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The packet explains who should write declarations, who should not use the form, and how declarations relate to exhibits.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/forms/","Forms",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/how-to-write-a-declaration-in-a-family-law-case/279104/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/how-to-write-a-declaration-in-a-family-law-case/279104.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Aria Callaghan","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-09-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",16,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What is a declaration in a family law case?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"A declaration is a written statement sworn to be true under penalty of perjury by someone with direct knowledge about the issues in a court case.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"When are declarations typically used in court?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Declarations are usually used when filing or responding to motions. They help judges decide motions because parties may have limited time to speak and may not testify about facts in person.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"Who should write a declaration, and are there limits on its use?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"A party may need to write a declaration at pre-trial stages, and other people with firsthand knowledge (such as teachers, doctors, relatives, counselors, or neighbors) may also write. When preparing for trial, witnesses generally must appear in person rather than by declaration, and some courts may limit the number of declarations accepted.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},279104,1790472582,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,94,99,104,108,112,117,122],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":90,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":91,"show_sort_weight":92,"slug":93},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":95,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":100,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":55,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":109,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":110,"slug":111},17,40,"forms",{"id":113,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":114,"show_sort_weight":115,"slug":116},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":118,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":119,"show_sort_weight":120,"slug":121},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":123,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":125},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":127},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":128,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":22,"category_id":109,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":55,"language":135,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":136,"faqs":137,"seo_title":138,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":139,"read_time":140},962084926284,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0","3917EN – Rev. 5/2016  \nHow to Write a Declaration in a Family Law Case  \nWhat is a Declaration?  \nIt is a written statement, sworn to be the truth under penalty of perjury by someone with direct knowledge about the issues in a court case.  \nWhat is it for?  \nYou usually use Declarations when filing or responding to motions in court. A declaration’s information can help the judge 1 decide on the motion. At a hearing on a motion, the parties do not get much time to speak. You also usually cannot testify about facts in the case. Anything the judge needs to know to make a decision at the hearing should be in a declaration.  \nIf the judge has appointed a guardian ad litem (GAL), the GAL will often use the declarations:  \n• to understand the issues  \n• to help determine what is in the child's best interests  \n• to understand whether a child has been harmed or would be harmed by living with a parent  \nThe parties usually file the originals of signed declarations with the court and serve copies on other parties with the motion, or the response or reply to the motion.  \nWhat is in this packet?  \n• the general Declaration form you must use  \n• three sealed cover sheets  \n• instructions and suggestions for these forms, including how and when to use a sealed cover sheet  \n1 Court commissioners, not judges, make many decisions in family law cases. Court commissioners are like judges, but only make decisions relating to a particular subject matter. Many counties have family law commissioners who decide only family law cases. In this publication,“judge”means judge OR commissioner.  \n3917EN – Rev. 5/2016  \nWho should not use the Declaration form in this packet?  \nIf you are getting ready for trial, your witnesses will usually must appear in person, not by declaration. Judges usually do not admit declarations as evidence at a trial.2 A few counties might allow or require oral testimony at motions hearings. Most decide motions based on declarations. Check your local court rules.  \nSome motions have special declaration forms. They are not in this packet. If you need a declaration for a particular motion, you may need a special form used just for that motion. Example: A Declaration: Personal Service Could Not be Made in Washington form. Our website, [www.washingtonlawhelp.org](www.washingtonlawhelp.org), has a list of family law packets for many different motions. Each packet has the state-wide court forms for that motion. Court forms are also available on the court’s website: [http://www.courts.wa.gov/forms/](http://www.courts.wa.gov/forms/) .  \nBy presenting a declaration from a witness, you may be giving up the right to keep confidential other information that witness may have about you or the child.  \nWho should write the declaration?  \nIf you are a party (petitioner or respondent), you may need to write your own declaration at different pre-trial stages ofthe case, 3 to:  \n• tell “your side of the story”  \n• explain your requests  \n• give needed information  \n• respond to someone else’s declaration  \nYou can also ask other people who have directly seen, heard, or otherwise witnessed important events to write declarations explaining what they know. Some examples of people to ask:  \n• teachers  \n• doctors  \n• relatives  \n• counselors  \n• friends  \n2 One exception: child support modification cases often have trial by affidavit (declaration) instead of inperson testimony.  \n3 Some motions require special declaration forms not in this packet.  \n3917EN – Rev. 5/2016  \n• scout leaders  \n• coaches  \n• clergy  \n• cops or other law enforcement officers  \n• neighbors  \nGenerally, you do not need more than one witness to give the same information, especially if everyone agrees the info is true. If several witnesses would say the same things, choose just one or two to write a declaration.  \nGenerally, the judge gives more weight to a neutral person or professional than someone obviously supporting only one side of the case. The more specific information ","cbCaibf6hx0rAPwp","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaibf6hx0rAPwp","pdf",211624,"English","# What is a Declaration?\n## What is it for?\n## What is in this packet?\n# Who should not use the Declaration form in this packet?\n## Motions and trial timing\n## Special declaration forms\n# Who should write the declaration?\n## Parties and other potential witnesses\n## Neutrality and weight\n# What is an exhibit?\n## Examples and numbering","[{\"question\":\"What is a declaration in a family law case?\",\"answer\":\"A declaration is a written statement sworn to be true under penalty of perjury by someone with direct knowledge about the issues in a court case.\"},{\"question\":\"When are declarations typically used in court?\",\"answer\":\"Declarations are usually used when filing or responding to motions. They help judges decide motions because parties may have limited time to speak and may not testify about facts in person.\"},{\"question\":\"Who should write a declaration, and are there limits on its use?\",\"answer\":\"A party may need to write a declaration at pre-trial stages, and other people with firsthand knowledge (such as teachers, doctors, relatives, counselors, or neighbors) may also write. When preparing for trial, witnesses generally must appear in person rather than by declaration, and some courts may limit the number of declarations accepted.\"}]","How to Write a Declaration in a Family Law Case | PDF",1789515510,6]