Help Yourself
There are four ways to get help today. You can contact us, attend a free workshop, visit one of our Self-Help Centers, or find more information about our referral programs.
1. CONTACT US
Call our Hotline at 800-834-5001 or 714-571-5200. Our Hotline offers free evaluation, advice, and counsel. Once you are connected with a Community Legal Aid SoCal representative, you will be provided with a plan to assess and address your needs.
No telephone or computer access? Come to our Santa Ana location located at 2101 North Tustin Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92705 and use the free phone in the lobby. This will connect you directly to the Hotline. This phone is available on a first-come, first served basis.
2. FREE WORKSHOPS
We provide free workshops to assist clients with completing paperwork and understanding the legal process. Please call our Hotline at 800-834-5001 to register. We offer workshops covering the following topics:
Housing/Evictions Law
Have you been served with an eviction notice? Our Unlawful Detainer (UD) Workshops provide self-represented litigants with an overview of the eviction process and assistance in completing responsive pleadings.
Limited Conservatorships
Limited Conservatorship Workshops are provided for families that may be looking to support an adult with developmental disabilities and are taught in both English and Spanish. These workshops provide a general overview of limited conservatorships, explain the pleadings and filings necessary, and explain how to complete forms and address common problems. These workshops are held once a month at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.
Debt Collection/Debt Relief Workshop
CLA SoCal operates Debt Collection workshops in partnership with the Superior Court of Los Angeles County and the Superior Court of Orange County. These workshops provide information and assist litigants who have questions about debt collection practices, litigants who have been sued in court on a debt collection issue, and litigants who have had a debt collection judgment entered against them. Eligible clients needing assistance with discovery may be referred to CLA SoCal for additional assistance; clients in Los Angeles County seeking mediation are referred to the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs.
To register for the remote workshop in Los Angeles County (2nd, 3rd, and 4th Monday of each month), call 562.278.3275 and leave a message with your name, telephone number, and email address. To register for the remote workshop in Orange County (2nd, 3rd, and 4th Wednesday of each month), call 657.261.8811 and leave a message with your name, city, zip code, telephone number, and email address.
Small Claims Workshop
Led by a Small Claims advisor, self-represented litigants learn how to prepare a case (Friday mornings) and how to collect a judgment (Tuesday afternoons). These workshops are free and open to the public at our Santa Ana office location (first-come, first served basis).
3. SELF-HELP CENTERS
Community Legal Aid SoCal also has Self-Help Centers in courthouses for self-represented litigants. Our goal is to help you to feel confident and prepared when facing your legal challenges.
Self-Help Centers are located inside or near courthouses to supply free legal assistance to self-represented litigants. Self-Help Centers can provide information packets, form preparation assistance, and legal information on a variety of legal topics.
The Compton Self-Help Center assists self-represented litigants with information on all civil matters and information specifically needed for their cause of action. Individuals are also scheduled to attend workshops regarding family law. In addition, staff review completed court forms for completeness and accuracy and describe filing and court processes to the litigants.
We provide assistance at the Compton Court Self-Help Center located at 200 West Compton Boulevard, Compton, CA 90220, open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Self-Help services are remote during the pandemic. Please call 800-834-5001 to schedule an appointment.
4. REFERRAL PROGRAMS
Unfortunately, we cannot assist everyone who approaches us for help. If you do not qualify for our services, you can access a list of referrals to other agencies here. Community Legal Aid SoCal is not responsible for services provided by other agencies.
