Wash. Rev. Code » Title 26 · Chapter 26.51
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 26.51.060 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
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(1) If the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that a party is engaging in abusive litigation, and that any or all of the motions or actions pending before the court are abusive litigation, the litigation shall be dismissed, denied, stricken, or resolved by other disposition with prejudice.
(2) In addition to dismissal or denial of any pending abusive litigation within the jurisdiction of the court, the court shall enter an "order restricting abusive litigation." The order shall:
(a) Impose all costs of any abusive civil action pending in the court at the time of the court's finding pursuant to subsection (1) of this section against the party advancing the abusive litigation;
(b) Award the other party reasonable attorneys' fees and costs of responding to the abusive litigation including the cost of seeking the order restricting abusive litigation; and
(c) Identify the party protected by the order and impose prefiling restrictions upon the party found to have engaged in abusive litigation for a period of not less than forty-eight months nor more than seventy-two months.
(3) If the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the litigation does not constitute abusive litigation, the court shall enter written findings and the litigation shall proceed. Nothing in this section or chapter shall be construed as limiting the court's inherent authority to control the proceedings and litigants before it.
(4) The provisions of this section are nonexclusive and do not affect any other remedy available to the person who is protected by the order restricting abusive litigation or to the court.
[ 2020 c 311 s 6.]
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 2024–2026 · leading case: Jared A. Frerichs v. Virginia R. Cooper (Wash. Ct. App. 2025).
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Amorea Rocha, V. Hamal Strand (Wash. Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 2× “86631-1-I/8 RCW 26.51.060(3) (emphasis added), quoted in Rocha, slip op.”
Jared A. Frerichs v. Virginia R. Cooper (Wash. Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 2× “Attorney Fees Virginia Cooper seeks sanctions and attorney fees incurred on appeal under CR 11 and RCW 26.51.060(2)(b). Under RAP 18.1, a party may recover reasonable attorney fees on appeal when authorized by contract, statute, or a recognized equitable basis, and the party…”
Sandeep Arugonda, Resp/x-app. V. Keerthi Ananthula, App/x-resp. (Wash. Ct. App. 2025). “RCW 26.51.060(1). Abusive litigation can be found if the opposing parties have a current or former intimate partner relationship, “[t]he party who is filing, initiating, advancing or continuing the litigation has been found by a court to have committed domestic violence against…”
Tayme Rose-leavitt, V. Rand Workman (Wash. Ct. App. 2025). “” RCW 26.51.060(2)(b). Because we affirm the trial court’s conclusion that Workman engaged in abusive litigation, we award Rose-Leavitt attorney fees and costs on appeal.”
Nicholas Cabral v. Dustin Glinski (Wash. Ct. App. 2026). “RCW 26.51.060(2)(b) (court must award “reasonable [attorney] fees and costs of responding to the abusive litigation”).”
Beth Anne Cabral v. Dustin Glinski (Wash. Ct. App. 2026). “RCW 26.51.060(2)(b) (court must award “reasonable [attorney] fees and costs of responding to the abusive litigation”).”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 26.51.060(1) — 1 case
Sandeep Arugonda, Resp/x-app. V. Keerthi Ananthula, App/x-resp. (Wash. Ct. App. 2025). “RCW 26.51.060(1). Abusive litigation can be found if the opposing parties have a current or former intimate partner relationship, “[t]he party who is filing, initiating, advancing or continuing the litigation has been found by a court to have committed domestic violence against…”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 26.51.060(2)(b) — 4 cases
Jared A. Frerichs v. Virginia R. Cooper (Wash. Ct. App. 2025). “Attorney Fees Virginia Cooper seeks sanctions and attorney fees incurred on appeal under CR 11 and RCW 26.51.060(2)(b). Under RAP 18.1, a party may recover reasonable attorney fees on appeal when authorized by contract, statute, or a recognized equitable basis, and the party…”
Tayme Rose-leavitt, V. Rand Workman (Wash. Ct. App. 2025). “” RCW 26.51.060(2)(b). Because we affirm the trial court’s conclusion that Workman engaged in abusive litigation, we award Rose-Leavitt attorney fees and costs on appeal.”
Nicholas Cabral v. Dustin Glinski (Wash. Ct. App. 2026). “RCW 26.51.060(2)(b) (court must award “reasonable [attorney] fees and costs of responding to the abusive litigation”).”
Beth Anne Cabral v. Dustin Glinski (Wash. Ct. App. 2026). “RCW 26.51.060(2)(b) (court must award “reasonable [attorney] fees and costs of responding to the abusive litigation”).”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 26.51.060(3) — 1 case
Amorea Rocha, V. Hamal Strand (Wash. Ct. App. 2024). “86631-1-I/8 RCW 26.51.060(3) (emphasis added), quoted in Rocha, slip op.”
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