Washington Petition to Decide Parentage is a legal process that allows parents to establish a legal relationship with a child in Washington State. This process is initiated by filing a petition in the family court of the county where the child resides. There are several types of Washington Petition to Decide Parentage, including voluntary acknowledgments of parentage, paternity establishment, and parentage establishment after the death of a parent. The purpose of the petition is to legally establish the relationship between parent and child, so that the parent can obtain parental rights and responsibilities, such as child support, custody, and visitation. The petition also allows the parent to be listed on the child's birth certificate.