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TEST PAGE FOR DEMO PURPOSES ONLY

=Self-Help Centers, Superior Courts of California=

Purpose of this page
The Judicial Council adopted rule 10.960 of the California Rules of Court, effective January 1, 2008, in order to establish the foundation for the administration of California court self-help centers. Rule 10.960 applies to all court-based self-help centers, whether the centers are managed by court employees or by entities other than the court. The rule identifies assistance to self-represented litigants as a core court function and requires that the centers be staffed with an attorney. Rule 10.960 further requires that services delivered by the center be impartial, unbiased, and available to all parties in a case. Section 10.960(e) requires the development and dissemination of guidelines and procedures for the operation of court self-help centers. These guidelines must include: location and hours of operation, scope of services, attorney qualifications, other staffing qualifications and supervision requirements, language access, contracts with entities other than the court that provide self-help services, use of technology, ethics, efficiency of operation, and security.

The following are items of interest to Self-Help Center staff:

Contractor rates

 * Alameda -
 * Alpine -
 * Contra Costa -


 * Santa Clara - Contract/Extra-help attorneys are paid $5X.XX/hour, no benefits; Contract/Extra-help Paralegals ("Court Specialists") are paid $2X.XX/hour, no benefits
 * etc...

Grants from local sources

 * Alameda -
 * Alpine -
 * Contra Costa -


 * Santa Clara - Does not receive grants from local resources although certain programs that are conducted in the Court or in partnership with the Court and targeted to SRLs are funded by local resources.
 * etc...

Closing to Attend Conferences/Trainings/Meetings

 * Alameda
 * Alpine
 * Contra Costa


 * Santa Clara - Does not close to attend conferences although it limits services to the extent possible so that staff can attend. Usually only the Supervising Attorneys are able to attend due to low staffing.  Closes office except for emergencies on Friday afternoons for staff meetings/trainings (about 6 per year).
 * etc...

Foreclosure/Eviction/Civil Mediation Programs(Quick list and guaranteed incomplete!)

 * Sacramento -


 * Sonoma - I developed and have been supervising a UD program for the Sonoma County community mediation program, RECOURSE Mediation Services for the last ten years. I've also developed programs for the Lake and Mendocino Superior Courts, using AOC Implementation and Improvement grant monies.  In the last 6 months or so, we've seen a tremendous increase in foreclosure cases.  A few weeks back, 5 out of the 9 UD's in Sonoma involved prior owners being evicted from homes they lost through foreclosure.  We've also seen a smattering of them in Lake County recently. All of these programs have about an 80% settlement rate.


 * Butte - Butte has a wonderful mediation program


 * Contra Costa - We are partnering with our local DRPA mediation program to provide day-of-trial mediations for unlawful detainer and small claims.


 * Nevada - Nevada County used the planning & implementation AOC grant to start mediation in Unlawful Detainer and Small Claims cases. We have added Civil Harassment Cases.  We use the local mediation group that receives the DRPA monies.  Mediators volunteer and are in the courthouse during those calendars.  Good luck - our litigants have really responded positively to having the service.  About 2/3 cases settle.
 * Fresno - I believe BBB has provided this type of service for a while now, but coordination with Fresno Superior Court is new as of this month. The Small Claims Advisory Program previously administered by the county will now be administered by the court, so the court contracted w/ BBB.


 * San Francisco - In San Francisco, our SRL Mediation Program has expanded to include Limited Civil cases in addition to our current small claims mediations.


 * Monterey County - Monterey County also used AOC grant monies to start a mediation program for both small claims and unlawful detainer type actions. We use trained law school and community members who volunteer to their time to help mediate these types of cases on the scheduled hearing dates.

Citing Small Claims cases

 * QUESTION: Are small claims appeals decisions citable?
 * ANSWER: Technically, yes. There is a form of citation for all trial court cases.  However, with only a few very limited exceptions, unpublished opinions of any California court must not be relied upon by a court, nor are attorneys allowed to cite unpublished opinions in briefs and arguments. I have never seen a small claims appeal published, except for a matter taken up by Writ to the Court of Appeal.  Small claims is not a court of record (i.e. there is no transcript) and there are no written decisions so, no, they can't be cited. It is because small claims court is not a court of record that collateral estoppel doesn't apply in small claims court.

Collecting Against an Estate

 * QUESTION: I have a creditor who has a judgment against "the estate of John Smith." The creditor just got her judgment on April 7, 2009. Apparently, the final distribution hearing in probate court re: this estate was held in May of 2008 and the debtor died sometime in 2007. Does anyone have any idea whether the creditor can still collect on this debt and, if so, how she would do so?
 * ANSWER: No answer yet!

Motions to Vacate

 * QUESTION: Can a defendant file a defendant's claim after a motion to vacate hearing has been granted? The new hearing is scheduled for July. Can the defendant file a defendant's claim or does he need to do a Plaintiff's claim?
 * ANSWER:
 * San Diego - Sure. Well, the stipulated facts I was given said the case had been reset for July. In San Diego, most times the case is not heard following the motion. In a county where it is, simply tell the judge a defendant's claim needs to be filed so please reset the date to accommodate the D's claim. Shouldn't be a problem.
 * San Luis Obispo - I would have said NO. I thought it had to be served 5 days before the court date. In our county there is a 90% chance the case will be reheard on the same day the motion is granted so how does that work?