Rule RAP 16.7 - Personal Restraint Petition-Form of Petition(a) Generally. Under the titles indicated, the petition should set forth: (1)Status of Petitioner. The restraint on petitioner; the place where petitioner is held in custody and anticipated release date, if confined; the judgment, sentence, or other order or authority upon which petitioners restraint is based, identified by date of entry, court, and cause number; any appeals taken from that judgment, sentence or order; and a statement of each other petition or collateral attack as that term is defined in RCW 10.73.090, whether filed in federal court or state court, filed with regard to the same allegedly unlawful restraint, identified by the date filed, the court, the disposition made by the court, and the date of disposition.(2)Grounds for Relief. A statement of (i) the facts upon which the claim of unlawful restraint of petitioner is based and the evidence available to support the factual allegations, and (ii) why the petitioners restraint is unlawful for one or more of the reasons specified in rule 16.4(c). Legal argument and authorities may be included in the petition, or submitted in a separate brief as provided in rule 16.10(a).(3)Citations to Court Documents. If some of the evidence supporting the factual allegations is contained in the files of a trial or appellate court, the petition should identify the documents needed for review and the case numbers under which they can be found. The appellate court may order that any court documents identified for review be transferred or transmitted to the court.(4)Statement of Finances. If petitioner is unable to pay the filing fee or fees of counsel, a request should be included for waiver of the filing fee and for the appointment of counsel at public expense. The request should be supported by a statement of petitioner's total assets and liabilities.(5)Request for Relief. The relief petitioner wants.(6)Oath. The petition must be signed by the petitioner or his attorney and verified under penalty of perjury. The verification may be in the following form: I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington that I am the petitioner, that I have read the petition, know its contents, and I believe the petition is true.
[or]
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington that I am the attorney for the petitioner, that I have read the petition, know its contents, and I believe the petition is true.
[Signature]
_______________________ Signed this ____________ [date] at _______________ [place].
If a petition is filed that is not verified, the appellate court will return the petition for verification.
(7)Verification. In all cases where the restraint is the result of a criminal proceeding and the petition is prepared by the petitioner's attorney, the petitioner must file with the court no later than 30 days after the petition was received by the court a document that substantially complies with the following form: I declare that I have received a copy of the petition prepared by my attorney and that I consent to the petition being filed on my behalf.
Dated this ________________ [date] _____________
_______________________
[Signature]
If the petitioner has been declared incompetent, the verification may be filed by the guardian ad litem. If a petition has been filed to determine competency, the verification procedure shall be tolled until competency is determined.
(b) Standard Form. The clerk of the appellate court will make the standard form of petition available to persons who are confined in state institutions and to others who may request the form.(c) Length of Petition. The petition should comply with the length limitations in RAP 18.17. References
Form 17, Personal Restraint Petition.
Wash. R. App. P. RAP 16.7
Adopted effective 7/1/1976; Amended effective 12/30/1997; 9/1/2006; 9/1/2010; 9/1/2014; amended effective 9/1/2021; amended effective 9/5/2024.