Family Law

Family Law Facilitator

The Family Law Facilitator / Self-Help Center is available to help all self-represented parties who have questions about the following types of issues:

Divorce, Legal Separation, Nullity	Establish a legal parent and child relationship when there is no marriage
Child Support	Domestic Violence/Gun Violence Restraining Orders
Child Custody and Visitation	Uncontested Step-Parent Adoption (Agreement by All Parents)
Spousal Support	Department of Child Support Services Case

The Family Law Facilitator / Self-Help Center offers two weekly online Q&A webinars through Zoom. These webinars are highly recommended, interactive, and will help you build a good foundation to work towards finishing your case. We offer these webinars to any individual who is not currently represented by an attorney. You are welcome to attend these webinars using your phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. 

Family Law Case Information Q&A Webinar (only for divorce and child custody cases)

This Q&A webinar will provide an overview of the family law process and offer information about how to start, respond to, or finish a divorce, paternity or child custody and child support case. We will explain what forms to complete, how to file your documents, how to give the documents to the other party, and more. This webinar also includes a Q&A section at the end where we will gladly provide neutral information in response to your questions.

Sign up for the webinar at Family Law Case Information Q&A Webinar or call (805) 706-3617.

We recommend that you watch the Family Law Case Information video below for a preview of the topics that will be covered at the webinar. 

*Please note that this video does not contain audio and is approximately 15 minutes long. 

Request for Order Q&A Webinar (Child Custody, Visitation, and Child Support)

If you already have a family law case filed with the Court and you need help to get temporary orders or modify existing orders regarding child support, custody, or visitation we recommend that you attend our online Request for Order Q&A Webinar. This Q&A webinar will provide an overview of this optional process  that includes the steps necessary to obtain court orders, what forms to complete, where to file your legal documents, how to give the documents to the other party and more. This webinar also includes a Q&A section at the end where we will gladly provide neutral information in response to your questions. Please kindly note that you must have a court case already filed to file a Request for Order.

Sign up for the webinar at Request for Order Q&A Webinar or call (805) 706-3617.

We recommend that you watch the Request for Order video below for a preview of the topics that will be covered at the webinar. 

Our Policies and Procedures

We provide these forms, information, and instructions so that your interaction with the court will go as smoothly as possible.

You are required to comply with the court's usual policies and procedures - it is important that you know them. The Family Law Policy and Procedures Manual will help you.

The Self-Help Center is available to help all self-represented parties who have questions about divorce, legal separation, nullity, paternity, child support, child custody and visitation, guardianship, conservatorship, restraining orders, name change, gender change, eviction, expungement and step-parent adoption. The Self-Help Center can help you in preparing your own forms and can give you general information. The Self-Help Center cannot go with you to court. The Self-Help Center staff is not your lawyer, but is a neutral person who does not represent any party. There is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Self-Help Center staff.

The Self-Help Center staff may provide information and services to both parties in the case. Communications between you and the Self-Help Center are not confidential. 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.

The Self-Help Center is not responsible for the outcome of your case. Our office cannot assist you if you are represented by an attorney.