Self-Help Center

California Online Self-Help Center |  Centro de ayuda en linea

The Lake County Superior Court Self-Help Center and Family Law Facilitator’s office provides free legal help to people who do not have a lawyer. Our office does not give legal advice and cannot act as your attorney. Instead, we provide legal information and assistance with filling out court forms. Our services are always free. Anyone who does not have their own lawyer can use our services, it does not matter how much money you make.

Services Provided

• Divorce, Legal Separation, Annulment
• Establish Paternity
• Modify child custody and visitation orders
• Modify child and spousal support orders
• Restraining Orders
• Guardianships (person only)
• Evictions/Unlawful Detainers (both Landlord and Tenant)
• Name Change
• Small Claims
• Actions involving the Department of Child Support Services
• Step-Parent Adoption (uncontested only)

Ways to Receive Services from the Self-Help Center

One-on-One Appointments

Each day we have a limited number of one-on-one appointments, where we interview you and together we complete your forms. Prescheduled appointments are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Same day appointments are available on Mondays and Wednesdays. You may call or come in to schedule an appointment.

Computer Appointments

Use our computer lab to complete your forms using our software program ‘Law Help Interactive’. The program asks you questions and generates your completed forms (like TurboTax does). We are available to answer brief questions as you go, then we review, print, and package your forms.

Packet Appointments

Complete your forms by hand in our office on your own. We are available to answer brief questions as you go, then we review, and package your forms.

Workshops

We offer weekly workshops over Zoom. Please call 707-994-4612 to reserve your spot or email  self.help@lake.courts.ca.gov

Our Current Workshops:

• Declarations of Disclosure for Divorce: Tuesdays from 2pm - 3pm
• Trial Preparations for Self-Represented Litigants: Thursdays from 1pm - 2pm

Standby

If you have completed your forms and would like for us to only review and package them - you can ask to be put on standby and we will help you in between appointments.

Assistance Available By SHARP (Self-Help Assistance and Referral Program):

Click on the link below to visit SHARP.

SHARP

Start Your Paperwork At Home

LawHelp Interactive is a web platform administered by the nonprofit organization, Pro Bono Net, that helps self-represented litigants fill out their paperwork. We strongly recommend making an account and having your paperwork reviewed by the Self-Help Center before filing. Every Thursday from 8-9am is reserved for completed paperwork review at our office in Clearlake. You may also email the papers to  self.help@lake.courts.ca.gov

• Starting a Divorce
• Request for Domestic Violence Restraining Order
• Guardianship Petition
• Name Change Petition
• Request for Civil Harassment Restraining Order
• Request for Elder Abuse Restraining Order

Self-Help Restraining Orders:

If you are in danger right now, dial 911

A Restraining Order (R.O) can protect you from physical, emotional or financial abuse, and property destruction. There are different kinds of restraining orders available through the court system, and each order has different eligibility requirements.

You can use the links in the Start Your Paperwork At Home section above for an online Question & Answer session that will help you fill out the legal forms required for a Restraining Order in Lake County. Before you get started with the program, you will be asked to register an account so that your work doesn't get deleted before you've finished filling out the forms.

For more information on how to get help in-person or on the phone please call 707-994-4612. The help and the forms are free.

Domestic Violence Restraining Order

You can ask for a domestic violence restraining order if:

• Someone has abused you, and
• You have a close relationship with that person (married or registered domestic partners, divorced, separated, dating or used to date, have a child together), or you are closely related (parent, child, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, in-law)
• Find more information about domestic violence

Elder or Dependent Adult Abuse Restraining Order

You can ask for an elder or dependent adult abuse restraining order if:

• You are 65 or older, OR
• You are between 18 and 64 and have certain mental or physical disabilities that keep you from being able to do normal activities or protect yourself;

AND
You are a victim of:

• Physical or financial abuse
• Neglect or abandonment
• Treatment that has physically or mentally hurt you, or
• Deprivation by a caregiver of basic things or services you need so you will not suffer physically, mentally or emotionally
• Find more information about Elder and Dependent Abuse.

Civil Harassment Restraining Order

You can ask for a civil harassment restraining order if you are being harassed, stalked, abused or threatened by someone who is like a roommate, a neighbor, or more distant family members like cousins, aunts or uncles, or nieces or nephews.
Find more information about Civil Harassment.