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Overview
Why You Should Attend
Millions of Californians are unrepresented in family court matters. An estimated 80% of family law litigants do not have the assistance of counsel. Low-income clients are in desperate need of assistance to navigate the complexity of the dissolution of marriage (“divorce” or “dissolution”) process in California. Your pro bono assistance will make a significant impact. Attend this interactive program for a practical guide to divorce in California with a focus on low-income clients. Incorporating a hypothetical fact pattern to illustrate common issues that may arise, expert family law practitioners, judges, and court staff share insights and best practices for every stage of a divorce case, from intake to judgment.
What You Will Learn
After completing the program, participants will be able to:
- Address the various challenges and barriers that low-income litigants face in their dissolution cases
- Recognize the signs of trauma and implement strategies for effective and trauma-informed client interviewing
- Draft pleadings to initiate a divorce case, obtain interim orders, and bring your case to judgment
- Understand the process for obtaining custody and visitation orders and the role of Family Court Services mediation
- Apply relevant California law protecting domestic violence survivors and their children during the divorce process
- Write safe and detailed custody and visitation agreements and proposed orders
- Draft Requests for Orders, including temporary emergency (ex parte) orders, for child custody and visitation, child and spousal support, and other interim relief
- Understand community property division in low-income cases
- Effectively draft motions and judgments allocating property acquired during the marriage
- Complete all California Judicial Council forms required at each stage of the dissolution, including financial disclosures
- Differentiate between the different pathways to judgment in dissolution cases: contested, uncontested, simple default, and default with agreement
- Prepare for trial and represent low-income family law litigants at hearings and trials
Who Should Attend
Anyone interested in providing pro bono assistance to low-income family law clients in California (whether limited or full scope representation) will benefit from attending. The program is appropriate for new attorneys and more experienced practitioners looking to volunteer with nonprofit legal services agencies that can provide ongoing mentorship and support. This program will also benefit legal services and nonprofit attorneys, staff, and law clerks, who are new to family law practice or looking to strengthen their knowledge and skills in this area.
Special Feature
- This program is from PLI's Interactive Learning Center. It offers a high level of participant engagement and requires more program interactions than a traditional program.
- Scholarships are available to attend this program.