Self-Help Resources & Information
Educational Videos & Resources
The Superior Court of Orange County provides the following educational videos:
Divorce:
Child Support:
- Extend Child Support for an Adult Disabled Child
- How to Prepare Court Forms to Request a Hearing Regarding Accounting (Determination of Child support/Spousal Support Arrears or Unreimbursed Expenses)
- Income and Expense Declaration
- Income Withholding Order
- Judicial Adjustment of Arrearages Due to Incarceration or Involuntary Institutionalization
- Judicial Determination of Support Arrearages
- Request for Hearing Regarding Earnings Assignment/Income Withholding Order for Support (Wage Assignment)
- Request for Order to Modify Child support, Companion Spousal Support, Health Insurance Order and Custody/Visitation
- Stipulation and Order Waiving Unassigned Arrears
Civil Harassment:
- Resolving your Civil Harassment Case (also available in Spanish) (5-Parts)
Consumer Law:
- What if You’re a Victim of Identity Theft?
- Introduction into Consumer Law (Webinar)
- Resolving Debt Collection Cases (also available in Spanish and Vietnamese)
Elder Law:
- Credit Reporting Issues for Seniors (Webinar)
- Elder Financial Abuse (Webinar)
Juvenile:
Small Claims:
- Resolving Small Claims Cases (also available in Spanish ,Vietnamese and Russian) (5-Parts)
- Small Claims - Collecting Your Small Claims Judgment
Unlawful Detainer:
- Resolving Unlawful Detainer (Eviction) Cases (also available in Spanish , Vietnamese and Russian) (4-Parts)
Other:
- Going Into the Courtroom
- How to Dress for Court
- How to Search a Case on OC Courts Website
- Writing a Declaration for the Court
Please see the following website pages for additional resources and instructional materials to help with filling out court forms: Virtual Self-Help Law Center Forms Instructions and Virtual Self-Help Center Video Room for information on various court processes
Other Resources and Media
- Changeville – Are your parents separated or getting a divorce?
- Families Change – Your Guide to Separation and Divorce.
- 211 Orange County - a multilingual information and referral service. For more information, dial toll free: 211 or 1-888-600-4357 or visit www.211oc.org..
If you still have questions after viewing the videos and media, you may stop by any of our Self-Help Centers. Our trained staff is ready to assist you.
Links to Court’s Main Website
- Adoption
- Civil
- Conservatorship
- Criminal
- Family Court Services
- Family Law
- Filing Fees
- Guardianship
- Juvenile
- Minor’s Compromise
- Minor Emancipation
- Name Change
- Probate
- Small Claims
- Traffic
- Wills, Trusts, and Estates
- Other-Directory
Court Related External Links
SELF-HELP WEBSITE LINKS TO OTHER WEB PAGES
Our web pages have many links to other organizations, such as other government agencies, non-profit community based organizations, and for-profit entities. When you select these links, they will open in a new window, for your convenience.
While we offer these links in order to assist you in finding the services you may need, please be aware that the policies that apply to our website may not be the same as the terms of use for other web sites. In addition, the Court cannot attest to the accuracy of the information provided by linked sites.
The inclusion of a link to an external website is not intended as an endorsement of:
- Any product or service offered or referenced by the linked websites,
- The organizations sponsoring the linked websites, or
- Any views that might be expressed or referenced in the linked websites.
COURT RELATED EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Advancing Justice - LA
- Bankruptcy Court
- Birth Certificates
- California Courts Self-Help Center
- California Appeals Court
- California Codes
- California Department of Consumer Affairs
- California State Bar
- California Superior Courts
- Child Support Services
- Centro de Ayuda en línea
- Community Service Programs
- County of Orange
- Death Certificates
- Fair Housing Council of Orange County
- Find Law
- Legal Aid Society of Orange County
- Legal Help in California
- Marriage Licenses
- Orange County Bar Association
- Orange County District Attorney’s Office
- Orange County Public Law Library
- Orange County Public Defender’s Office
- Orange County Public Law Center
- Small Claims Advisory Program
- Print a copy of commonly used resources
LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICES:
- Advancing Justice - LA
- LawHelpCalifornia
- Legal Aid Society of Orange County Lawyer Referral Service
- Orange County Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Service
- Public Law Center
- State Bar of California Lawyer Referral Service
OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES:
- Mental Health/Drug and Alcohol Abuse/ Prevention & Intervention ( English / Spanish / Vietnamese)
- Orange County 2-1-1
Other Resources
The resources listed on this page and throughout this website are not exhaustive. There are many ways to find legal information and help:
- Website search
- Self-Help Legal Books
- Government Agencies
- Non-Profit Groups
- Public and Law Libraries
- Yellow pages of your phone book
- Friends and family
Sometimes, you have to talk to several people before you get help. If you talk to someone but they cannot help you, ask them who can.
Service of Civil Documents by Orange County Sheriff
Throughout this website you will read about the requirements to "serve" Civil, Family Law, Probate, and Small Claims documents on the other party. Using the Orange County Sheriff for service of process can be required (example: collection of money judgments) or optional (example: serving complaints, petitions, plaintiff’s claims, etc.) depending on the document. Alternatives to the Orange County Sheriff are licensed process servers (check the yellow pages or web) or a person you choose who is at least 18 and not involved in the case.
LOCATIONS:
You can mail or deliver documents to the Sheriff at two locations. Select the location for the city that the Sheriff will be performing the service in:
Orange County Sheriff Location #1:
Civil Process Services
909 N. Main St. Suite 2
Santa Ana, Ca 92701
Phone: (714) 569-3700
Email: civilstatcentral@ocsd.org for the status of service of a document
Serving documents for the cities of: Anaheim, Brea, Placentia, Buena Park, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Habra, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Midway City, Orange, Rossmoor, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, and Yorba Linda.
Orange County Sheriff Location #2:
Civil Process Services
4601 Jamboree Rd. Room 108
Newport Beach, Ca. 92660
Phone: (949) 476-4820
Email: civilstatcentral@ocsd.org for the status of service of a document
Serving documents for the cities of: Aliso Viejo, Balboa, Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa, Coto De Caza, Dana Point, El Toro, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Trabuco Canyon, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, and San Juan Capistrano.
Out of County Services:
If you need to serve a document outside of Orange County, the California State Sheriff’s Association website contains information for the Sheriff’s Departments throughout California.
HOURS:
Business hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday-Friday.
FEES:
Fees for the service of documents vary. For further information call or check the Orange County Sheriff website.
INSTRUCTIONS:
You must give the Sheriff exact instructions:
- Instructions for Service of Process
- Instructions for Service of Petition and Temporary Restraining Order
- Instruction for Service of Writ of Execution/Possession/Sale
Check the Orange County Sheriff website for more information on serving documents, evictions, seizing and selling property and assets.