General Information:

Legal Self-Help Center staff cannot give you legal advice or represent you in court. We assist both sides of the case equally. The emphasis of the Legal Self-Help Center is to provide legal information and education, not legal strategy and advice. The staff of the Legal Self-Help Center provides information about procedure; substantive law and choices litigants may have, thereby allowing litigants to make informed decisions about their case. Services are available to all self-represented parties and are free.

Many cases involve serious and, often time, complex legal issues. You should consider consulting with an attorney before you make the choice to represent yourself.

What kinds of court cases do we help with?

Family Law Facilitator's Office Assistance:

(click here for additional information on the Family Law Facilitator services)

· Provide education materials to parents concerning the court process of establishing parentage and establishing, modifying and enforcing child and spousal support.

· Distribute necessary court forms and voluntary declarations of paternity and assistance in completing the forms.

· Prepare support calculations based on statutory guidelines.

· Provide referrals to the local child support agency, family court services and other community resources that provide services for parents and children.

· Provide assistance on child support issues

Self-Represented Litigant Clinic Assistance:

· Family Law

· Dissolution of Marriage

· Parentage Actions

· Child Support, Custody, Visitation

· Restraining Orders; Domestic Violence, Civil Harassment, Elder Abuse

· Evictions; Landlord/Tenant

· Debt Collection

· Guardianship

· Small Claims Actions

· Other civil matters

Family Law Information Center Assistance:

· Provide assistance to parties in preparing or responding to petitions for dissolution (divorce).

· Provide assistance to parties in finalizing their divorce (obtaining a final judgment).

· Provide assistance to parties in initiating and responding to Orders to Show Cause and Notice of Motion (how to get interim orders for control of property, use of vehicles, assignment of responsibility for payment of debts, etc.).

· Provide assistance to parties in initiating and responding to Change of Venue Motions.