Washington eviction law is written for landlords and tenants. The adult child who moved back in, the friend who came for a few weeks, the ex-partner still living in the house after the breakup: none of them signed a lease or paid rent, so the fast unlawful detainer process may not apply. File it anyway and a judge can dismiss the case months in.
Ejectment under RCW 7.28.010 lets anyone with title and a right to possession recover the property through an ordinary civil case in superior court. It takes a little longer to start than an eviction, but it fits the facts, it can include damages for the months of occupancy, and it ends with the same writ and the same sheriff.
“The relationship decides the case, not what the occupant calls themselves.”
A tenant goes through unlawful detainer. A trespasser may qualify for a police declaration. Everyone in between usually needs an ejectment. Sorting that out is the first thing we do.
Four rules decide how an owner gets a non-tenant out, and how much the owner can recover.
Changing locks, cutting utilities, or removing belongings without a court order exposes the owner to damages and fees, especially if a court later finds a tenancy existed. The court and the sheriff remove people; owners do not.
An owner can ask law enforcement to remove someone who entered without permission, was not a tenant in the last 12 months, and refused to leave. It is for trespassers, not for someone you invited in, and a false declaration carries liability under RCW 4.24.355.
In an ejectment the occupant must plead whatever right to stay they claim. The deed, the chain of title, and proof that no rent was ever paid decide most cases.
The judgment can include damages for withholding the property, generally measured by its rental value, within the limits of the statute. A written demand to vacate, served early, fixes the start date.
Uncontested ejectments in Pierce County usually finish two to three months after filing. Contested cases take longer, and a clear title can move them faster on summary judgment.
We check title, confirm no tenancy exists, and look for anything that changes the path: a foreclosure, a family law case, a failed sale, or an ownership claim.
A letter naming the occupant and setting a date to leave. It starts the damages clock, and it ends a share of these matters on its own.
We file in Pierce County Superior Court and serve the occupant. If they do not answer in 20 days, we move for default judgment.
The court issues a writ of restitution, the sheriff serves it and schedules the lockout, and you get the keys back.
Chapter 7.28 RCW applies statewide. Local rules, court calendars, and sheriff timelines differ by county, and we know Pierce County’s.
Unlawful detainer under RCW 59.12.030 is a fast court case for removing a tenant. Ejectment under RCW 7.28.010 is an ordinary civil case for recovering possession from someone who is not a tenant.
Tell us who is living there, how they came to stay, and what they have paid. We will tell you whether this is an ejectment, an eviction, or a police declaration, and quote the fee before you commit.
Tacoma, WA
(253) 753-1530
1302 North I Street, Suite C, Tacoma, WA 98403
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