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Self-Help Resource Center / Family Law Facilitator’s Office

Welcome to the Tulare County Superior Court’s Self-Help Resource Center / Office of the Family Law Facilitator (FLF).  The Self-Help Resource Center provides free assistance with certain family, civil, and probate matters for people who do not have legal representation.  You can learn about court procedures, find and fill out the forms you need, see what steps are involved as your case goes through court, and find information about other helpful resources.

Staff at the Self-Help Resource Center / FLF Office are not your lawyers, but are neutral court employees who do not represent any parent or party, and may provide information and services to all parties in the case.   As such, the Self-Help Resource Center cannot take responsibility for your case and cannot act as your lawyer.  Individuals are personally responsible for all aspects of their cases.

Please note the following rules related to the Self-Help Resource Center / FLF Office:

  • The information on the court’s Self Help Resource Center website or provided to you in person by Self Help Resource Center staff, is not legal advice.
  • Self-Help Resource Center / FLF Office staff are not your lawyer, will not represent you in court, and are not responsible for the outcome of your case.
  • You do not have an attorney-client privilege with Self Help Resource Center staff.  What you say to the staff is not confidential.
  • Parties on both sides of a case can get help from the Self-Help Resource Center, and parties on both sides of a case may be helped by the same staff person at the Self-Help Resource Center.
  • Self Help Resource Center services are free, regardless of how much money you make.  Anyone who does not have their own lawyer can get help from the Self-Help Resource Center.
  • Our website provides summary information and educational materials as a public service, but they may not apply to your particular circumstances.  Please remember, this website cannot take the place of advice from a lawyer.

Legal Topics that the Self-Help Resource Center / FLF Office assists with:

Family Law

We can help with:

  • Dissolution, Legal Separation, or Nullity
  • Establishing Parentage
  • Child Custody and Visitation
  • Child Support (including DCSS cases)
  • Spousal Support
  • Joinder (with exceptions)
  • Grandparent visitation
  • Stepparent Adoption
  • Modifying existing orders for custody, visitation, and support

We cannot help with:

  • Property disputes
  • Division of retirement plans (QDRO)
  • Adoptions other than Stepparent adoptions
  • Discovery / subpoena issues
  • Trial Preparation (except for brief explanation of process and forms)
  • Collections (except wage assignments for support)
  • Complex cases that require legal advice
  • Contempt

Protective Orders

We can help with:

  • Domestic Violence Restraining Order
  • Civil Harassment Restraining Order
  • Elder or Dependent Adult Abuse Restraining Order
  • Workplace Violence Restraining Order

We cannot help with:

  • Discovery / subpoena issues
  • Trial Preparation (except for brief explanation of process and forms)

Probate Cases
 

We can help with:

  • Guardianship of the Person only (including terminating / objecting to Guardianship)
  • General Conservatorship of the Person only (including terminating / objecting to Conservatorship)

We cannot help with:

  • Guardianship of the Estate
  • Conservatorship of the Estate
  • Probate (wills, trusts, etc.)
  • Real Estate Cases
  • Motions
  • Request to be Special Administrator

Evictions / Unlawful Detainer

We can help with:

  • Eviction Notices:  3-day to Pay or Quit, 30, and 60 day
  • Residential Eviction Cases (except Section 8)
  • Complaints, Answers, Default/Default Judgment, Set Asides, Stay of Eviction

We cannot help with:

  • Evictions involving Section 8 housing
  • Foreclosure
  • Discovery
  • HOA disputes
  • Trial Preparation (except for brief explanation of process and forms)
  • Mobile homes
  • Business tenants

Other Legal Topics

We can help with:

  • Name and/or Gender Change:  Adult or Minor
  • Small Claims issues
  • CARE Act proceedings (services start December 1, 2024)
  • Post Judgment Collections (limited assistance)

We cannot help with:

  • Civil claims over $12,500
  • Criminal matters, including expungement
  • Appeals
  • Juvenile Orders

Self-Help Videos:

Two videos are available that provide self-represented litigants with information about procedures, advisory services, and mediation programs for small claims and unlawful detainer cases. Each video is approximately 20 minutes in length and is available with English, Spanish, and Russian narration and subtitles:

Please note that some actions, such as Stepparent Adoption Requests, may involve local forms as well as Judicial Council forms. Please contact the Superior Court Clerk, Room 201, at the County Courthouse in Visalia, Ca. Or call 559-730-5000 for more information.

Related Links

Internet Resources

In-State Resources: (en espanol)

  • Tulare County Superior Court: This is the official website for the Tulare County Superior Court. It has links to the Self-Help Resource Center and the Family Law Facilitator. It also has links to the Judicial Council court forms, special local forms, local court rules, information on filing fees and tentative rulings.
  • Family Law Help: Judicial Council of California, Center for Families, Children and the Courts [https://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-family.htm]: This division of the Judicial Council of California provides general and specific information on family law matters. Step-by-step procedures for processing a case in family law are available at this site. The site now has fill out online and print Judicial Council forms. These forms will still need to be delivered in person or by mail to the Superior Court Clerk's Office for filing. Versions of all forms that can only be printed blank (and cannot be completed online) are also available.
  • Court Forms: I-CAN! Legal [http://www.icandocs.org] or the Accesslaw website [http://www.accesslaw.com/forms.html] Both allow you to select and type online a Judicial Council legal form. I-CAN! Legal is a free online application that will fill out court forms for you by asking you simple questions and putting your answers on the forms in the correct place. The Accesslaw website does not provide instructions or assistance. At both sites, you will be able to type and print a form online. These forms will still need to be delivered in person or by mail to the Superior Court Clerk's Office for filing. You will also need to pay the appropriate filing fee, if applicable
  • LawHelpCalifornia.org: [http://www.lawhelpCalifornia.org] LawHelpCalifornia.org provides clients and advocates with detailed referral information for over 500 legal aid, court-based programs, law libraries and lawyer referral services. The database is searchable by zip code and practice area and includes information regarding intake procedures, languages spoken and eligibility. The site also offers over 700 know your rights self-help resources for low- and moderate-income Californians.
  • National Document Assembly Server: [http://www.hotdocs.com]. This website (HotDocs) helps people prepare legal documents using programmed templates. These templates include preparing a declaration for a domestic violence restraining order and many more
  • California Statutes and Bills: [http://www.leginfo.ca.gov] Go here if you would like to research the California law (also known as statutes or the code) or to check on the latest status of a bill pending before the California legislature. The sections relating to divorce, custody, visitation and support are all in the Family Code under California Law.
    Legal databases can be found at [http://law.slu.edu/library] or [http://www.hg.org] or [http://www.law.indiana.edu/v-lib/index.html] or [http://law.cornell.edu/] or [http://www.loc.gov/index.html]. You can use these sites to research the law.
  • Child Support Help: California Department of Child Support Services: [http://www.childsup.cahwnet.gov] This site is designed to explain how the State of California and California counties can help you with the child support issues.
  • Child Support: Connect with the California Department of Child Support Services: [http://www.childsup-connect.ca.gov]: This is California's child support self-service information system designed with the customer in mind. You can use this secure self-service website 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can update your account information, get individual case information, get payment information, make a payment, reset or change your PIN, and verify appointment dates and times. You will need your Social Security number (or participant ID) and personal information identification number (PIN) ready if you want to access case-specific information.
  • California Guideline Child Support Payment Calculator: [http://www.childsup.cahwnet.gov/calculator]: The California Guideline Child Support Calculator is based on California Child Support Guidelines and can be used to estimate the amount of child support that may be ordered in your case. The Court Commissioner or Family Law Judge has the final authority to determine the amount of a child support order. This calculator provides only an estimate and is not a guarantee of the amount of child support that will be ordered. Other factors may affect the amount of child support awarded.
  • General Legal Information: [http://www.calbar.org]: The State Bar of California provides consumer education pamphlets in print or online. Some titles include: How Can I Find and Hire the Right Lawyer? What Should I Know about Divorce and Custody? Can the Law Protect Me from Domestic Violence? What Can I Do if I Can't Pay My Debts?
  • Options for Divorce in California: The Family Law Section of the State Board of California offers an on-line version of a brochure regarding options for proceeding with divorce in California. Go to www.calbar.org/famlaw and follow the instructions for viewing.
  • Additional Legal Resources: Nolo Press [http://www.nolo.com] is a for profit business that helps individuals representing themselves by providing information and legal forms to accomplish simple legal tasks. Their products, or other up-to-date products created by other publishers specifically for California, are a good resource to get additional family-law related information while you are getting help from Family Court Services.
  • Interesting Sites for Researching Real Property: [http://www.zillow.com] or [www.trulia.com] or [www.terabitz.com] or [www.lawresearch.com]. Use these sites to look up real property values and other information related to real estate.
  • Locate a person: [http://www.zabasearch.com]. Use this website to try to locate a person.
  • Workplace income information: [http://www.salary.com].
  • Research car values: [http://www.kbb.com] (Kelly Blue Book) or [http://www.edmunds.com].
  • Research job availability: [http://www.edd.ca.gov] or [http://www.ajb.org].
  • Research licenses: [http://www.dca.ca.gov]. Locate licensees through the Dept. of Consumer Affairs.
  • All state and public records: [http://www.searchsystems.net]. Use this site to research multiple web sites for state and public records.
  • Social Security Death Records: [http://socialsecuritydeathrecords-search.com].
  • Federal Inmate locator site: [http://www.bop.gov].

Out-of-State Resources:

  • Consumer's Guide to Legal Help on the Internet:
    • [http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/public.html]: This American Bar Association Web Site can help you find self-help and legal information Web sites in many states. The site can also help you locate free and low-cost legal help in other states.
  • National Resources for Self-Represented Litigants: [http://www.LawHelp.org]. This site contains information that helps people with low or moderate incomes to find legal resources.