Self-help centers are open to walk-ins for limited services. See our schedule. However, litigants may contact us through the LAFLA self-help hotline at 213-235-0060 for remote assistance. Our hotline is open Mondays – Fridays from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm on Mondays – Thursdays.
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles’ Self-Help Legal Access Centers provide self-represented litigants help with:
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Child Custody and Support
- Paternity
- Housing (landlord/tenant) Law involving Unlawful Detainers (Evictions)
- Restraining Orders
- Domestic Violence
- Civil Harassment
- Elder Abuse
- Name Changes
- Fee Waivers
- Claims of Exemption
- Record Expungement
- Referrals are available for other forms of assistance.
We provide workshops for eviction (unlawful detainer) answers, eviction (unlawful detainer) trial prep, family law (divorce and paternity) and record expungement. Click here to see our schedule of informational workshops. Workshops are offered in several languages, including English and Spanish.
Self-Help How-To Guides & Forms
Our four Self-Help Legal Access Centers have how-to guides that show you how to fill out many of the civil court forms for Los Angeles Superior Court. Some how-to guides and forms are only available at the Self-Help Legal Access Centers.
- Adult Name Change
- Adult Name and Gender Change
- Child Name Change
- Exemption Wage Garnishment
- Exemption Bank Levy
- Fee Waiver Filing Fee
- Unlawful Detainer Answer (English & Spanish)
- And many more
Self-Help Locations and Hours
IMPORTANT: Some Self-Help centers may not be able to assist with unlawful detainers or family law matters. For more information on each center, contact us at (213) 235-0060. You may also explore our online resources by following this link: self-help resources.
Self-Help Remote Hotline
Hotline telephone number: (213) 235-0060
Hours:
The Remote Self-Help Center is open Mondays – Fridays from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm on Mondays – Thursdays.
For help with other issues, please call (800) 399-4529 or browse our self-help resources.
Inglewood Courthouse
1 E Regent St., Room 107
Inglewood, CA 90301
Hours:
The Inglewood Courthouse Self-Help Center is open Mondays – Fridays from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm on Mondays – Thursdays. Note that no new litigant intakes will be accepted at the Center after 12:00 pm for the morning hours and 4:00 pm for the afternoon hours.
Long Beach Courthouse
275 Magnolia Ave., Room 3101
Long Beach, CA 90802
Hours:
The Long Beach Courthouse Self-Help Center is open Monday – Fridays from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Mondays – Thursdays.
Santa Monica Courthouse
1725 Main St., Room 210
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Hours:
The Santa Monica Courthouse Self-Help Center is open Monday – Fridays from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm on Mondays – Thursdays. Note that no new litigant intakes will be accepted at the Center after 12:00 pm for the morning hours and 4:00 pm for the afternoon hours.
Torrance Courthouse
825 Maple Ave., Room 160
Torrance, CA 90503
Hours:
The Torrance Courthouse Self-Help Center is open Monday – Fridays from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Mondays – Thursdays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Normally, we attempt to see individuals in the order they arrive. However, we may have to take people out of order if:
- The person requires a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- The person is here to attend a class or workshop.
- The person’s case is urgent, and he or she must file a document that day.
Wait times vary depending on the number of people seeking assistance, the types of cases they have and the number of volunteers working that day. We attempt to assist everyone as quickly as possible, but you should be prepared to be at the Center for several hours. On busier days, we may not have enough time to see everyone.
The Center has a very small staff. We depend on volunteers to help us assist the 100-plus people who visit the Center every day. If we do not have enough volunteers on a particular day, it may mean that you will have to wait longer or come back another day.
The Center’s mission is to provide you with the resources you need to help yourself. To help as many people as possible, volunteers are available to answer your questions and provide information. An attorney may be available to review your forms after they are completed.
You should complete all questionnaires and forms to the best of your ability before you attend a workshop or meet with a Center volunteer. After you have completed all questionnaires or forms, you may bring them back to the Center for further assistance.
This is a self-help center. We are here to help you help yourself. We are not your attorney. The Center will not tell you what you should do, but instead will provide you with information and options so that you can make an informed decision. If you want an attorney to recommend the best solution for your particular case, you must ask an attorney for legal advice who does not work at the Center. We have referral flyers for the Long Beach Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association, and nonprofit legal organizations that may be able to provide you with legal advice. Some cases need legal advice and are not appropriate for a self-help center.
The Center offers educational workshops, self-help how-to guides and court forms. Volunteers are available to answer your questions and provide information. An attorney may also review your forms with the volunteer who has been assisting you, and then the volunteer will follow up with you.
Please fill out an evaluation form. We want to hear both positive and negative comments. We review the evaluation forms to see how we can improve.
Persons with young children may use the court’s free child care service (Long Beach and Santa Monica only). A voucher for these services may be obtained when you check in at the front desk. In order to maintain a quiet environment free from distraction, the Center prefers that persons with young children not bring them to the Center or use the court’s free child care service.
We have several volunteers who initially came to the Center for assistance. Volunteers do not have to be lawyers or know the law. Volunteer applicants will need to fill out an application form, available here and attend a short interview. If accepted as a volunteer, we will notify you.
Preguntas Frecuentes Sobre el Centro De Acceso Legal de Auto-Ayuda
Normalmente, intentamos atender a las personas en el orden en que llegan. Sin embargo, podemos tener que asistir a la gente fuera de orden si:
- La persona requiere una modificación razonable bajo Ley para Personas con Discapacidades o “ADA” (Americans with Disabilities Act)
- La persona está aquí para asistir a una clase o taller.
- El caso de las personas es urgente, y él o ella debe presentar un documento ese día.
El tiempo de espera varía dependiendo del número de personas que buscan asistencia, los tipos de casos que tienen y el número de voluntarios que trabajan ese día. Tratamos de ayudar a todos tan pronto como sea posible, pero usted debe estar preparado para estar en el Centro durante varias horas. En días más ocupados, puede que no tengamos suficiente tiempo para atender a todos.
El Centro tiene un personal muy pequeño. Dependemos cada día de los voluntarios para asistir a más de 100 personas que visitan el Centro todos los días. Si no tenemos suficientes voluntarios en un día en particular, puede significar que tendrá que esperar más tiempo o volver otro día.
La misión del Centro es proporcionarle los recursos que necesita para ayudarse a sí mismo. Para ayudar a tantas personas como sea posible, los voluntarios están disponibles para responder a sus preguntas y proporcionar información. Un abogado puede estar disponible para revisar sus formularios una vez estén completos.
Debe completar todos los cuestionarios y formularios de la mejor manera posible antes de asistir a un taller o de reunirse con un voluntario del Centro. Después de haber completado todos los cuestionarios o formularios, puede devolverlos al Centro para obtener más ayuda.
Este es un Centro de autoayuda. Estamos aquí para ayudarle a ayudarse a si mismo. No somos su abogado. El Centro NO le dirá lo que debe hacer, pero le proporcionará información y opciones para que USTED pueda tomar una decisión informada. Si desea que un abogado le recomiende la mejor solución para su caso en particular, debe pedirle a un abogado para asesoramiento legal que no trabaje en el Centro. Tenemos folletos de referencia para la Asociación de Abogados del Condado de Los Ángeles y organizaciones legales sin fines de lucro que pueden proporcionarle asesoría legal. Algunos casos necesitan asesoramiento legal y no son apropiados para un centro de autoayuda.
El Centro ofrece talleres educativos, guías de autoayuda y formularios legales. Los voluntarios están disponibles para responder a sus preguntas y proporcionar información. Un abogado también puede revisar sus formularios junto con el voluntario que le ha estado asistiendo, y luego el voluntario le dará seguimiento.
Por favor llene un formulario de evaluación. Queremos escuchar comentarios positivos y negativos. Revisamos los formularios de evaluación para ver cómo podemos mejorar el Centro.
La corte ofrece el servicio de cuidado de niños gratuito para las personas con niños pequeños (disponible solamente en Long Beach y Santa Mónica). Puede obtener un cupón para estos servicios cuando se registra en la recepción. Con el fin de mantener un ambiente tranquilo y libre de distracciones, el Centro prefiere que las personas no traigan sus niños al Centro, pero si traen niños pequeños, usar el servicio gratuito proporcionado por la corte.
Tenemos varios voluntarios que inicialmente llegaron al Centro para ayuda. No es necesario ser abogado o conocer las leyes. Los solicitantes voluntarios tendrán que llenar un formulario de solicitud, disponible aquí y asistir a una entrevista corta. Si es aceptado como voluntario, le notificaremos.
