Redwood City Family Law Facilitator

The Office of the Family Law Facilitator provides free services to help people who do not have private attorneys.

All persons who are in “Pro Per” and acting as their own attorney are encouraged to have their forms reviewed by the Family Law Facilitator before filing or presenting the papers to the Court.

The Family Law Facilitators provide general information and referrals. They will review your paperwork and give you information regarding:

Initial orders or modifications for child custody, visitation, child, or spousal support

Domestic violence restraining orders (for help filling out the forms to Domestic Violence Restraining Orders, please go to Bay Area Legal Aid’s Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinic.)

Initiating an action to establish paternity

Dissolution (divorce)*, legal separation, nullity of marriage

Responses to any of the above

Fee waivers (if you cannot afford the court filing fees)

Income and expense declarations

The Family Law Facilitator also calculates child and spousal support under the California State guidelines, assists both parties to prepare stipulations (agreements) regarding child custody, visitation, child and spousal support, and prepares orders for parties who have come from a court hearing.

Although the Facilitators are attorneys, they do not represent you and can only give you general information about the law and your case. Please see a private attorney for a consultation before you begin your legal proceedings to learn about your legal rights.

The Family Law Facilitator will assist anyone wishing to start a divorce (dissolution) or legal separation only in one of the workshops. Also, anyone wishing to file a response to a divorce (dissolution) or legal separation may attend the workshops.