Marin County Superior Court – Legal Self Help Center

Legal Self Help Center

Phone: (415) 444-7130
Email: selfhelp@marincourt.org
Location: Civic Center, Hall of Justice, Room C-44
Office Hours: Varied (See Below)

Free Legal Self Help Services Available to the Public, in English and Spanish

Starting July 6, 2021, the Legal Self Help Center will begin offering in-person and remote services according to the following schedule:

In person drop-in services: 8:30 am to 12 noon, Tuesday through Thursday
Email services: 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday
Phone hours: 8:30 am to 12 noon, Monday through Friday, and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Tuesday and Thursday
Zoom drop-In clinics: 8:30 am to 12 noon, Monday and Friday
          Zoom Link
          Meeting ID: 160 040 9915
          Passcode: 350144

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8:30 to noon Remote Services Phone and email Drop-in Zoom Clinic	8:30 to noon Open In-Person Drop-in services Phone and email	8:30 to noon Open In-Person Drop-in services Phone and email	8:30 to noon Open In-Person Drop-in services Phone and email	8:30 to noon Remote Services Phone and email Mediation by appointment Drop-in Zoom Clinic
1:00 to 3:00 pm Remote Services Email Mediation by appointment	1:00 to 3:00 pm Remote Services Phone and email	1:00 to 3:00 pm Remote Services Email	1:00 to 3:00 pm Remote Services Phone and email	1:00 to 3:00 pm Remote Services Email

Legal Self Help Center (LSHC) provides free assistance to those who do not have attorneys. Services include: intake, information and referral to legal services partners, individual assistance with legal document preparation; bilingual assistance and legal reference materials for non-English speakers; assistance in conducting self-guided legal research; and coordination of volunteers and interns who provide direct customer services.

LSHC offers one-on-one assistance to self-represented litigants via email, telephone, and Zoom appointments. LSHC utilizes a variety of web-based tools, available in multiple languages, to help litigants prepare their legal documents. There are numerous self-help resources in easy-to-understand legal publications and on the internet for Californians.

Staff are also available to provide information on how to file various kinds of legal documents, serve opposing parties, and explain court procedures and legal terminology, as well as giving the public tips on how to prepare for and what to bring to court appearances.

Primary Areas of Legal Assistance are:

Child Custody & Visitation
Child Support
Small Claims
Divorce/Dissolutions
Domestic Violence
Guardianship

Harassment Restraining Orders
Landlord/Tenant
Mediation
Name Changes
Paternity

Legal Self Help Resources Available on the Internet

Over the past several years, numerous legal self-help programs have become available over the Internet. Several California law web-based tools are available at LSHC or may be accessed from any location. Here are links to some of the tools used in the LSHC:

California Courts Self Help Center - This is the Judicial Council of California’s self help services website. Information is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese. This tool provides assistance with family law, small claims, domestic violence, elder issues, traffic matters, evictions, bankruptcy, conservatorships, guardianships and many more types of cases. Click here

Overview and History of Legal Self Help Center

Many years ago, as a result of the increasing number of self-represented litigants using the legal system, the leaders of the California Court, under the direction of the Chief Justice, began to implement programs to establish Legal Self-Help Centers in every court throughout the State of California.

In Marin County, legal assistance for self-represented litigants is provided by Legal Self Help Center (LSHC), a division of the Marin Superior Court. This program was established in 2003 and was conceived by the Court working together with numerous legal service providers and other community agencies. Over the course of those years, tens of thousands of Marin residents have received assistance with their legal matters.

LSHC provides a variety of services including assistance with form preparation, provision of legal information, and referrals to governmental and community-based legal and social organizations. At LSHC, we believe that educating litigants about the court process and basic legal principles can help minimize their stress, improve their ability to settle out-of-court, and ultimately obtain a timely and equitable resolution of their legal matters.

Disclaimer: The Marin County Superior Court has made every effort to provide accurate information at this website; however, inaccuracies and outdated information may be found here on occasion.
External sites are responsible for their own content; the Marin County Superior Court accepts no responsibility for information found at other sites to which we are linked.