Organizations offering free help with emergency court services will continue to provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Court works with the Judicial Council of California, State Bar of California, San Diego County Bar Association, and local service providers to assist people in need of selfrepresented services. This includes clinic services in areas of law such as restraining orders and landlord-tenant disputes within San Diego’s courthouses.

In light of limited courthouse access because of the current public health order, the San Diego Superior Court’s contracted service providers, Legal Aid Society of San Diego (LASSD) and San Diego Volunteer Lawyers Program (SDVLP), as well as the Center for Community Solutions (CCS), will offer alternatives to their onsite clinic services so that self-represented litigants can obtain the relief needed to remain safe while also adhering to social distancing guidelines to mitigate the community spread of the COVID-19 virus. These alternatives include telephonic services.

If you need assistance in an emergency matter, please refer to the following sources:

• Legal Aid Society of San Diego:www.lassd.org; 877-534-2524
• San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program: www.sdvlp.org; 619-235-5656
• Center for Community Solutions: www.ccssd.org; 858-272-5777
• Family Law Facilitator: FLF staff is available in the Central, East, North and South County Division offices for walk-in assistance with ex parte requests for restraining orders.

As of this date, the following emergency court services are available in San Diego County:

• Chamber ex parte requests for civil harassment TROs, DVTROs, and Gun Violence Protective Orders.
• Emergency ex parte lockout proceedings (UD).
• One Family law judge at each branch will review ex parte requests for emergency TROs.
• One Juvenile judge will be available for dependency detention hearings and for emergency orders.
• One Probate judge will be available to cover emergency conservatorships and other emergency orders in Probate. Please email [email protected].
•  All search warrants (day and night) will be electronic.
• Petitions for writ seeking emergency relief in unlawful detainer matters.
• Emergency writs challenging COVID-19 emergency measures.
• Writs of habeas corpus challenging medical quarantines.
•  Emergency surrogacy order requests (members of the public with such a need are asked to notify the court with their request through the email address: [email protected]).
• Chamber ex parte requests for Elder Abuse, Workplace Violence, and School Violence Restraining Orders.

Since the early 2000s, the Legal Aid Society of San Diego, San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, and Center for Community Solutions have collaborated with the Court through various state-authorized programs and worked alongside the Court’s Family Law Facilitator to operate clinics to help litigants complete required court forms, free of charge.