Self-Help | Superior Court of California

Self-Help Resource Center / Family Law Facilitator’s Office

Welcome to the Tulare County Superior Court’s Self-Help Resource Center / Office of the Family Law Facilitator (FLF). The Self-Help Resource Center provides free assistance with certain family, civil, and probate matters for people who do not have legal representation. You can learn about court procedures, find and fill out the forms you need, see what steps are involved as your case goes through court, and find information about other helpful resources.

Staff at the Self-Help Resource Center / FLF Office are not your lawyers, but are neutral court employees who do not represent any parent or party, and may provide information and services to all parties in the case. As such, the Self-Help Resource Center cannot take responsibility for your case, cannot act as your lawyer, provide you with legal advice, and cannot complete your forms for you. Individuals are personally responsible for all aspects of their cases.

Please note the following rules related to the Self-Help Resource Center / FLF Office:

The information on the court’s Self Help Resource Center website or provided to you in person by Self Help Resource Center staff, is not legal advice.
Self-Help Resource Center / FLF Office staff are not your lawyer, will not represent you in court, and are not responsible for the outcome of your case.
You do not have an attorney-client privilege with Self Help Resource Center staff. What you say to the staff is not confidential.
Parties on both sides of a case can get help from the Self-Help Resource Center, and parties on both sides of a case may be helped by the same staff person at the Self-Help Resource Center.
Self Help Resource Center services are free, regardless of how much money you make. Anyone who does not have their own lawyer can get help from the Self-Help Resource Center.
Our website provides summary information and educational materials as a public service, but they may not apply to your particular circumstances. Please remember, this website cannot take the place of advice from a lawyer.

Legal Topics that the Self-Help Resource Center / FLF Office assists with:

Instructional packets for many of the topics listed below are available on the Local Forms Information & Filing Instructions page.
Visit LawHelp Interactive / HotDocs for assistance in completing your forms through a series of guided interview questions.

Family Law

We can help with:

Dissolution, Legal Separation, or Nullity
Establishing Parentage
Child Custody and Visitation
Child Support (including DCSS cases)
Spousal Support
Joinder (with exceptions)
Grandparent visitation
Stepparent Adoption
Modifying existing orders for custody, visitation, and support

We cannot help with:

Property disputes
Division of retirement plans (QDRO)
Adoptions other than Stepparent adoptions
Discovery / subpoena issues
Trial Preparation (except for brief explanation of process and forms)
Collections (except wage assignments for support)
Complex cases that require legal advice
Contempt

Protective Orders

We can help with:

Domestic Violence Restraining Order
Civil Harassment Restraining Order
Elder or Dependent Adult Abuse Restraining Order
Workplace Violence Restraining Order*

*Only if you have a sole proprietorship and you are representing yourself

We cannot help with:

Discovery / subpoena issues
Trial Preparation (except for brief explanation of process and forms)

Probate Cases

We can help with:

Guardianship of the Person only (including terminating / objecting to Guardianship)
General Conservatorship of the Person only (including terminating / objecting to Conservatorship)

We cannot help with:

Guardianship of the Estate
Conservatorship of the Estate
Probate (wills, trusts, etc.)
Real Estate Cases
Motions
Request to be Special Administrator

Evictions / Unlawful Detainer

We can help with:

Eviction Notices: 3-day to Pay or Quit, 30, and 60 day
Residential Eviction Cases (except Section 8)
Complaints, Answers, Default/Default Judgment, Set Asides, Stay of Eviction

We cannot help with:

Evictions involving Section 8 housing
Foreclosure
Discovery
HOA disputes
Trial Preparation (except for brief explanation of process and forms)
Mobile homes
Business tenants

Other Legal Topics

We can help with:

Name and/or Gender Change: Adult or Minor
Small Claims issues
CARE Act proceedings (services start December 1, 2024)
Post Judgment Collections (limited assistance)

We cannot help with:

Civil claims over $12,500
Criminal matters, including expungement
Appeals
Juvenile Orders

Self-Help Videos:

Two videos are available that provide self-represented litigants with information about procedures, advisory services, and mediation programs for small claims and unlawful detainer cases. Each video is approximately 20 minutes in length and is available with English, Spanish, and Russian narration and subtitles:

Internet Resources

In-State Resources:

California Courts Self-Help Guide: This site provides general and specific information on many legal matters. Step-by-step procedures are provided, as well as fillable / printable Judicial Council forms.
Tulare County Public Law Library: Free and open to the public, the Law Library provides access to legal material with a focus on the practice of law in California. Resources are in print and/or electronic format. Explore their online catalog to learn more about their collection.
LawHelpCA provides clients and advocates with detailed referral information for over 500 legal aid, court-based programs, law libraries and lawyer referral services. The database is searchable by zip code and practice area and includes information regarding intake procedures, languages spoken and eligibility.
California Legislative Information: Research California law (also known as statutes or the code) or check on the status of a bill pending before the California legislature.
California Department of Child Support Services: The California Department of Child Support Services oversees a network of 47 local child support agencies that provide services to the general public at the county level. Child Support Services creates a record of all child support payments, serves as a neutral entity between parents, helps parents avoid court, and assists with navigating the child support system.
Tulare County Department of Child Support Services: Tulare County’s Local Child Support Agency. You the self-service website to update your account information, get case and payment information, and make a payment.
California Guideline Child Support Calculator: The California Guideline Child Support Calculator is based on California Child Support Guidelines and can be used to estimate the amount of child support that may be ordered in your case. The Court Commissioner or Family Law Judge has the final authority to determine the amount of a child support order. This calculator provides only an estimate and is not a guarantee of the amount of child support that will be ordered. Other factors may affect the amount of child support awarded.
The State Bar of California: Find an attorney and access legal guide pamphlets.
Nolo.com: Helping consumers and small businesses find answers to their everyday legal and business questions.
Research Real Property: Zillow.com, Realtor.com, or Trulia.com.
Zabasearch.com: People search and public information search engine.
Salary.com: For workplace income information. Search by location.
Research car values: Kelly Blue Book or Edmunds.
Research job availability: Employment Development Department, Indeed.com, or LinkedIn.com.
Research licenses: Department of Consumer Affairs, Contractors State License Board, California Department of Real Estate, and California Department of Insurance
SearchSystems.net: Free public records search.
Social Security Administration: To request death records.
Federal Bureau of Prisons: Federal inmate locator.
CDCR Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS): California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation inmate search.

Out-of-State Resources:

American Bar Association: Find self-help and legal information web sites in many states.
LawHelp.org: Legal resources for Self-Represented Litigants.