Asking for help with court matters

Find out how the court can help you with your court matters.

Table of Contents

Overview

We want to help you as much as possible. However, we’re only allowed to help you in certain ways, since we must be fair to everyone involved in your case.

Many court matters involve complicated and important legal rights. You should always talk to an attorney before filing any papers. Please see finding a lawyer for information on local lawyer referral services and legal aid agencies.

Here is a list of some of the things the court staff can and can’t do for you. Please read carefully before asking for help.

What we can do

When it comes to helping you with court matters, we can:

  • Give you a list of lawyer referral services and legal service agencies
  • Give you a list of law libraries that are open to the public
  • Explain and answer questions about how the court works
  • Tell you what the requirements are to have your case considered by the court
  • Answer questions about the meaning of terms used in court processes
  • Give you some information from your case file
  • Give you court forms to begin a case
  • Give you with basic direction on how to fill out forms and check that they’re complete
  • Usually answer questions about court deadlines, rules, procedures, and practices
  • Tell you how to get a case scheduled

What we can't do

When it comes to helping you with court matters, we can’t:

  • Recommend a lawyer or give you legal advice. Only a lawyer can give you legal advice
  • Provide legal research
  • Tell you what words to put on forms
  • Tell you whether or not you should bring your case to court
  • Tell you what to say in court
  • Give you an opinion about what will happen if you bring your case to court
  • Give you any information that we wouldn’t give to the other person in your case
  • Talk to the judge for you about what might happen in your case
  • Tell you a judge's decision before it’s issued by the judge
  • Let you talk to the judge outside of court
  • Change a judge's order

Contact   for Asking for help with court matters

Last updated: September 19, 2023

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