LOCAL LEGAL SERVICES
•  Family Law Services
•  Landlord / Tenant Services
•  Small Claims
•  Employment
•  Immigration
•  Helpful Links

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Family Law Services
The Family Law Facilitator's Office offers assistance with family law questions through a LiveChat Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:30am-12pm and 1pm-4pm.
Open to the public for limited in-person services, on a first-come, first-served basis, from 8am to 12pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays on the 6th floor of the San Mateo County Superior Court.
For more information, please read their flyer.

Also, on Mondays, they offer a Restraining Order Clinic, 8am-12pm and 1:30pm-3pm. Please read their flyer.

The San Mateo County Superior Court offers a One Day Divorce Program to assist self-represented parties with pending divorce cases.
Volunteer attorneys will help eligible parties finalize agreements and prepare all necessary forms to obtain the final Judgment.
Find out if you are eligible and make an appointment using the Live Chat.

At Bay Area Legal Aid, Domestic Violence Restraining Order packets are available for free in English and Spanish inside the lobby at 1048 El Camino Real, Suite A in Redwood City.
You can complete the packet on your own and bring it to the reception desk during office hours, Monday through Friday: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm.
They can review your documents for completeness and can file them electronically for you with the court. They cannot provide legal advice or help completing the forms.
If you need more help with a Domestic Violence Restraining Order, please call the office at (650) 358-0745. They may direct you to call the Legal Advice Line or schedule you for one of the remote restraining order clinics.

For Child Support issues check The Department of Child Support Services Outreach website or call (866) 901-3212 for more information.

 

Landlord / Tenant Services
The San Mateo County Superior Court offers a Landlord Clinic   by phone appointment on Thursdays. Please sign up.

Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County offers assistance to Tenants. Please leave a message on their housing line (650) 517-8911; someone will return the call.

Bay Area Legal Aid offers resorces for tenants and a complete  Unlawful Detainer Answer Packet with blank forms and instructions on how to fill the forms out.

The California Courts offers a Self-Help guide for both landlords and tenants for evictions and unlawful detainers.

Please call Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto at 650-326-6440, if you are facing eviction or rent increase.

 

Small Claims
The San Mateo County Superior Court offers a Small Claims Advisor to assist with Small Claims through a10-minute telephone appointment. Each customer is limited to one 10-minute slot.
Please do not sign-up for multiple slots on the same day, only one request per session will be honored. Please sign up at calendly.com/allencapeloto. Appointments will become available each Tuesday morning.
Please visit when in-person appointments resume, if you wish to have the assistance of a translator.

 

Employment
Legal Aid at Work:

• Discriminated against or treated differently at work because of your race or conviction record? Call (415) 864-8848 or (866) 864-8208 for general information or to make an appointment.
• The Workers' Rights Clinic provides low-income and unemployed people with free, confidential information about their legal rights related to work in California. Call (415) 404-9093.
• Also, check out the Job Seekers' Rights video for information about applying for a job when you have a criminal record.

 

Immigration
API Legal Outreach offers a Naturalization Clinic in Daly City, Oakland and San Francisco. Call (415) 567-6255 for more information.

Catholic Charities Center for Immigration Legal & Support Services also offers immigration assistance.

ImmigrationHelp.org is a nonprofit that provides free immigration services and educational guides for Work Permits, DACA, and Citizenship.

Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto at 650-326-6440 can assist you and your family members to apply for immigration status.

 

Helpful Links
Here are a few helpful local resources:

•  Report Identity Theft to the Federal Trade Commission and if you have been wrongly sued, include the report with your civil response.
•  Search the Northern California Register of Experts & Consultants to find profiles of over 600 expert witnesses and consultants in over 300 categories.
•  View non-confidential and non-sealed San Mateo County Superior Court case information and documents on Odyssey Public Portal.
•  Use the training videos for assistance with the free California Department of Child Support Services calculator.
•  You can search municipal codes and ordinances for cities and counties in California.
•  For State Court resources check the National Center for State Court.
•  Find affordable housing.
•  Eight local Core Service Agencies provide you and your family with basic emergency and support services to stabilize your living situation.
•  Health Plan of San Mateo's Whole Person Care helps people who struggle with chronic homelessness, mental illness and substance abuse.
•  Need help choosing the best rehab center in your area? Call the 24/7 Addiction Hotline at 800-926-9037. Rehabs centers in Redwood City.
•  Both SparkPoint at Skyline College  and SparkPoint at College of San Mateo offers financial coaches to help you with your daily finances, taxes, public benefits, etc.
•  Cares of the College of San Mateo offers mental and physical health help and resources.
•  CalFresh (known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP) provides monthly food benefits to individuals and families with low-income.
•  Centro de Libertad/The Freedom Center offers addiction services.
•  Contacts for local agencies here.