Cal. R. 10.960
This rule applies to all court-based self-help centers whether the services provided by the center are managed by the court or by an entity other than the court.
Providing access to justice for self-represented litigants is a priority for California courts. The services provided by court self-help centers facilitate the timely and cost-effective processing of cases involving self-represented litigants and improve the delivery of justice to the public. Court programs, policies, and procedures designed to assist self-represented litigants and effectively manage cases involving self-represented litigants at all stages must be incorporated and budgeted as core court functions.
Court self-help centers provide assistance to self-represented litigants. A court self-help center must include an attorney and other qualified staff who provide information and education to self-represented litigants about the justice process, and who work within the court to provide for the effective management of cases involving self-represented litigants.
The information and education provided by court self-help centers must be neutral and unbiased, and services must be available to all sides of a case.
The Advisory Committee on Providing Access and Fairness must recommend to the council updates to the Guidelines for the Operation of Self-Help Centers in California Trial Courts as needed. It should, in collaboration with judges, court executives, attorneys, and other parties with demonstrated interest in services to self-represented litigants develop and disseminate guidelines, procedures and best practices for the operation of court self-help centers. The guidelines and procedures must address the following topics:
(Subd (e) amended effective January 1, 2015; previously amended effective February 20, 2014.)
A court must include in its annual budget funding necessary for operation of its self-help center. In analyzing and making recommendations on the allocation of funding for a court self-help center, Judicial Council staff will consider the degree to which individual courts have been successful in meeting the guidelines and procedures for the operation of the self-help center.
(Subd (f) amended effective January 1, 2016.)
Cal. R. Ct. 10.960