What is a clemency hearing? A clemency hearing happens when the inmate asks the Governor to grant clemency or stop the execution. The Governor does not have to give the inmate a clemency hearing. The […]

Family Law Facilitator (FLF) A family law facilitator is a lawyer with experience in family law who works for the superior court in your county to help parents and children for free. The family law […]

A Message From Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Chief Justice of California When I speak with jurors, they sometimes ask whether I have ever been called for jury service. The answer is yes, many times. I’ve been summoned […]

Every superior court in California has legal help available in family law and in small claims cases. Several superior courts can also help you with other legal issues, but it varies between courts. This section […]

Q: How do I figure out what to do with my traffic ticket? A:     Read your “Notice to Appear.” You will find: The name of the court that will decide your case; The deadline to […]

There are several reasons why people represent themselves without a lawyer: In criminal cases, if you cannot afford a lawyer, the court will appoint a lawyer for you, like a public defender. But in civil […]

The side that files the appeal is called the “appellant.” The other side is called the “respondent.”If you appeal, the appellate court will review the trial court record to decide if a legal mistake was […]

Courts decide legal disputes by first finding what the facts of a case are and then applying the law to those facts to reach a decision. When you present a case in court, you must […]

What you should do to prepare for your upcoming court date depends on what type of case you have. In this section we give you general guidelines for how to best prepare yourself for court. […]

Every superior court in California has legal help available in family law and in small claims cases. Several superior courts can also help you with other legal issues, but it varies between courts. This section […]