Wash. Rev. Code » Title 26 · Chapter 26.16
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 26.16.160 (2026)

Civil disabilities of wife abolished

✓ current as of May 2026
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All laws which impose or recognize civil disabilities upon a wife, which are not imposed or recognized as existing as to the husband, are hereby abolished, and for any unjust usurpation of her natural or property rights, she shall have the same right to appeal in her own individual name, to the courts of law or equity for redress and protection that the husband has: PROVIDED, ALWAYS, That nothing in *this chapter shall be construed to confer upon the wife any right to vote or hold office, except as otherwise provided by law.
[Code 1881 s 2398; 1879 p 151 s 1; RRS s 6901.]

Notes:

*Reviser's note: "this chapter," see note following RCW 26.16.120.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases, 1953–1980 · leading case: Freehe v. Freehe, 500 P.2d 771 (Wash. 1972).
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Freehe v. Freehe, 500 P.2d 771 (Wash. 1972). · cites it 2× “She relied solely upon a statute presently codified as RCW 26.16.160. On that basis, *185 this court held that the statute merely placed a husband and wife on an equal footing and that the conceded disability was equally applicable to both spouses.”
Goode v. Martinis, 361 P.2d 941 (Wash. 1961). · cites it 3× “” RCW 26.16.160 provides that: “All laws which impose or recognize civil disabilities upon a wife, which are not imposed or recognized as existing as to the husband, are hereby abolished, and for any unjust usurpation of her natural or property rights, she shall have the same…”
Peters v. Skalman, 617 P.2d 448 (Wash. Ct. App. 1980). “2d 933 (1941); RCW 26.16.160 (civil disabilities of wife abolished).”
Ash v. S. S. Mullen, Inc., 261 P.2d 118 (Wash. 1953). “” The author of the annotation on “Wife’s right of action for loss of consortium” in 23 A. L. R. (2d) 1378, states in § 7 (p.”
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