Public Assistance/Legal Information

New Online Legal Services Launched Today for Low-Income Californians

A new Web site, LawHelpCA.org will be officially launched by the Public Interest Clearinghouse. The new site features a comprehensive collection of substantive legal information on important civil issues and provides referrals to legal assistance in all 58 California counties.

News Release

Self Help Support

Selfhelpsupport.org is a membership site for pro se pracitioners and serves as an online national clearinghouse of information relating to self-representation.

Their mission is to support practioners in the courts, community, and legal profession through the dissemination of relevant information on self-help and legal aid programs. 

http://www.selfhelpsupport.org/

EZLegal File

EZLegalFile is an interactive program that will help you fill out the forms necessary to request or respond to papers for a variety of legal issues.

Willows Court Services

S.H.A.R.P.
Self Help Assistance & Referral Program
Address: 526 W. Sycamore St., Room 101, Willows, CA 95988
Phone: 530-934-6461
In-Person Hours: Call for an appointment.
Phone Hours: Monday through Friday - 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The self-help center staff does not give legal advice such as one would obtain from private counsel. There is no confidential attorney-client relationship between attorneys at the center and the self represented litigants who seek legal information. The staff will provide information about procedure, substantive law and choices litigants may have, thereby allowing people to make informed decisions about their cases. Staff can assist litigants in completing their legal forms by explaining what information is being sought.

Serving the Public

• Special consideration is given to making the Self Help Center sites in Butte, Glenn and Tehama Counties “user friendly” to everyone, regardless of language or ability.
• Many of the resource materials will be available in Spanish.
• The Self Help Center sites will also provide community based referrals to agencies and non-profit organizations to further help people access the assistance they may need.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Another key component to the program is to encourage resolution of legal problems through non-adversarial means Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation services are as valuable to the self represented litigant as they are to the courts. Mediation is a means of resolving disputes between the parties, which is far less stressful than appearing before a judge in court. Mediation focuses on problem solving that best meets the needs of both parties. The use of Mediation is strongly encouraged by the courts.

The Self Help Assistance and Referral Program will be working closely with the offices of the Family Law Facilitators in Butte, Glenn and Tehama Counties. Together, these organizations will provide assistance and referrals for all areas of Family Law, including Divorce, Child Custody and visitation, Establishment of Paternity, Step Parent Adoptions, and Guardianships. For Child or Spousal support matters, contact the Family Law Facilitator at 934-6105.

These programs will be working with the Department of Child Support Services to help make sure child support orders are fair and correct under the standards s established by the State of California.

Glenn County Family Law Facilitator
530-934-6380

Information in available to:

• Establish paternity (fatherhood);
• Obtain or modify a court order for child support and / or spousal support;
• Calculate child support amount;
• Assist parents in reaching agreements on child support, spousal support and health insurance agreements; and
• Forms assistance and referrals.

Glenn County District Attorney
Family Support Division
530-934-6527
Assistance with obtaining, collection and enforcement of child support orders

Glenn County Sheriff – Civil Division
530-934-6523
Process Service

Glenn County Recorder
530-934-6412
Marriage license, birth certificates, fictitious business license, deed transfers

Glenn County Court Mediation
530-934-6301

Glenn County Court Clerk’s Office

• Willows Main Courthouse
• 530-934-6446
• Office Hours: Mon. – Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
   
• Orland Branch Office
• 530-865-1101
• Office Hours Mon. – Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

To print information about the “Willow Court Services”, please click on the link below:

“Public Assistance & Legal Information – Willows Court Services”

Community Services

Catalyst Domestic Violence Services
530-343-7711 Chico Business Office
530-865-6142 Glenn County
1-800-895-8476 24 hour crisis line
 
Services Available:

• Emergency shelter
• Counseling and support groups for victims of domestic violence
• Weekly domestic violence restraining order clinics Community trainings

Community Legal Information Center
530-898-4354
University students provide information on:

• Family law;
• Traffic law;
• Domestic violence;
• Worker’s rights;
• Housing law;
• Social security disability; and
• Legal information and referral.

Lawyer Referral Service
530-891-6808

Legal Services of Northern California
530-345-9491 or 1-800-345-9491
Offers:

• Legal services for low income individuals;
• Weekly eviction clinics for tenants; and
• Legal information and referral.

Mediation Center for North Valley
530-893-2277
Mediation available on sliding scale fee for a variety of issues.

Northern Valley Catholic Social Service
1-800-846-1451
Provide individuals and family counseling on a sliding scale fee.

Small Claims Advisor
530-934-6461

To print information about the “Community Services”, please click on the link below:

“Public Assistance & Legal Information – Chico Community Services”

Legal Service of Northern California

Butte Regional Office
541 Normal Ave., P.O. Box 3728
Chico, CA 95927
530-345-9491 or 800-345-9491
530-345-6913 fax

The following is a summary of services offered on a regular basis by the Butte Regional Office (BRO) of Legal Service of Northern California; the focus of those service and community resources available in BRO’s five county service areas.

Housing

BRO’s focus is on fair housing issues, subsidy cases, creating and maintaining affordable housing options and property management with consistent problems.

Public Benefits

BRO’s focus is on cases involving welfare fraud or sanctions, eligibility denials, scope of service Medi-Cal / CMSP / IHSS.
Community Resources: Welfare Rights Organization; housed with and supervised by BRO.

Guardianship

BRO’s focus is on cases in which child(ren)’s safety or health is at risk.

Non-Profits

Senior Law Project

BRO focus is on cases involving elder abuse, consumer fraud, credit counseling, SSA/SSI overpayments, Medi-Cal issues, child support, and Long Term Case Medi-Cal.

Community Resources:

• Passages Adult Resource Center (Butte, Colusa, Tehama, Plumas, and Glenn Counties)
  1-800-822-0109
   
• Lawyers Referral Services Will Panel
  530-891-6808
   
• County Family Law Facilitator’s Office and/or The Department of Child Support Services

Pro Per Orders Clinic

BRO’s focus is on providing non-represented litigants with assistance in court with their family law/domestic violence cases.
Community Resources:
Butte County Facilitator’s Office
530-538-6196

Homeless Mentally Ill

BRO’s focus is to provide homeless mentally ill individuals, with the legal assistance necessary for them to become permanently housed and mentally stable.

To print information about the “Legal Services of Northern California”, please click on the link below:

“Legal Services of Northern California”

Divorce Workshop

Sponsored by the Office of the Family Law Facilitator
A Free Public Service ofSuperior Court of California, County of Glenn

When: To attend this workshop, please call 530-934-6105 to make an appointment.

Where: Please call 530-934-6105 for locations.

Who: The workshops are free, and are open to persons starting a divorce and those responding to a divorce. However, the divorce must involve custody of minor children in order for the Facilitator to be of assistance.

What: You will need to bring the following items to the workshop:

• 1. A Dissolution of Marriage Packet. The packet may be purchased at the Court Clerk’s Office in the Glenn County Courthouse.
   
• 2. Verification of income. Bring copies of your most recent W-2 and Income Tax return forms, your three most recent paycheck stubs, verification of TANF and/or CalWORKS benefits, disability benefits, and/or SSI/SSDI benefits.

Note: Please do not bring children to workshops.

For further information about workshops offered by the Family Law Facilitator’s Office, please call 530-934-6105

To print information about the “Divorce Workshop”, please click on the link below:

“Divorce Workshop”

Guardianship Clinics

Sponsored by Butte College Foster/Kinship Care Givers
Education Program, Legal Services of Northern California

No cost legal advise and assistance is available to
Grandparents and other relatives raising children

• Clinics are FREE! You save $250 - $400 in costs!
• Guardianship Packets are provided.
• Experienced Lawyer in attendance to provide assistance.
• You pay only the filing cost at the time of filing.
• We do not do petitions to terminate guardianships.

For more information and to register, please call Kinship Care Coordinator at 530-872-9191.

To print information about the “Guardianship Clinic”, please click on the link below:

“Guardianship Clinic”

Paternity & Order To Show Cause Workshop

Sponsored by the Office of the Family Law Facilitator
A Free Public Service ofSuperior Court of California, County of Glenn

When: Paternity and Order to Show Cause Workshops are limited to the first ten participants on a first come, first served basis. To attend this workshop, please call 530-934-6105 to make an appointment.

Where: Please call 530-934-6105 for locations.

How: The workshops are conducted in a group setting by the Family Law Facilitator, a licensed attorney. The workshops are designed to help the participant complete all the necessary court forms to establish, change or respond to a child custody, visitation or child support order.

You will need to bring verification of income to the workshop. Bring copies of your most recent W-2 and Income Tax return forms, your three most recent paycheck stubs, verification of TANF and/or CalWORKS benefits, disability benefits, and/or SSI/SSDI benefits.

For further information about workshops offered by the Family Law Facilitator’s Office, please call 530-934-6105

Note: Please do not bring children to workshops.

To print information about the “Paternity & Order To Show Cause Workshop”, please click on the link below:

“Paternity & Order To Show Cause Workshop”

Legal Questions Answered

"Get the Legal Facts of Life" Pamphlets

Suggested Reading

“Represent Yourself in Court”
By Paul Bergman and Sara Berman-Barrett.
Nolo Press

This book and other law related self-help books are available at local libraries and area bookstores

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Superior Court of California, County of Glenn © 2007