Evicting a Tenant

The Sheriff’s Office does not become involved in any evictions until you obtain a Court Order that directs the Sheriff to take action.  These are often called "Writs of Restitution."  There are several steps you must take prior to obtaining an order, but Sheriff's Office personnel cannot explain the process to you (RCW 36.28.110).This includes serving any documents, such as any notice of vacating, or any Show Cause hearing paperwork. Please contact a private process server or other means. 

If you have questions regarding this process, we strongly recommend that you contact an attorney.

Additional information, which may be helpful to landlords and/or tenants, can be found in the Landlord-Tenant Resources page maintained by the Washington State Attorney General's Office.

Writ of Restitution Process

In order to process a Writ of Restitution, once it is issued by the court, JCSO will require specific documents and a fee deposit, as well as certain information.  Without these, we will not be able to accept the Writ or proceed with the eviction.   We recommend that you review our Intake Requirements and complete our Mandatory Data Form prior to seeking a Writ from the Court.  These forms are located in the "Documents" section at the bottom of this page, or the "Intake Sheets" portion of our website.

Squatters / Trespassers

Please note that the Civil Office does not handle enforcement of the recent law (SB 5388), singed by the Governor on May 10th, 2017, "Concerning Unlawful Entry on Certain Properties," which appears to apply to situations in which squatters need to be removed.  These issues are being handled by our patrol deputies.

For enforcement of trespass or unlawful entry, please contact JeffCom 911 at 360-344-9779.