Other CA Legal Resources
> Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice (LACLJ) has several written materials to help people representing themselves, advocates and attorneys with safety planning, restraining orders, hearings and more. To review or download their materials, click here
> Law Help CA
> Find free legal help in your area
> Spanish/English legal glossary | Español/Inglés glosario legal
> Civil Appellate Practices and Procedures for the Self-Represented
> Step-by-Step CA Appellate Manual
> Forms and Separated Chapters from the Civil Appellate Practices and Procedures for the Self-Represented
> 4th District Civil Appellate Self-Help Workshop
> California Appellate Courts – To Appeal or Not to Appeal (self-help video)
> California Appellate Courts – Judicial Branch Overview – (self-help video)
> Tiny Chat 29: Get in the Circle (Service of Process) – (self-help video)
Legal Resources for Domestic Abuse Victims and Survivors
Self-Represented Litigants
https://rcdvcpc.org/resources/self-represented-litigants-series.html
This series of helpful PDFs and videos is designed to help self-represented litigants. Resources included: 10 Steps for Presenting Evidence, 10 Things to Know About Family Court, How to Gather Technology Abuse Evidence for Court, How to Navigate Custody Mediation in Cases Involving Domestic Violence, and 10 Ways to Find Help with Your Case. All of these resources are also available in Spanish.
Removing a Bench Officer in Civil Court
In California, there are specific laws about how to remove a judge from a civil case. While these laws are the same in all California counties, some counties have local procedures or practices that must be followed to make the request. Because local procedures and practices differ from county to county, some counties have issued informational materials on how this request is made in their county. For information on how this request is made in your county, please contact your court’s self-help center.
This link provides information from the Resource Center for Self-Represented Litigants on how to make this request in Los Angeles County Superior Court:
www.courts.ca.gov/partners/
This link provides information from the Sacramento County Public Law Library on how to make this request in Sacramento County:
https://saclaw.org/wp-content/
California Appellate Courts Self-Help Resource Center
https://selfhelp.appellate.courts.ca.gov – English
https://selfhelp.appellate.courts.ca.gov/?lang=es – Español
Legal help for abuse victims
http://www.womenslaw.org/
WomensLaw.org, a signature project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, provides plain-language, easy-to-understand legal information about laws related to protection orders, custody, immigration, and much more for 54 U.S. states and territories; much of this information is in Spanish as well. They also offer non-legal information about different forms of abuse, how to stay safe, and contact information for legal and non-legal resources in every state. They have a confidential Email Hotline where victims, their loved ones, and advocates can seek information in English or Spanish and receive an individually tailored response within one to five business days.
Legal guide to family court issues
http://vawnet.org/special-collections/DV-Legal
This guide focuses on the legal issues most commonly arising in family court, and includes both national and state legal resources for advocates and legal professionals working with survivors of domestic violence, as well as survivors who either may be representing themselves in protection order and family law proceedings or who are seeking legal referrals. Please note that the focus of this resource collection is civil legal issues rather than criminal legal matters. Issues addressed include obtaining protection orders against an abuser; filing for divorce; seeking custody of and/or visitation with minor children; and filing for child support. In addition, this collection includes a number of directories to assist in locating legal services for survivors in specific states, including legal aid organizations, paid attorneys, and volunteer attorneys, as well as information on how state laws and court procedures differ.
Interstate custody cases
http://www.lrcvaw.org
The Legal Resource Center on Violence Against Women (LRC) improves legal representation for domestic violence survivors. Specifically, the LRC obtains legal representation for domestic violence survivors in interstate custody cases, and provides technical assistance to domestic violence victim advocates and attorneys in such cases.
Dating abuse and legal help for abused youth
https://www.loveisrespect.org/get-help/
LoveIsRespect.org engages, educates and empowers young people to prevent and end abusive relationships. As part of its services, Love Is Respect offers legal help for youth surrounding the following issues: calling the police; documenting abuse; restraining orders; LGBTQ relationships and the law; help for undocumented immigrants.
Immigration Issues
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
“The mission of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is to work with and educate immigrants, community organizations, and the legal sector to continue to build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people.”
Social Justice Collaborative
SJC provides free representation to immigrants in immigration and criminal courts.
Employment
Legal Aid at Work Fact Sheets
Legal Aid at Work provides free resources on employment law issues.
Housing
National Housing Law Project
“The National Housing Law Project’s mission is to advance housing justice for poor people and communities.”
Public Benefits
Western Center on Law & Poverty
“Western Center was formed in 1967 by a passionate group of attorneys and legal scholars from USC, UCLA and Loyola law schools who sought to create a unique organization, driven by the belief that low-income Californians deserve the finest possible legal representation before every institution that shapes their lives.”
Resources for Attorneys and Advocates
Representing immigrant survivors of DV and sexual assault
http://www.asistahelp.org/
ASISTA centralizes assistance for advocates and attorneys facing complex legal problems in advocating for immigrant survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. ASISTA’s clearinghouse offers samples and best practices, and consultants’ training services are available to enable service providers to more thoroughly do their work. ASISTA’s goal is to help service providers offer accurate and up-to-date help to immigrant survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
