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FL All Family 184Mandatory

Family Law Informal Trial Selection

Washington · Washington State Courts · Effective February 1, 2023

This form is used to tell the court if you want an Informal Trial instead of a Traditional Trial in a family law case. It asks you to choose which type of trial you prefer and confirms your understanding of the differences between the two processes.

Open the official PDFfrom Washington State Courts

Where this fits in a case

Motions

Stage: Motions

This form must be filed 30 days before the scheduled trial date if a party wants to request an Informal Trial.

Either party may file.

Common questions

Who should fill out this form?
The form asks the person filling it out to check if they are the Petitioner or the Respondent.
What is the main difference between the two trials?
In an Informal Trial, the judge questions the witnesses, and the Rules of Evidence do not apply. In a Traditional Trial, parties can call witnesses and cross-examine them.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 9, 2026. The current version took effect February 1, 2023.

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