Family Law Facilitator

Location: Civil and Family Law Courthouse, 3055 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa CA 95403
Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM Mon-Thu 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM Mon
Court Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mon-Fri
(707) 521-6545 *See below for telephone instructions
THIS OFFICE IS A FRAGRANCE FREE ENVIRONMENT. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM WEARING PERFUMES, SCENTS AND FRAGRANCES WHEN VISITING THIS OFFICE.

FAMILY LAW FACILITATOR / SELF HELP CENTER

The Family Law Facilitator / Self Help Center helps self-represented people with forms and procedures in custody, divorce, support, and credit card debt collection. For advocacy services in domestic violence, civil harassment, guardianship and evictions, you are encouraged to contact Legal Aid of Sonoma Count at 542-1290. If Legal Aid cannot assist you, then contact our office for self-help assistance.

Our services are neutral – we may serve both sides of a case. We do not provide legal advice or attorneys to represent you. Our services are not confidential. There is no attorney-client relationship between you and any staff member. You should obtain your own attorney if you want personalized advice or strategy, to have a confidential conversation, or to be represented by an attorney at court. The office is not responsible for the outcome of your case. If you have an attorney of record, we cannot help you.

HOW CAN I GET HELP?

TELEPHONE: You will be asked to leave a message. Calls are returned within 24 hours depending on volume and scheduling. Please speak clearly, spell your name, leave your case number, and specific questions. Priority is given to messages with specific questions, case numbers, and those scheduling for workshops or Judgment appointments. For general information, see the self-help page at the website www.courts.ca.gov. For general questions about the status of your case or filings, call the Family Law Clerk at 521-6630, or the Civil Clerk at 521-6610 for civil filings.

WEBSITE: For general legal information and forms, see the self-help page at the website www.courts.ca.gov. For local rules and procedures, see the General Information tab above. For local forms, form packets and instructions, see the Forms tab above or the forms link below. For samples, checklists and instructions, see below.

DROP-IN SERVICE: First come, first serve, Monday through Thursday from 8:00 to 11:30, and Monday afternoons from 1 to 3:30, except Holidays. Come before 10 a.m. to provide enough wait time. There are often lines and we fill early. We are closed to drop-in service on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, and Fridays.

WORKSHOPS: We have workshops for divorce and for answering credit card debt collection complaints. Registration is by calling 521-6545 or drop in.

APPOINTMENTS: Appointments are restricted to finalizing Judgments in divorces or parentage cases. Appointments for Judgments are made by telephoning 521-6545 or by drop in.

HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FOR A DROP-IN VISIT?

Custody, Visitation, Child Support, Spousal Support: Service is by drop-in. You will need your case number and most recent order if you are seeking a modification. You will need to write a declaration in support of the request you are asking of the court. See sample declarations below. For custody and visitation, write your declaration after you visit the Family Court Services page and review the Child Custody Orientation handbook. For spousal support, you may use a Spousal or Partnership Support Declaration Attachment (FL-157). For child or spousal support, you must also provide a financial declaration – see the Income and Expense Declaration (FL-150). See the Forms link below. Bring envelopes, postage and the current address of the other party in your case.

Beginning Parentage: Service is by drop in. Bring the child’s name and birth date and the location of the other parent. Also bring your child’s birth certificate, or a Voluntary Declaration of Paternity, if you have them. You can request a copy of your Voluntary Declaration of Paternity by emailing askpop@dcss.ca.gov.

Beginning Divorce: Service is through a workshop – you must telephone to register. Before the workshop, you are encouraged to visit www.courts.ca.gov for detailed legal information and forms with instructions. If you cannot attend a workshop, complete as much of the forms as possible and drop in for further assistance.

Finalizing Divorce or Parentage: Service is by appointment - you may call or drop in to schedule an appointment. You must have filed a Proof of Service of Summons FL-115 with the court. For divorces, you must have complied with disclosure requirements. If you are proceeding by default, at least 30 days must have elapsed since the other party was served with the initial papers. If you are proceeding by agreement with the other party’s participation, then you must both have complied with disclosure requirements, and have a complete understanding of your agreement on every issue including child custody, visitation, and child support (including a printed child support calculation – see www.childsup.ca.gov for the guideline calculator). In divorces, you must also have complete understanding of your agreement about property and debt division (including retirement) and spousal support. The Self Help Center cannot draft complicated agreements or prepare documents dividing retirement.