Garnishment forms

AN ACT Relating to garnishment forms; and amending RCW 6.27.340 1
and 6.27.350. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 6.27.340 and 2012 c 159 s 5 are each amended to read 4
as follows: 5
(1) Service of a writ for a continuing lien shall comply fully 6
with RCW 6.27.110. 7
(2) If the writ is directed to an employer for the purpose of 8
garnishing the defendant's wages, the first answer shall accurately 9
state, as of the date the writ of garnishment was issued as indicated 10
by the date appearing on the last page of the writ, whether the 11
defendant was employed by the garnishee defendant (and if not the 12
date employment terminated), whether the defendant's earnings were 13
subject to a preexisting writ of garnishment for continuing liens on 14
earnings (and if so the date such writ will terminate and the current 15
writ will be enforced), whether the defendant maintained a financial 16
account with garnishee, and whether the garnishee defendant had 17
possession of or control over any funds, personal property, or 18
effects of the defendant (and if so the garnishee defendant shall 19
list all of defendant's personal property or effects in its 20
possession or control). The first answer shall further accurately 21
H-2572.1
HOUSE BILL 2386
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Eslick, Hall, and Thai
Prefiled 01/09/26. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Civil Rights & Judiciary.
p. 1 HB 2386
state, as of the time of service of the writ of garnishment on the 1
garnishee defendant, the amount due and owing from the garnishee 2
defendant to the defendant, and the defendant's total earnings, 3
allowable deductions, disposable earnings, exempt earnings, 4
deductions for superior liens such as child support, and net earnings 5
withheld under the writ. The first answer ((may be substantially in 6
the following )) shall be provided using the form developed by the 7
Washington pattern forms committee or a substantially equivalent 8
form((:9
10
11
12
IN THE . . . . . COURT
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR
THE COUNTY OF . . . . . .
13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , NO. . . . . .
14 Plaintiff,
15 vs. FIRST ANSWER
16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , TO WRIT OF
17 Defendant, GARNISHMENT
18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FOR CONTINUING LIEN
19 Garnishee Defendant ON EARNINGS
SECTION I. If you are withholding the defendant's nonexempt 20
earnings under a previously served writ for a continuing 21
lien, answer only sections I and III of this form and mail or 22
deliver the forms as directed in the writ. Withhold from the 23
defendant's future nonexempt earnings as directed in the 24
writ, and a second set of answer forms will be forwarded to 25
you later.26
If you are NOT withholding the defendant's earnings under a 27
previously served writ for a continuing lien, answer this 28
ENTIRE form and mail or deliver the forms as directed in the 29
writ. A second set of answer forms will be forwarded to you 30
later for subsequently withheld earnings.31
ANSWER: I am presently holding the defendant's nonexempt 32
earnings under a previous writ served on . . . . . . that 33
will terminate not later than . . . . ., 20 . . .34
p. 2 HB 2386
On the date the writ of garnishment was issued as indicated 1
by the date appearing on the last page of the writ:2
(A) The defendant: (check one) [ ] was, [ ] was not employed 3
by garnishee. If not employed and you have no possession or 4
control of any funds of defendant, indicate the last day of 5
employment: . . . . . . .; and complete section III of this 6
answer and mail or deliver the forms as directed in the writ;7
(B) The defendant: (check one) [ ] did, [ ] did not maintain 8
a financial account with garnishee; and9
(C) The garnishee: (check one) [ ] did, [ ] did not have 10
possession of or control over any funds, personal property, 11
or effects of the defendant. (List all of defendant's 12
personal property or effects in your possession or control on 13
the last page of this answer form or attach a schedule if 14
necessary.)15
SECTION II. At the time of service of the writ of garnishment 16
on the garnishee there was due and owing from the garnishee 17
to the above-named defendant $ . . . . .18
This writ attaches a maximum of . . . . percent of the 19
defendant's disposable earnings (that is, compensation 20
payable for personal services, whether called wages, salary, 21
commission, bonus, or otherwise, and including periodic 22
payments pursuant to a nongovernmental pension or retirement 23
program).24
Calculate the attachable amount as follows:25
Gross Earnings. . . . . . . . . . . . . $ . . . . . . . .(1)26
Less deductions required by law (social security,27
federal withholding tax, etc. Do not include28
deductions for child support orders or government29
liens here. Deduct child support orders and liens30
on line 7):. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ . . . . . . . .(2)31
Disposable Earnings (subtract line 2 from32
line 1):. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ . . . . . . . .(3)33
Enter . . . . percent of line 3:. . . . $ . . . . . . . .(4)34
Enter one of the following exempt35
amounts*: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ . . . . . . . .(5)36
p. 3 HB 2386
1
2
If paid: Weekly $ . . . . . Semi-
monthly
$ . . . . .
3 Bi-weekly $ . . . . . Monthly $ . . . . .
*These are minimum exempt amounts that the4
defendant must be paid. If your answer5
covers more than one pay period, multiply6
the preceding amount by the number of pay7
periods and/or fraction thereof your answer8
covers. If you use a pay period not shown,9
prorate the monthly exempt amount.10
Subtract the larger of lines 4 and 5 from11
line 3:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ . . . . . . . .(6)12
Enter amount (if any) withheld for ongoing13
government liens such as child support:. $ . . . . . . . .(7)14
Subtract line 7 from line 6. This amount15
must be held out for the plaintiff:. . . $ . . . . . . . .(8)16
This is the formula that you will use for withholding each 17
pay period over the required sixty day garnishment period. 18
Deduct any allowable processing fee you may charge from the 19
amount that is to be paid to the defendant.20
If there is any uncertainty about your answer, give an 21
explanation on the last page or on an attached page.22
SECTION III. An attorney may answer for the garnishee.23
Under penalty of perjury, I affirm that I have examined this 24
answer, including accompanying schedules, and to the best of 25
my knowledge and belief it is true, correct, and complete.26
27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
28 Signature of Date
29 Garnishee Defendant
30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
31 Signature of Person Connection with
32 Answering for Garnishee
33 Garnishee
34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
p. 4 HB 2386
1
2
Print Name of Person
Signing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Address of Garnishee
(3) Prior to serving the answer forms for a writ for continuing 3
lien on earnings, the plaintiff shall fill in the minimum exemption 4
amounts for the different pay periods, and the maximum percentages of 5
disposable earnings subject to lien and exempt from lien)).6
(((4))) (3) In the event plaintiff fails to comply with this 7
section, employer may elect to treat the garnishment as one not 8
creating a continuing lien. 9
Sec. 2. RCW 6.27.350 and 2012 c 159 s 14 are each amended to 10
read as follows: 11
(1) Where the garnishee's answer to a garnishment for a 12
continuing lien reflects that the defendant is employed by the 13
garnishee, the judgment or balance due thereon as reflected on the 14
writ of garnishment shall become a lien on earnings due at the time 15
of the effective date of the writ, as defined in this subsection, to 16
the extent that they are not exempt from garnishment, and such lien 17
shall continue as to subsequent nonexempt earnings until the total 18
subject to the lien equals the amount stated on the writ of 19
garnishment or until the expiration of the employer's payroll period 20
ending on or before ((sixty)) 60 days after the effective date of the 21
writ, whichever occurs first, except that such lien on subsequent 22
earnings shall terminate sooner if the employment relationship is 23
terminated or if the underlying judgment is vacated, modified, or 24
satisfied in full or if the writ is dismissed. The "effective date" 25
of a writ is the date of service of the writ if there is no 26
previously served writ; otherwise, it is the date of termination of a 27
previously served writ or writs. 28
(2) At the time of the expected termination of the lien, the 29
plaintiff shall mail ((to)) the garnishee ((one copy of the answer 30
form prescribed in RCW 6.27.340)) a copy of the second answer form 31
developed by the Washington pattern forms committee or a 32
substantially equivalent form. ((The plaintiff shall replace the text 33
of section I of the answer form with a statement in substantially the 34
following form: "ANSWER SECTION II OF THIS FORM WITH RESPECT TO THE 35
TOTAL AMOUNT OF EARNINGS WITHHELD UNDER THIS GARNISHMENT, INCLUDING 36
THE AMOUNT, IF ANY, STATED IN YOUR FIRST ANSWER, AND WITHIN TWENTY 37
p. 5 HB 2386
DAYS AFTER YOU RECEIVE THESE FORMS, MAIL OR DELIVER THEM AS DIRECTED 1
IN THE WRIT." 2
3
4
Nonexempt amount due and owing stated in
first answer
$ . . .
5 Nonexempt amount accrued since first answer $ . . .
6 TOTAL AMOUNT WITHHELD $. . ))
(3) Within ((twenty)) 20 days of receipt of the second answer 7
form the garnishee shall file a second answer ((, either)) in the form 8
as provided in subsection (2) of this section, stating the total 9
amount held subject to the garnishment ((, or otherwise containing the 10
information required in subsection (2) of this section and a 11
calculation indicating the total amount due and owing from the 12
garnishee defendant to the defendant, the defendant's total earnings, 13
allowable deductions, disposable earnings, exempt earnings, 14
deductions for superior liens such as child support, and net earnings 15
withheld under the writ)). 16
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p. 6 HB 2386