Washington Pleading Paper Template
Washington does not use numbered-line pleading paper. Under General Rule GR 14, letter-size 8.5 by 11 inch paper is mandatory, the first page carries a minimum 3-inch top margin, and the bottom and side margins are each a minimum of 1 inch.
Introduction
The feature that defines a Washington filing is the deep first-page top margin. Under General Rule GR 14, the use of letter-size paper (8.5 by 11 inches) is mandatory, and on the first page the top margin must be a minimum of three inches, while the bottom margin and the side margins must each be a minimum of one inch. Civil Rule CR 10(d) on format requirements is reserved and points directly to GR 14, so GR 14 is the controlling format rule for Washington superior court filings. Washington does not require consecutively numbered lines down the left margin, so this is a court filing format rather than pleading paper. The three-inch space at the top of the first page leaves the clerk room to apply the case caption header and file stamp without overwriting your text. A filing on the wrong paper size or with a short first-page margin can be rejected, which costs you a filing date you may need to preserve a deadline. This page covers the GR 14 paper and margin rule, the caption block naming the court and the parties, and where the body font and spacing are set by your local court's rules because GR 14 does not fix them. DocDraft drafts your document on properly formatted Washington court format from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.
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Key Things to Know
- 1
Letter-size paper, 8.5 by 11 inches, is mandatory under GR 14; legal-size paper is not accepted.
- 2
On the first page, the top margin must be a minimum of three inches under GR 14, leaving room for the court's caption header and file stamp.
- 3
The bottom margin and each side margin must be a minimum of one inch under GR 14.
- 4
Civil Rule CR 10(d) on format requirements is reserved and refers filers to GR 14, which is the controlling Washington format rule.
- 5
Washington does not require consecutively numbered margin lines, so its filings are a court format rather than numbered-line pleading paper.
- 6
GR 14 does not fix the body font size or line spacing; those are set by your local court's rules.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Pleading Paper in Washington, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Pleading Paper guide walks through them.
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Washington Requirements for Pleading Paper
First-page top margin
On the first page, the top margin must be a minimum of three inches under GR 14, leaving room for the court's caption header and file stamp.
Bottom and side margins
The bottom margin and each side margin must be a minimum of one inch under GR 14.
Paper size
Letter-size paper, 8.5 by 11 inches, is mandatory under GR 14; legal-size paper is not accepted.
Controlling format rule
Civil Rule CR 10(d) on format requirements is reserved and refers filers to GR 14, which controls Washington filing format.
Caption block
The first page carries a caption naming the Superior Court of Washington for the county, the parties, the case number, and the document title.
No numbered lines
Washington does not require consecutively numbered margin lines; its filings are a court format, not numbered-line pleading paper.
Body font and spacing
GR 14 does not fix the body font size or line spacing; these are set by your local court's rules.