Self-Help Center

General Information

The Self-Help Center offers assistance with the completion of legal forms and provides procedural guidance in most areas of Family Law, including: child support, spousal support, child custody, visitation, dissolution, legal separation, nullity, establishment of paternity, domestic violence restraining orders and probate guardianships.

At this time, no assistance is given to court customers on civil harassment restraining orders, contempt proceedings, qualified domestic relations orders for other than child support issues, adoptions, minor emancipations, or Code of Civil Procedure 170.6.

Disclosure

The Self-Help Center is here to help persons not represented by an attorney. The information provided to assist persons in completing and processing forms is not intended as legal advice about what to request or expect from the court. No one in the Self-Help Center may predict the outcome of your issues or case. Please do not incorrectly state or imply to others that the Self-Help Center has told you what you can expect from the court. The Self-Help Center does not represent anyone and may assist all parties in your case. Further, the information exchanged in this office is not confidential.

Services available at the Self-Help Center

The Self-Help Center provides assistance in the following areas of law:

• Child and Spousal Support
• Divorce/Legal Separation/Annulment
• Child Custody and Visitation
• Paternity
• Domestic Violence
• Guardianship

The Self-Help Center provides free legal and procedural assistance to individuals without an attorney in the areas of Family Law and Probate. The Self-Help Center also houses a Community Resource Room for use by all court customers in need of referrals to community services. All services are provided free of charge.

The Self-Help Center does not provide legal representation, but we can provide referrals to local attorneys. At this time, the Self-Help Center does not provide procedural assistance with Adoption or Contempt matters. We recommend that you consult and/or hire an attorney if you are pursuing an Adoption or Contempt matter.

Hours and Location

The Self-Help Center is located in Room 113 of the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse and is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding court holidays. The Community Resource Room is open Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

What type of assistance will I receive?

The Self-Help Center provides the following types of assistance:

• Information regarding your case
• Instruction on completion of court forms
• Preparation of support calculations
• Instructions on follow-up steps
• Preparation of Orders and Judgments
• Referrals to other resources

What can I expect?

Each time you visit the Self-Help Center, you must first get a number from the Information Booth. When your number is called, you will be required to show photo identification. Acceptable forms of photo identification include a driver license, passport, United States military identification or a legal permanent resident card. Consular identification is not accepted. Depending on the legal issue you wish to address, you may be assisted the same day or be signed up for a workshop.

Please be aware that service is provided on first-come, first-served basis. You should plan to spend at least a half-day when you visit the Self-Help Center. It is recommended that you arrive early. Free childcare is available for children ages 1-12 in the Children's Waiting Room at the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse.Note: The children's playroom is closed daily between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.

What should I bring with me?

Each time you visit the Self-Help Center, please remember to bring the following items:

• Photo identification
• Your last two pay stubs or statements
• Other income and expense information
• A blue or black ink pen
• Envelopes and postage stamps
• Change for the photocopier and/or parking

E-Correspondence Assistance

Court customers who are unable to come to the Self-Help Center in person are encouraged to contact us using our E-Correspondence System. E-Correspondence assistance is available to any self-represented party in a family law, domestic violence, family support or guardianship case filed in Sacramento County Superior Court. Please note that if you have a confidential file and your e-mail address does not match the address on file for you with the court, we will be unable to assist you via our E-Correspondence System.

We no longer offer assistance via regular email. If you would like to continue receiving assistance without coming into our office, you must register and use our E-Correspondence System.

Family Court Resource Referral Program

The Resource Referral Program helps parents locate court-referred services. Lists of court-approved service providers are available through the Resource Referral Program, where you can download a list without coming to the Court. You may also obtain of copy in the lobby of the Self-Help Center.

Community Resource Room

The Community Resource Room is located off the lobby of the Self-Help Center and is available to all Family Court customers. Staff from 2-1-1 Sacramento is available in the Resource Room to assist customers in locating community resources. Customers may browse the brochure racks for information or may meet individually with 2-1-1 staff. Also available in the Resource Room are two computer kiosks where customers may prepare court forms and two video monitors where customers may view a variety of check-out videos on topics related to the Family Court, including Conservatorship, Guardianship, Domestic Violence and Paternity Declarations.

Self-Help Computer Room - Closure Notice

Effective December 30, 2011, the Self-Help Computer Room will be closed to the public except during regularly scheduled workshop times. At those times, only customers attending the workshops will be permitted in the Self-Help Computer Room and computer use will be limited to that required for the workshop.

Workshops

The Family Law Facilitator's Office offers workshops in the areas of Family Law and Probate. To sign up for a workshop you may visit the Self-Help Center Monday through Thursday. We also offer a Domestic Violence Restraining Order class.

If you are appearing for a scheduled workshop, you may proceed directly to the location indicated on your appointment slip to check in.

Parentage Workshop (UPA)

This workshop is for parents who are not married to the other parent and wish to start a case for custody, visitation, and child support. The parentage workshop is held Monday at 1:00 p.m. by appointment only. To sign up for this workshop, you may visit the Self-Help Center Monday through Thursday.

Dissolution Workshop

This workshop is for persons who want a divorce, legal separation, or annulment. This workshop is also used to start a case for custody, visitation, child support, spousal support, and property division. The dissolution workshop is held Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. by appointment only. To sign up for this workshop, you may visit the Self-Help Center Monday through Thursday.

Default Workshop

This workshop is for parties who have filed a dissolution, legal separation, or nullity case in the Sacramento Superior Court and at least thirty (30) days have passed since the other party was served and no Response has been filed. The default workshop is held on the first Wednesday of every month at 1:00 p.m. by appointment only. To sign up for this workshop, you may visit the Self-Help Center Monday through Thursday.

Order to Show Cause Workshop

This workshop is for parties who have a case in Sacramento County and want to request a hearing. The Order to Show Cause workshop is held Thursday at 1:00 p.m. by appointment only. To sign up for this workshop, you may visit the Self-Help Center Monday through Thursday.

Income and Expense Declaration / Financial Disclosures Workshop

This workshop does exactly what the name implies--helps customers complete an Income and Expense Declaration and/or the Financial Disclosures required in Dissolution, Legal Separation, and Annulment cases. The workshop is open to anyone wishing to complete these forms, regardless of the type of case they may have. This workshop is offered Wednesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. and does not require an appointment. Customers wishing to attend the workshop are encouraged to arrive early on the day you wish to attend the workshop and bring with you a blue or black ink pen, W-2's for the previous year, pay stubs for the past two months and a calculator (not a cellular telephone). Space is limited and the workshop is offered on a first come-first served basis only.

Guardianship Workshop

The Guardianship workshop is for persons wishing to start a case to obtain custody of a minor other than their own child where there are no custody orders already existing. The workshop is offered on two consecutive Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. by appointment only. To schedule an appointment for the Guardianship workshop, visit the Self-Help Center during regular business hours, Monday through Thursday.