Welcome to Pierce County Family Court

Pierce County Family Court consists of two judicial departments, commissioners and Family Court Services (supervisor, legal assistant, case coordinator and two staff GALs). It is a team dedicated to implementing the plan for Family Court while putting into practice learned lessons to reduce conflict and timely resolve disputes involving the custody of children.

Main Goals

The main goals of Family Court include:

• Identify, segregate and prioritize cases involving the custody of children.
• Provide consistent and timely judicial decision-making with intensive case management, settlement conferences and education to litigants using Impact on Children seminars to speed case resolution and reduce conflict.
• Provide early judicial intervention.

Main Types of Cases

The types of cases that are in Family Court:

• Modification of custody
• Non-parental custody
• Relocations
• When a Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) is authorized in a matter involving parenting plans (dissolutions, legal separations, petition for residential schedule) and there is at least 90 days until the original trial date
• De Facto Parentage Petitions
• Relative Visitation Petitions

Helpful Resources

Use the links below to help your understanding of Family Court procedures and processes.

Specific to Pierce County

• Neighborhood Legal and Family Law Clinics - This is a local listing of available clinics and is provided by Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association Volunteer Legal Services.
• Activity Book - Here is an activity book for children going to court.
• Noncompliance Order and Hearings - How to respond to a noncompliance order and links to documents and other sites to answer your questions.
• Parenting Seminars - Here are details regarding the approved Impact on Children Seminar required for dissolutions, modifications of custody, non-parental custody and establishment of residential schedules filed in Pierce County.
• Reuniting Your Family: You Can Make It Happen - This is a video by Pierce County Juvenile Court.
• Top Ten Ways to Protect Your Kids During your Break Up - This is a helpful book written by Dr. Joan Kelly.
• Trial Overview - Learn about going to trial without an attorney.
• Uncontested Dissolutions - Find out how you can finalize your dissolution without a trial.
• What You Need for a Family Law Trial - Read trial information for family law cases.