Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Washington

If your landlord pursues the next step, you will likely be served with a summons and complaint for an eviction, as well as an order to show cause, setting a hearing no sooner than seven days at which you will need to appear and explain whether you have a valid defense to the landlord's claims or basis upon which the landlord seeks to evict you.

If you have no reasonable or arguable basis to defend the eviction action, then the commissioner or judge will enter the eviction order right there and soon a sheriff will execute a writ of restitution kicking you out of the property if you are not already gone.

If you present a valid or arguable defense, then you will need to pay into the court registry the monthly rent until trial can be held in the matter and depending on the outcome, if you lose, the landlord will keep the rent in the court registry and the same steps outlined above will occur. If you prevail, you may get all or some of your rental payments back and depending on your defense, possibly other fees, costs, or an award of money for damage you have suffered.