, disagree, or "I lack sufficient information to admit or deny." For anything you disagree with, you will explain your position in your declaration.
4. Draft your proposed parenting plan if you disagree with theirs. Be specific - exact days, times, holiday schedules, school year vs summer schedule. Vague proposals give the court nothing to work with.
5. Write your declaration explaining why your proposed plan serves the children's best interests. Focus on specific facts about the children's relationship with each parent, the existing caregiving history, and the children's needs.
6. File all three documents with the court clerk before your deadline. Pay the filing fee or file a fee waiver simultaneously. Get conformed (stamped) copies for your records.
7. Serve the other party with copies of everything you filed. File the proof of service with the court after service is complete.

What goes in your proposed parenting plan

Washington courts require parenting plans to address specific elements under RCW 26.09.187. A plan that is vague or incomplete will be sent back for revision. Your plan must include:

• A specific residential schedule - exactly where the children live on which days, including school-year schedule, summer schedule, and holidays
• Decision-making authority - who makes decisions about education, healthcare, and religious upbringing (joint or sole)
• Transportation arrangements - who picks up, who drops off, where exchanges happen
• A holiday schedule - every significant holiday addressed with alternating-year language
• How the parents will communicate about the children
• Any limitations based on domestic violence, substance abuse, or other safety concerns (if applicable)

Temporary orders while the case is pending

A parenting plan petition can take months to resolve through a full trial. In the meantime, you can ask the court for temporary orders - a temporary parenting plan that governs the situation while the case is pending. If the other parent has already requested temporary orders, you need to respond to those separately and quickly, as temporary order hearings are often scheduled within 2-4 weeks of filing.

Temporary orders matter more than most people realize. Courts are reluctant to disrupt arrangements that have been working, so a temporary order can effectively become the template for the final order if it has been working well.

What happens after you respond

Once you file your response, the case proceeds through the court's scheduling process. In most Washington counties this means:

• A case scheduling order is issued with deadlines for mediation, discovery, and trial
• Mandatory mediation - most Washington counties require mediation before trial in parenting plan cases
• If mediation fails or is not appropriate, the case proceeds to a trial or settlement conference
• A final parenting plan is entered either by agreement or after trial

What to do if you are close to your deadline

If you are within a few days of your response deadline and are not ready to file a complete response, file the Response form alone - even without the parenting plan and declaration - to preserve your right to participate in the case. You can file additional documents after the response is submitted. What you cannot do is get more time after a default is entered.