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Statewide investment in self-help services has helped Alameda Superior Court open a second center.

The budget cuts $200 million from the state court system, though $150 million could be restored if the federal government sends additional aid by the fall.

Governor Jerry Brown signed a state budget on Wednesday that will help restore court services slashed during the recession, fund courthouse projects, and improve access to justice for millions of Californians.  

Facing growing numbers of civil and family law litigants representing themselves, courts are expanding services offered through “self-help” centers.

Every year, nearly 1.2 million people come to self-help centers in California courthouses seeking guidance with civil cases such as divorces, evictions, and restraining orders. While every county court has its own self-help center, nearly a dozen also use JusticeCorps students to help serve users.

A paralegal in Los Angeles County Superior Court's self-help center receives recognition for her commitment to service.

Videoconference technology helps deliver self-help services remotely and increases a court's outreach.

How are self-help centers being managed with shrinking resources? This newsroom feature takes a look at two very different centers sharing the same challenges.

The Judicial Council received a report on how the state’s trial courts used additional funding included in this fiscal year’s judicial branch budget to expand hours, reopen closed locations, and invest in new technology to increase access to justice for the public.

 A pilot program that funds free legal services for low-income Californians facing critical civil cases drastically increased the likelihood of settlement, improved the longevity of court orders, and reduced court costs, a new study shows.