Listing of self-help materials and informational publications.
There are 38 resources
Civil rights
A Guide to Washington's Medical Marijuana Law
(Separate Website)
Information for patients, caregivers, doctors, and the public regarding medical marijuana use in Washington State.
By: ACLU
Criminal History/Records: When and How to Seal/Vacate Non-Violent Class B or C Felony Convictions This publication provides information and forms on how to vacate and seal records concerning certain non-violent Class B or C felony convictions in Washington State occurring on/after July 1, 1984. Download the pdf file to use the forms.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Frequently Asked Questions - Civil Rights Division
(Separate Website)
Frequently asked questions and answers about many topics such as employment and housing discrimination, disability rights, civil rights appeals, educational opportunities and voting rights.
By: U.S. Department of Justice - Civil Rights Division
Know Your Rights When Encountering Law Enforcement
(Separate Website)
This booklet addresses what rights you have when you are stopped, questioned, arrested, or searched by law enforcement officers. This booklet is for citizens and non-citizens with extra information for non-citizens in a separate section. Another section covers what can happen to you at airports and other points of entry into the United States. The last section discusses concerns you may have related to your charitable contributions and religious or political beliefs.
By: ACLU
Know Your Rights: What to do When You're Questioned or Searched By Government Officials
(Separate Website)
If any governmental official (police officer, FBI agent, IMMIGRATION official) wishes to engage you in conversation, all persons, citizens and non-citizens, have the constitutional right to remain silent and request a lawyer.
By: Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Street Speech: Your Rights in Washington to Parade, Picket and Leaflet
(Separate Website)
This pamphlet provides general information about your right to parade, picket, leaflet, circulate petitions and otherwise express your political beliefs in public. It describes the kinds of regulations on speech activities that the government may enforce and the kinds of restrictions which are not permitted by the United States and Washington Constitutions.
By: ACLU
Voting Rights Restoration in Washington State
(Separate Website)
The Washington legislature recently passed
a law that automatically restores the right
to vote to individuals convicted of felonies
when they have completed their time in prison and have served any required community custody supervised by the State Department of Corrections. This law took effect on July 26, 2009.
By: ACLU
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
ADA Paratransit Eligibility: How to Make Your Case
(Separate Website)
The purpose of this handout is to assist people with disabilities to obtain an accurate and fair ADA paratransit eligibility determination. Many people with disabilities who should be eligible for paratransit services according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are denied eligibility because transit agencies are not accurately assessing their capacities.
By: Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
Disability Rights Washington
(Separate Website)
Disability Rights Washington (DRW) is a private, non-profit organization that protects the rights of people with disabilities statewide.
By: Disability Rights Washington
Eligibility for Paratransit Services
(Separate Website)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that all public organizations that provide public transportation must also provide "paratransit." The prefix "para" means "closely resembling" or "alongside of," thus the term paratransit means transit that closely resembles, or operates in combination with an existing transit system.
By: Disability Rights Washington
Facts about the Americans with Disabilities Act
(Separate Website)
Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which took effect July 26, 1992, prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment.
By: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Guide to Disability and WA State Nondiscrimination Laws
(Separate Website)
In Washington State, there have been significant changes to disability law from July 2006 to July 2007. On July 6, 2006, in McClarty v. Totem Electric, 157 Wn.2d 214 (2006), the Supreme Court of the State of Washington, in a 5- 4 ruling, adopted the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definition of disability. In doing so, the Court dispensed with its earlier decisions regarding the definition of disability, as well as with the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) regulation that had successfully served as the Washington State Human Rights Commission?s (WSHRC) definition of disability since 1973.
By: WA State Human Rights Commission
Information for Persons with Disabilities Who Need Accommodations to Access the Courts If you have a disability and you believe you may need an accommodation to fully and equally participate in a particular court proceeding or activity, you may request a reasonable accommodation. This resource contains the new Request for Reasonable Accomodation Form and instructions for filing it out.
By: Administrative Office Of The Courts
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
(Separate Website)
The complete text of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Employment Discrimination
(Separate Website)
Despite federal, state, and local laws requiring fair employment practices, many women
continue to face discrimination in the workplace. When this happens, it is often hard to
figure out exactly what your rights are. This memo is intended to be a road map to job
discrimination laws. It outlines the laws that prohibit employment discrimination, what
legal remedies exist, and where to go if you feel you have experienced job discrimination. (PDF file)
By: Legal Voice
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Filing a Charge of Employment Discrimination
(Separate Website)
Any individual who believes that his or her employment rights have been violated may file a charge of discrimination with EEOC. This web page describes how.
By: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Guide to Disability and WA State Nondiscrimination Laws
(Separate Website)
In Washington State, there have been significant changes to disability law from July 2006 to July 2007. On July 6, 2006, in McClarty v. Totem Electric, 157 Wn.2d 214 (2006), the Supreme Court of the State of Washington, in a 5- 4 ruling, adopted the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definition of disability. In doing so, the Court dispensed with its earlier decisions regarding the definition of disability, as well as with the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) regulation that had successfully served as the Washington State Human Rights Commission?s (WSHRC) definition of disability since 1973.
By: WA State Human Rights Commission
Housing Discrimination & Your Civil Rights: A Fair Housing Guide for Renters and Home Buyers
(Separate Website)
Describes what housing discrimination is and what you can do if it happens to you.
By: King County Office of Civil Rights
Read this in:
Cambodian / Khmer
,
Chinese / 中文
,
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Español
,
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
How to File a Complaint
(Separate Website)
Describes the procedure for filing a discrimination complaint in the city of Seattle.
By: Seattle Office of Civil Rights
Mediation: Should I Use It?
(Separate Website)
3226EN - Mediation is an informal way to resolve disputes without going to court. The parties attempt to negotiate a mutually agreeable settlement with the help of a neutral mediator. Mediation can be used in many types of disputes.
By: Legal Voice
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace General information about the what sexual harassment is and what you can do about it. (PDF file)
By: Northwest Women's Law Center
What's Illegal Discrimination?
(Separate Website)
This web page describes what constitutes illegal discrimination.
By: Seattle Office of Civil Rights
Where to File a Housing Discrimination Complaint
(Separate Website)
The web page tells you which agency to call to file a complaint.
By: King County
Workplace Fairness Web Site
(Separate Website)
A comprehensive web site explaining employment rights.
By: Workplace Fairness
Your Rights and Responsibilities as an Employee in Washington State This 16 page publication provides general information about employment rights in Washington state.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Can I Clear My Criminal Record? If you have been charged with criminal violations in the past, the record of those charges may affect your ability to get work, housing, public benefits, financial aid for education, to drive or to enjoy other rights or privileges, such as voting. This memo will help you understand what rights and options you have and what procedures you must use to clear or limit access to your criminal record by others.
By: Northwest Women's Law Center
Identity Documents Necessary for a Washington Drivers License/Identification Card
This document explains the law about the type of identification documents that are needed to obtain a driver's license in Washington state.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Occupational/Restricted Driver License
(Separate Website)
Questions and answers about getting and keeping an occupational or restricted driver license.
By: Department of Licensing
What to Do About A License Suspension Notice From Child Support Enforcement
3809EN - The Division of Child Support (DCS) may suspend licenses of parents who are behind in their child support payments. The law allows DCS to suspend any license issued by the State of Washington, including drivers' licenses, hunting licenses, fishing licenses, professional licenses and contractor or occupational licenses. This publication explains your rights and obligations under the law.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Discrimination in Housing Sales and Rentals
(Separate Website)
The federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Washington's Law Against Discrimination prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities in the sale or rental of any dwelling. The FHA also prohibits discrimination against the family of a person with a disability.
By: Disability Rights Washington
DSHS Help for People with Disabilities: Necessary Supplemental Accomodations
If you get DSHS benefits, such as TANF, SFA, Disability Lifeline, Medicaid, or food assistance, DSHS must accommodate your disabilities. This means that DSHS must try to make their services and benefits available to you to the same extent that they are available to people without a disability.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Ensuring Equal Access for People with Disabilities: A Guide for Washington Courts
(Separate Website)
Washington courthouses and court services must be accessible to persons with disabilities. This Guide is intended to help courts achieve equal access.
By: Washington State Access to Justice Board
Information for Persons with Disabilities Who Need Accommodations to Access the Courts If you have a disability and you believe you may need an accommodation to fully and equally participate in a particular court proceeding or activity, you may request a reasonable accommodation. This resource contains the new Request for Reasonable Accomodation Form and instructions for filing it out.
By: Administrative Office Of The Courts
Service Animals Questions
(Separate Website)
A service animal is one individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. This web page provides answers to frequently asked questions.
By: Washington Human Rights Commission
Frequently Asked Questions about Institutionalized Persons' Rights
(Separate Website)
Frequently asked questions and answers about institutionalized persons rights, filing complaints, and the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act.
By: U.S. Department of Justice - Civil Rights Division
Prisoner's Rights - ACLU Position Paper
(Separate Website)
General information about prisoner's rights and The Prison Litigation Reform Act.
By: American Civil Liberties Union
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Washington LawHelp is provided as a public service by the Northwest Justice Project in collaboration with other legal aid providers in the Alliance for Equal Justice and Washington courts.
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