Appeals · Pause Enforcement

Motion to Stay Pending Appeal

Filing an appeal does not pause the order. If the order is causing harm while you appeal, this motion asks the court to stop it.

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What this is

A motion that asks the appellate court to pause enforcement of the trial court's order while your appeal is pending. Without a stay, the order stays in effect throughout the entire appeals process - which can take 12 to 18 months. If the order is causing real harm to your case or children during that time, the stay is your remedy.

Stays are not granted automatically. The motion has to show both that you are likely to succeed on appeal and that the order is causing irreparable harm. We draft both arguments to Washington appellate standards.

What you get

  • Motion to stay pending appeal (RAP 8 compliant)
  • Declaration showing likelihood of success on appeal
  • Irreparable harm argument with supporting facts
  • 1 round of corrections included
Why this matters for your case
Most parents who appeal assume filing the notice pauses the order. It does not. Without a successful stay motion, your appeal can take 18 months while the harmful order remains in full effect. By the time the appeal is decided, the practical damage is already done. The stay motion is what keeps the appeal from being moot before it is decided.
vs hiring an attorney
The same work. A fraction of the cost.
With an attorney
$1,500-$6,750
Motion for Stay drafting (5-15 hours typical)
Hourly rate: $300-$450/hour
Retainer required: $3,000-$5,000
With Family Court Navigator
$1,095
Motion for Stay Pending Appeal
Flat fee. Pay once.
Delivered in 5 business days (rush available)
You save
$605 to $5,855

We are not lawyers, and we do not give legal advice. We are Washington State document specialists who write the same court filings attorneys write - to the same Court of Appeals standards - at a flat fee instead of hourly billing. You stay on the case, you sign, you file. Most pro se appellants never had a real shot at affording an attorney for this work in the first place.

What happens after you buy

  1. You complete the intake right after checkout
    The intake captures your case, the order being challenged, and the harm that ongoing enforcement is causing.
  2. We draft the motion (5 business days)
    Within 5 business days you receive the motion and supporting declaration in your portal.
  3. You file with the Court of Appeals
    You sign and e-file the motion. The court usually rules on stay motions within a few weeks. Want help walking through filing? Book a consultation or join a Navigator plan with messaging.
Ready to begin?
Intake right after checkout. 5-business-day turnaround starts when intake is submitted.
$1,095 one-time
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Add-ons available at checkout (rush). Refundable up to 50% before intake.
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60-min Appeals Consultation

Not sure if this is the right service for your case? Talk one-on-one with someone who knows appellate law. We review your order before the call. Walk out with a written plan tailored to your situation.

$200
60-min call · written recap
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Or read first
Plain-English appeals guides

Two Washington-specific guides written for parents handling their own appeal. Read first, decide later. Many parents arrive at services already knowing exactly what they need after reading these.

WA State Appeals Guide
$39
Appellate Brief Writing
$45
Get both - $74 (save $10) →