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Orientation Program for Pro Se Parties Required in King County

10 Feb

Effective January 1, 2011, the King County Superior Court passed an emergency rule that requires all self-represented parties to attend an Orientation Program.

The goal of the orientation is to effectively explain the court process to pro se parties in person instead of just handing out forms with instructions.

Attendance is mandatory and the rule is as follows:

LFLR 20. ORIENTATION PROGRAM IN FAMILY LAW MATTERS
Adopted on an Emergency Basis; effective January 1, 2011

(a) Description and Applicability. To assist self-represented parties involved in family law matters and improve the efficiency of the court, King County Superior Court Family Court shall conduct an Orientation Program for parties in all cases filed under Chapter 26.09 RCW, including dissolutions of marriage, legal separations and major parenting plan modifications.

(b) Mandatory Attendance. In all cases referred to in Section (a) above, all self-represented parties shall successfully complete the Orientation Program within thirty (30) days of filing or service of the summons and petition. Successful completion shall be evidenced by a certificate of attendance filed with the court by Family Court Operations staff. Any party attending the Orientation Program prior to obtaining a King County Superior Court cause number shall be responsible for filing his or her certificate of attendance in the court file when the cause number is obtained.

You can read details about the rule here, on the King County Superior Court website. The orientation will require a small fee that the pro se party is responsible for.

What does this rule mean for me, a pro se party?

We all know that the legal process can be confusing – which is why Pro Se University offers a number of workshops and services to help you navigate the process. So it’s a good sign that the King County Court is starting this program. What the orientation will look like in implementation is still to be seen.

The details about this program and how Family Court Services will notify pro se parties that file after January 1, 2011 are yet to be determined. If you are one of these people, you can contact Family Court Services for more information.

Related: LFLR 20. ORIENTATION PROGRAM IN FAMILY LAW MATTERS (http://www.kingcounty.gov/courts/Clerk/Rules/EmergencyLocalRules.aspx )

 
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Posted in family court, Family Law Court Services, King County, King County Superior Court, pro se law

 

How Will Looming Budget Cuts Threaten My Family Law Case?

13 Dec

In November, King County voters rejected Proposition 1, which would have authorized an increase in the King County sales tax to fund criminal justice, fire protection, and other government functions, one of which would be to invest in kids and families. Because of the budget shortfall, come January, one cut will include eliminating nearly the entire Family Court Services program and Family Law Facilitators who assist more than 10,000 clients a year.

What do these cuts mean for my family law case?

Family Court Services is a program in the King County Superior Court that is staffed by social workers who specialize in assisting with family law issues. They help the court during a family law issue to promote the outcome that will benefit the children and the family as a whole.

Family Law Facilitators provide information and referrals to family law litigants who are not represented by attorneys. This means you, if you are a Pro Se party. 

Without these programs, people will be without the county-provided resources they may need to navigate through their family law issue.

Luckily, Pro Se University offers two services that can help you:

Workshops are an affordable way to help you with a specific family law issue. They are perfect for people who know what paperwork they need to fill out, but need help with the details. At each workshop, expect to walk out with a completed document that is ready to be filed. We offer a variety of workshops most days of the week. You can check out our workshop schedule and sign up here.

Attorney Appointments are ideal for you if you need individual legal advice and coaching on how to manage your case or if you need help with a specific issue. These appointments are ideal for people who need more personalized information about their family law issue than a workshop will provide.

Attorney Appointments are more expensive than workshops. However, Pro Se University is offering a free 30-minute Attorney Appointment for any family law issue on Tuesday, December 14 and the next one is Tuesday, January 25, 2011. This is a great opportunity to get personal information about your case from the experienced family lawyers on our team. 

If you are interested in a free 30-minute Attorney Appointment, you can sign up here. Or call Xenia at 877-776-7310 to schedule an individualized appointment and learn more about our workshops.

 
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Posted in attorney appointment, attorney support, Prop 1, Proposition 1, services, workshops