(1) The court shall issue a protection order if it finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the petitioner has proved the required criteria specified in (a) through (f) of this subsection for obtaining a protection order under this chapter.
(a) For a domestic violence protection order, that the petitioner has been subjected to domestic violence by the respondent.
(b) For a sexual assault protection order, that the petitioner has been subjected to nonconsensual sexual conduct or nonconsensual sexual penetration by the respondent.
(c) For a stalking protection order, that the petitioner has been subjected to stalking by the respondent.
(d) For a vulnerable adult protection order, that the petitioner has been abandoned, abused, financially exploited, or neglected, or is threatened with abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect by the respondent.
(e) For an extreme risk protection order, that the respondent poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to self or others by having in the respondent's custody or control, purchasing, possessing, accessing, receiving, or attempting to purchase or receive, a firearm.
(f) For an antiharassment protection order, that the petitioner has been subjected to unlawful harassment by the respondent.
(2) The court may not deny or dismiss a petition for a protection order on the grounds that:
(a) The petitioner or the respondent is a minor, unless provisions in this chapter specifically limit relief or remedies based upon a party's age;
(b) The petitioner did not report the conduct giving rise to the petition to law enforcement;
(c) A no-contact order or a restraining order that restrains the respondent's contact with the petitioner has been issued in a criminal proceeding or in a domestic relations proceeding;
(d) The relief sought by the petitioner may be available in a different action or proceeding, or criminal charges are pending against the respondent;
(e) The conduct at issue did not occur recently or because of the passage of time since the last incident of conduct giving rise to the petition; or
(f) The respondent no longer lives near the petitioner.
(3) In proceedings where the petitioner alleges that the respondent engaged in nonconsensual sexual conduct or nonconsensual sexual penetration, the court shall not require proof of physical injury on the person of the petitioner or any other forensic evidence. Denial of a remedy to the petitioner may not be based, in whole or in part, on evidence that:
(a) The respondent was voluntarily intoxicated;
(b) The petitioner was voluntarily intoxicated; or
(c) The petitioner engaged in limited consensual sexual touching.
(4) In proceedings where the petitioner alleges that the respondent engaged in stalking, the court may not require proof of the respondent's intentions regarding the acts alleged by the petitioner.
(5) If the court declines to issue a protection order, the court shall state in writing the particular reasons for the court's denial. If the court declines a request to include one or more of the petitioner's family or household member who is a minor or a vulnerable adult in the order, the court shall state the reasons for that denial in writing. The court shall also explain from the bench:
(a) That the petitioner may refile a petition for a protection order at any time if the petitioner has new evidence to present that would support the issuance of a protection order;
(b) The parties' rights to seek revision, reconsideration, or appeal of the order; and
(c) The parties' rights to have access to the court transcript or recording of the hearing.
(6) A court's ruling on a protection order must be filed by the court in writing and must be made by the court on the mandatory form developed by the administrative office of the courts.
[ 2021 c 215 § 29.]
NOTES:
Effective date—2021 c 215: See note following RCW 7.105.900.