Self Help

Are you going to represent yourself in your family law case?

Most family law cases involve serious and, often times, complex legal issues. You should consider consulting with a family law attorney before you make the choice to represent yourself. Many family law attorneys charge only a nominal amount or nothing at all for an initial consultation.

If you elect to represent yourself, Butte County has two programs in place to assist self-represented persons in family law cases. The programs are the Family Law Facilitator's Office and the Self-Help Assistance and Referral Program (SHARP), each is operated under the supervision of an attorney. Neither program gives legal advice as one could obtain from a privately retained attorney.

These programs provide services to both parties, or if there is a joinder, to all parties in the case. Neither program represents a party in the case. No attorney-client relationship is created between a party and the program attorney as a result of any information or services provided to a party by the program. The emphasis of each program is to provide legal information and education, not legal strategy and advice. The services of both programs are available to all self-represented parties as there is no income qualification prerequisite. The staff of these programs will provide information about procedure, substantive law and choices litigants may have, thereby allowing people to make informed decisions about their case.

Excerpt from:
Self-Help Services - Butte County Superior Court