The Monterey County Superior Court is pleased to announce the expansion of the Self-Help Center (SHC) to Salinas. The new Salinas SHC office is located on the 1st floor, in Room #172 at the Salinas Courthouse, 240 Church Street. Hours of operation are each Monday and Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The expansion of SHC services to Salinas will provide greater convenience to self-represented litigants who live in remote areas of Monterey County who need assistance with family law and other civil case document preparation. The Salinas SHC will lessen the impact of long distance travel and should provide time and cost savings for residents who otherwise may face up to 100 roundtrip miles to access in-person document preparation assistance. SHC services in Salinas will mirror the assistance provided at the Monterey SHC office, where legal and support staff effectively guide self-represented litigants with document preparation review and conduct workshops in select court matters. Assistance is available with divorce, nullity, legal separation, limited civil cases, guardianships, name changes, emancipation, landlord/tenant, step-parent adoptions, limited conservatorships and domestic violence, and civil harassment restraining orders. SHC services will also continue to be provided at the Monterey Courthouse located at 1200 Aguajito Rd. in Monterey. Both locations provide SHC assistance in both English and Spanish.
Court Executive Officer Teresa A. Risi said, “Our goal as a Court is to continue to enhance access to the justice system for all community members. Representing yourself in court can be an intimidating process, particularly when you’re not certain what to expect or what steps are necessary to resolve your dispute. I’m delighted that self-represented litigants will now have access to in-person assistance in both Monterey and Salinas provided by the Self-Help Center.”
Managing Attorney/Family Law Facilitator, Peggy Hill, who oversees the SHC program stated, “We look forward to providing SHC services at the Salinas Courthouse. The Court’s new electronic and paperless records management system implemented in late 2015 now makes it possible for Monterey case files to be accessed electronically. The Salinas SHC is evidence of the Court’s commitment to finding alternatives to improve accessibility to residents in remote areas of Monterey County. I’m proud to be a part of the expansion of Self-Help services, which will positively benefit the public we are here to serve.” For a detailed view the SHC schedule, to set an appointment for document review or to sign-up to attend a dissolution workshop, visit the Court’s website: http://www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/SelfHelp.
Categorized in: Legal Procedure
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