Wash. Rev. Code § 59.20 § 59.20.310
Unlawful detainer action -- Limited dissemination.
Operative Text
(1) A court may order an unlawful detainer action to be of limited dissemination for one or more persons if: (a) The court finds that the plaintiff's case was sufficiently without basis in fact or law; (b) the tenancy was reinstated by the court; or (c) other good cause exists for limiting dissemination of the unlawful detainer action. (2) An order to limit dissemination of an unlawful detainer action must be in writing. (3) When an order for limited dissemination of an unlawful detainer action has been entered with respect to a person, a tenant screening service provider must not: (a) Disclose the existence of that unlawful detainer action in a tenant screening report pertaining to the person for whom dissemination has been limited, or (b) use the unlawful detainer action as a factor in determining any score or recommendation to be included in a tenant screening report pertaining to the person for whom dissemination has been limited.
Under Wash. Rev. Code § 59.20.310, a court has the authority to order that an unlawful detainer (eviction) action receive 'limited dissemination,' meaning it is shielded from public reporting under certain conditions. Those conditions include a finding that the landlord's case lacked sufficient basis in fact or law, that the tenancy was reinstated, or that other good cause exists. Once such a written order is in place, tenant screening service providers are prohibited from disclosing the action or using it in any scoring or recommendation within a tenant screening report.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 59.20.310, property owners and managers who use tenant screening reports should be aware that not every unlawful detainer action will appear in those reports. When a court has entered a written limited-dissemination order, compliant screening practices involve relying only on information that screening providers are lawfully permitted to share. Operators who initiate eviction proceedings without sufficient factual or legal basis risk having those actions shielded from future screening reports, which is one practical consequence courts can impose.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Wash. Rev. Code § 59.20.310 gives tenants a potential avenue to limit the impact of an eviction filing on their rental history. If a court finds the landlord's case lacked basis, reinstates the tenancy, or finds other good cause, a tenant may seek a written limited-dissemination order that prevents screening services from reporting or scoring the action. Tenants who believe they qualify for such an order may wish to raise this provision during court proceedings or consult a tenant-rights organization familiar with Washington's manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant law for general information about the process.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.