Self-Help Center/Family Law Facilitator's Office

Self-Help Center/Family Law Facilitator’s Office

The Self-Help Center provides free assistance with family law, restraining orders, guardianship, conservatorship, name and/or gender changes, and landlord/tenant cases. Please review “ What do we help with at SHC/FLFO? ” section below for more details about our areas of assistance. We can answer questions about court processes and procedures, review your forms after you fill them out, provide you with educational materials (including samples) and referrals to local nonprofit organizations. We can only assist individuals who do not have an attorney.

We do not provide legal advice, are not your attorney and no attorney-client relationship is created as a result of any information or services provided to self-represented parties. Our communications are not privileged and services may be provided to both parties to a case. You should consult with your own attorney if you want personalized advice or strategy, to have a confidential conversation, or to be represented by an attorney in court.

How to get help?

Workshops:The Self-Help Center assists with several issues through online workshops. Click on a topic for more information:

• Start a Divorce/Legal Separation/Nullity Case
• Preliminary Declarations of Disclosure
• Start a Parentage Case
• Limited Conservatorship

Divorce Case Review: Click here for help finishing your Divorce, Legal Separation or Nullity Case

Email:Click on the topic of your question(s) below:

• Family Law ( except finishing a Divorce, Legal Separation or Nullity Case )
• Eviction (Landord/Tenant)
• Guardianship; Conservatorship, Name and/or Gender Change

Phone:Call us at 408-882-2926, choose option 3, during our phone hours - Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. No voicemail.

LiveChat:Click on the “Chat Now” window at the bottom right of the screen during our LiveChat hours - Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (LiveChat availability subject to change).

In Person:Only available for the following Emergency Issues only ( click here for printable flyer):

• Restraining Orders
• Emergency Custody/Visitation Requests
• Emergency Guardianships
• Evictions (limited to emergencies only)

For these issues, go to the Restraining Order Help Center at 201 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113 during the following office hours:

• Monday to Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

What do we help with at SHC/FLFO?

Important notice, please read carefully: This list is meant only as a guide and not a guarantee of services. We do not assist with any areas of the law that are not specifically listed under the “We Can Help” section. If you need help with an issue that our office does not assist with, we suggest you refer to our Do It Yourself Resource Flyer .

Family Law

Non-Family Law

Evictions/Housing

Probate Cases

Other

For access to Self Help Center form packets visit Complete Forms at Home . For access to individual Judicial Council forms visit www.courts.ca.gov .

For Self-Help Customer Feedback form click here .