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Reviewed 15 July 2012 See also Legal Research and Assistance, below.  E-mail: Administrator@LawSource.com

California Court Decisions

Supreme Court (Cal.) Court of Appeal (Cal. App.) Central District (C.D. Cal.) Eastern District (E.D. Cal.) Northern District (N.D. Cal.) * Southern District (S.D. Cal.) * —————  * Possibly available at a GPO web site (select here). Central District (Bankr. C.D. Cal.) Eastern District (Bankr. E.D. Cal.) Northern District (Bankr. N.D. Cal.) * Southern District (Bankr. S.D. Cal.) —————  * Possibly available at a GPO web site (select here).
These links to California appellate courts' opinions point to the California Judicial Council's web site, where opinions from the preceding 120 days are available.

Appellate cases can be retrieved by either text-search or official citation (e.g., “14 Cal. 4th 627” or “51 Cal. App. 4th 1410”) from a LexisNexis database spanning the entire collection of official California reports (starting in 1850). However, even though LexisNexis is the official publisher, this database does not show pagination for the official reports. Note: To retrieve a case using an unofficial citation (e.g., “34 Cal. Rptr. 3d 490” or “2005 Cal. App. LEXIS 1527”), select the “Advanced Search” option, then treat the citation as a text-search term, restrict the search to the CITES segment, and place the unofficial citation in the text field for that segment. (The citation thus will appear in two places on the advanced-search form.)

Additional Resources
¶ Published California Cases: 1934–Present ... [FindLaw (West Group)] — This database does show pagination but is limited to published California cases from 1934 to present. Registration is required but is free. (Unpublished cases from the courts of appeal are not available in this database, but they can be found in the LexisNexis database linked above and below.)
¶ Cases Within 5 Years ... This is an alternative LexisNexis interface (on a web site called Lexisone.com) to the same database linked above, but it provides access to California cases from the preceding five years only. This interface allows retrieval using unofficial citations (e.g., “34 Cal. Rptr. 3d 490”) as well as official citation formats. Registration is required but is free. (As this is the same database, however, the displayed opinion for a case does not include pagination for the official reports.)
¶ Recent California Case-Law Developments ... [Witkin Legal Institute (Cal.)] — Brief analyses of selected recent California decisions. Several more-recent developments are linked on one page, and there is a short archive of some developments previously posted; all are organized by topic.

California Constitution and Legislation

Constitution (Cal. Const.)
Amendments:  Proposition 11 — Redistricting Proposition 9 — Criminal Victims' Rights Proposition 8 — Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment Proposition 99 — Private Property Protection Act Proposition 1A — Transportation Funding Proposition 60A Proposition 60 Proposition 59 Proposition 58 Proposition 48 Proposition 43 Proposition 39 Proposition 35 Proposition 17 Proposition 1A Proposition 11 Proposition 1 Proposition 221 Proposition 220 Proposition 219 Proposition 218 Proposition 209 Proposition 193
For the March 2002 election, the links here point to the complete voter guide because no information about each proposition separately is provided on the secretary of state's web site.
1. Bills
   See also the California Legislative Counsel web site.

   Session House Bill No.   2013-2014 2011-2012 2009-2010 2007-2008 2005-2006 2003-2004 2001-2002 1999-2000 1997-1998 1995-1996 1993-1994 Assembly Senate Both

   Statutes of California (Cal. Stat.)
   2013 Chaptered Bills 2012 Chaptered Bills 2011 Chaptered Bills 2010 Chaptered Bills 2009 Chaptered Bills 2008 Chaptered Bills 2007 Chaptered Bills 2006 Chaptered Bills 2005 Chaptered Bills 2004 Chaptered Bills 2003 Chaptered Bills 2002 Chaptered Bills 2001 Chaptered Bills 2000 Chaptered Bills 1999 Chaptered Bills 1998 Chaptered Bills 1997 Chaptered Bills 1996 Chaptered Bills 1995 Chaptered Bills 1994 Chaptered Bills 1993 Chaptered Bills
   These are session laws, called “chaptered bills” in California. Use the drop-down box above to browse links to chaptered bills, which are presented in an unsorted list. Use a form below to retrieve a specific statute by chapter number or to search all statutes in a specific volume.

   Volume Chapter   2013 Cal. Stat. 2012 Cal. Stat. 2011 Cal. Stat. 2010 Cal. Stat. 2009 Cal. Stat. 2008 Cal. Stat. 2007 Cal. Stat. 2006 Cal. Stat. 2005 Cal. Stat. 2004 Cal. Stat. 2003 Cal. Stat. 2002 Cal. Stat. 2001 Cal. Stat. 2000 Cal. Stat. 1999 Cal. Stat. 1998 Cal. Stat. 1997 Cal. Stat. 1996 Cal. Stat. 1995 Cal. Stat. 1994 Cal. Stat. 1993 Cal. Stat.

   Volume Keyword(s) • Search Help   2013 Cal. Stat. 2012 Cal. Stat. 2011 Cal. Stat. 2010 Cal. Stat. 2009 Cal. Stat. 2008 Cal. Stat. 2007 Cal. Stat. 2006 Cal. Stat. 2005 Cal. Stat. 2004 Cal. Stat. 2003 Cal. Stat. 2002 Cal. Stat. 2001 Cal. Stat. 2000 Cal. Stat. 1999 Cal. Stat. 1998 Cal. Stat. 1997 Cal. Stat. 1996 Cal. Stat. 1995 Cal. Stat. 1994 Cal. Stat. 1993 Cal. Stat.  for:

   Additional Resources
   ¶ Law Revision Commission — Official Comments on Legislation ... These documents set out the text of official comments to LRC-sponsored bills enacted in recent legislative sessions. The source for each comment is given in a table of sections affected by the legislation is question. Documents are available also in rich-text format (for Windows-based word processors). For recent years, certain documents might not yet be available on the LRC web site.

   2012 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format. See 2012 Cal. Stat. chs. 180, 181, 235, 470, and 759.

   2011 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format. See 2011 Cal. Stat. chs. 44, 46, 285, and 308.

   2010 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format. See 2010 Cal. Stat. chs. 178, 212, 620, 697 and 711.

   2009 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format. See 2009 Cal. Stat. chs. 8, 88, and 348.

   2008 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format. See 2008 Cal. Stat. chs. 56, 174, and 231.

   2007 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format. See 2007 Cal. Stat. chs. 43, 113, and 263.

   2006 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format. See 2006 Cal. Stat. chs. 86 and 713.

   2005 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format. See 2005 Cal. Stat. chs. 37, 116, and 294. See also separate reports on ch. 116 and ch. 294.

   2004 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format. See 2004 Cal. Stat. chs. 49, 178, 182, 193, 346, and 754.

   2003 Legislation: Part 1 and Part 2 • Sections Affected: Part 1 and Part 2 ... Also in word-processor format. See 2003 Cal. Stat. chs. [Part 1:] 22, 32, 149, [Part 2:] 379, 557.

   2002 Legislation: Part A and Part B • Sections Affected: Part A and Part B ... Also in word-processor format. See 2002 Cal. Stat. chs. [Part A:] 68, 71, 72, 94, 138, [Part B:] 293, 389, 784.

   2001 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format. See 2001 Cal. Stat. chs. 44, 52, 59, 115, 141, 230, 417, 428, 812.

   2000 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format. See 2000 Cal. Stat. chs. 17, 167, 688, 808, 890, 948, 1060.

   1999 Legislation: Part A and Part B • Sections Affected: Part A and Part B ... Also in word-processor format. See 1999 Cal. Stat. chs. [Part A:] 145, 344, and [Part B:] 658.

   1998 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format.

   1997 Legislation • Sections Affected ... Also in word-processor format.

   1996 Legislation

   Top

   Codified Laws
   The official web site for California codified law exists in both a “new” version (linked above) and also, for a while, the version linked in the drop-down box below (now the “old” version). If a link below fails to work, try using the link above. The new version has drawbacks (for example, permanent links to code sections, articles, and so forth, cannot be created), but assurances are given that these will be dealt with in the near future.
   Business and Professions Code (Bus. & Prof.)  Civil Code (Civ.) Code of Civil Procedure (Civ. Proc.) Commercial Code (Com.) Corporations Code (Corp.) Education Code (Educ.) Elections Code (Elec.) Evidence Code (Evid.) Family Code (Fam.) Financial Code (Fin.) Fish and Game Code (Fish & Game) Food and Agricultural Code (Food & Agric.) Government Code (Gov't) Harbors and Navigation Code (Harb. & Nav.) Health and Safety Code (Health & Safety) Insurance Code (Ins.) Labor Code (Lab.) Military and Veterans Code (Mil. & Vet.) Penal Code (Penal) Probate Code (Prob.) Public Contract Code (Pub. Cont.) Public Resources Code (Pub. Res.) Public Utilities Code (Pub. Util.) Revenue and Taxation Code (Rev. & Tax.) Streets and Highways Code (Sts. & High.) Unemployment Insurance Code (Unemp. Ins.)  Vehicle Code (Veh.) Water Code (Water) Welfare and Institutions Code (Welf. & Inst.) 
   (Cite as “Cal. [Subj.] Code” using subject-matter abbreviations in parentheses above.) See also uniform laws and interstate compacts.
   Initiative Statutes Adopted
   Proposition 12 — Veterans' Bond Act Proposition 3 — Children's Hospital Bond Act Proposition 2 — Standards for Confining Farm Animals Proposition 1 — High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act Proposition 97 — Indian Gaming Proposition 96 — Indian Gaming Proposition 95 — Indian Gaming Proposition 94 — Indian Gaming Proposition 84 — Water Quality, Flood Control, Parks Proposition 83 — Sex Offenders Proposition 1E — Disaster Preparedness, Flood Control Proposition 1D — Public Education Facilities Proposition 1C — Housing and Emergency Shelter Proposition 1B — Infrastructure Bonds Proposition 71 Proposition 69 Proposition 64 Proposition 63 Proposition 61 Proposition 57 Proposition 55 Proposition 50 Proposition 49 Proposition 47 Proposition 46 Proposition 44 Proposition 42 Proposition 41 Proposition 40 Proposition 39 Proposition 36 Proposition 35 Proposition 34 Proposition 32 Proposition 29 Proposition 22 Proposition 21 Proposition 20 Proposition 19 Proposition 18 Proposition 16 Proposition 14 Proposition 13 Proposition 12 Proposition 10 Proposition 6 Proposition 5 Proposition 4 Proposition 2 Proposition 1A Proposition 227 Proposition 225 Proposition 222 Proposition 203 Proposition 198 Proposition 196 Proposition 195 Proposition 194 Proposition 192 
   For the March 2002 election, the links here point to the complete voter guide because no information about each proposition separately is provided on the secretary of state's web site. See also Additional Resources below.
   Additional Resources
   ¶ Vehicle Code ... [Dep't of Motor Vehicles] — The department's self-published version of the Vehicle Code and related provisions of other codes and the constitution.

   ¶ Ballot Propositions ... [Secretary of State] — Information and links concerning current initiative activity.
   ¶ Failed Propositions:  Proposition 10 Proposition 7 Proposition 6 Proposition 5 Proposition 4 Proposition 98 Proposition 93 Proposition 92 Proposition 91 Proposition 90 Proposition 89 Proposition 88 Proposition 87 Proposition 86 Proposition 85 Proposition 82 Proposition 81 Proposition 80 Proposition 79 Proposition 78 Proposition 77 Proposition 76 Proposition 75 Proposition 74 Proposition 73 Proposition 72 Proposition 70 Proposition 68 Proposition 67 Proposition 66 Proposition 65 Proposition 62 Proposition 56 Proposition 54 Proposition 53 Proposition 52 Proposition 51 Proposition 45 Proposition 38 Proposition 37 Proposition 33 Proposition 31 Proposition 30 Proposition 28 Proposition 27 Proposition 26 Proposition 25 Proposition 23 Proposition 15 Proposition 9
   Proposition 8 Proposition 7 Proposition 3 Proposition 226
   Proposition 224 Proposition 223 Proposition 202 Proposition 201 Proposition 200 Proposition 199 Proposition 197 
   After an election, links to propositions that passed are added to the list for “Initiative Statutes Adopted” above; or propositions for constitutional amendments are linked under the heading for the constitution, above. (Note that numbering started again with "1" in the 1998 general election. The primary election was moved from June to March, beginning in 2000.) For the March 2002 election, the links here point to the complete voter guide because no information about each proposition separately is provided on the secretary of state's web site.
   ¶ “The California Civil Code” ... [Univ. of San Diego, Legal Research Center] — A commentary on the history and development of the Civil Code, by Arvo Van Alstyne, Professor of Law at UCLA (originally published by West Publishing Company, probably in 1954, in its edition of the code).
   ¶ “History of the California Code of Civil Procedure” ... [Univ. of San Diego, Legal Research Center] — A commentary on the history and development of the Code of Civil Procedure, by Justin Miller, a member of the State Bar of California (originally published by West Publishing Company, probably in 1955, in its edition of the code).
   ¶ “The Education Code” ... [Univ. of San Diego, Legal Research Center] — A commentary on the history and development of the Education Code, by Joseph L. Knowles, Deputy Legislative Counsel (originally published by West Publishing Company, probably in 1955, in its edition of the code).
   ¶ “Introduction to the California Probate Code” ... [Univ. of San Diego, Legal Research Center] — A commentary on the history and development of the Probate Code, by Lowell Turrentine, Professor of Law at Stanford (originally published by West Publishing Company, probably in 1956, in its edition of the code).
   ¶ “California Motor Vehicle Legislation” ... [Univ. of San Diego, Legal Research Center] — A history of California motor vehicle laws embracing the period 1900-1959, by J. Allen Davis and Harry V. Cheshire, Jr. (originally published by West Publishing Company, probably in 1960, in its edition of the Vehicle Code).
   ¶ “California Water Law in Perspective” ... [Univ. of San Diego, Legal Research Center] — A historical commentary by J.D. Straus and George H. Murphy (originally published by West Publishing Company, probably in 1956, in its edition of the Water Code).

California Rules of Procedure and Practice

California Rules of Court (Cal. R. Ct.)
Tit. 1. Rules Applicable to All Courts [Rule 1.1 et seq.] Tit. 2. Trial Court Rules [Rule 2.1 et seq.] Tit. 3. Civil Rules [Rule 3.1 et seq.] Tit. 4. Criminal Rules [Rule 4.1 et seq.] Tit. 5. Family and Juvenile Rules [Rule 5.1 et seq.] Tit. 7. Probate Rules [Rule 7.1 et seq.] Tit. 8. Appellate Rules [Rule 8.1 et seq.] Tit. 9. Rules on Law Practice, Attorneys, and Judges [Rule 9.1 et seq.] Tit. 10. Judicial Administration Rules [Rule 10.1 et seq.] Standards of Judicial Administration Tit. 1. Rules Applicable to All Courts [Rule 1.1 et seq.] (171KB) Tit. 2. Trial Court Rules [Rule 2.1 et seq.] (1030KB) Tit. 3. Civil Rules [Rule 3.1 et seq.] (1738KB) Tit. 4. Criminal Rules [Rule 4.1 et seq.] (621KB) Tit. 5. Family and Juvenile Rules [Rule 5.1 et seq.] (2906KB) Tit. 7. Probate Rules [Rule 7.1 et seq.] (565KB) Tit. 8. Appellate Rules [Rule 8.1 et seq.] (1445KB) Tit. 9. Rules on Law Practice, Attorneys, and Judges [Rule 9.1 et seq.] (477KB) Tit. 10. Judicial Administration Rules [Rule 10.1 et seq.] (1832KB) Standards of Judicial Administration (799KB) Ethics Standards for Neutral Arbitrators in Contractual Arbitration (101KB) App. A. Judicial Council Legal Forms List (473KB) App. B. Liability Limits of a Parent or Guardian Having Custody and Control       of a Minor for the Torts of a Minor (14KB) App. C. Guidelines for the Operation of Family Law Information Centers       and Family Law Facilitator Offices (27KB)
Note—California rules of court were reorganized effective 1/1/2007. (Title 6 is reserved.) See a table of disposition of the old rules and a table of derivation of the new rules.
Court of Appeal Rules
1st District (San Francisco) 2nd District (Los Angeles / Ventura) 3rd District (Sacramento) 4th District (San Diego / Riverside / Santa Ana) 5th District (Fresno) 6th District (San Jose) 
These are local rules of the courts of appeal. These are not uniform trial-court rules.
Superior Court Rules (Sup. Ct. R.)
Alameda County Alpine County Amador County Butte County Calaveras County Colusa County Contra Costa County Del Norte County El Dorado County Fresno County Humboldt County Imperial County Inyo County Kern County     —Appendix to Venue Rules Kings County Lake County Lassen County Los Angeles County Madera County Marin County Mariposa County Mendocino County Merced County Modoc County Mono County Monterey County Napa County Nevada County Orange County Placer County Plumas County Riverside County Sacramento County San Benito County San Bernardino County San Diego County San Francisco San Joaquin County San Luis Obispo County San Mateo County Santa Barbara County Santa Clara County Santa Cruz County Shasta County Sierra County Siskiyou County Solano County Sonoma County Stanislaus County Tehama County Trinity County Tulare County Tuolumne County Ventura County Yolo County  Yuba County 
In all counties the superior and municipal courts have been administratively consolidated into a single superior court.
U.S. Court Rules
Central District Rules (C.D. Cal. R.) Eastern District Rules (E.D. Cal. R.) Northern District Rules (N.D. Cal. R.) Southern District Rules (S.D. Cal. R.) Central District Bankruptcy Rules (C.D. Cal. Bankr. R.) Eastern District Bankruptcy Rules (E.D. Cal. Bankr. R.) Northern District Bankruptcy Rules (N.D. Cal. Bankr. R.) Southern District Bankruptcy Rules (S.D. Cal. Bankr. R.) 
Rules of Practice ♦ Judicial Rules ♦ Professional Ethics Decisions
Rules of Professional Conduct and Related Law Provisions Rules of the State Bar MCLE Rules and Regulations Code of Judicial Ethics Commission on Judicial Performance Rules  State Bar Ethics Opinions 
Additional Resources
¶ Amendments of California Rules of Court
¶ Supreme Court of California: Practices and Procedures ... This booklet provides an overview of the court's work, procedures, membership, and history (including internal operating procedures).
¶ California Discovery & Privilege Law ... [Richard E. Best (Cal.)] — Maintained by a court commissioner, this site provides information on California discovery law and practice, particularly law and motion issues in the San Francisco Superior Court, including tentative decisions, local rules, informal policies and suggestions to counsel, legal outlines, and links to other legal sites.
¶ Legal Citation Rules
California Style Manual: A Handbook of Legal Style for California Courts and Lawyers (4th ed. 2000). Edward W. Jessen ... [Sixth District Appellate Program] — This is a revision of the third edition (1986) by the Reporter of Decisions.

California Administrative Law Sources

Regulations
Code of Regulations (Cal. Code Regs.) Regulatory Notice Register (Cal. Regulatory Notice Reg.) State Administrative Manual 
1. Opinions ♦ Decisions ♦ Orders ♦ Rulings
   Attorney General Opinions (Ops. Cal. Att'y Gen.)

California Local Law Sources

Charters
Select a county ... Alameda County Butte County El Dorado County Los Angeles County Orange County Sacramento County San Diego County San Mateo County Select a municipality ... Alameda Berkeley Chico Del Mar Glendale Huntington Beach Long Beach Redwood City Richmond San Bernardino San Diego Santa Rosa  
Note: A charter could be included in a collection of ordinances (see below) instead of being separately accessible. Also, counties and municipalities do not necessarily have charters; in fact, most (about 75 percent) do not. Those without charters are known as general-law counties and general-law cities. See a list of charter counties and a list of charter cities (not necessarily up-to-date).
County Ordinances
Select a county ... Alameda County <5> Alpine County <3> Amador County <3> Butte County <5> Calaveras County — Code <5> Calaveras County — Ordinances <1> Colusa County <3> Contra Costa County <5> Del Norte County <1> El Dorado County <7> Fresno County <5> Glenn County <1> Humboldt County <1> Imperial County — Code <5> Inyo County <6> Kern County <5> Kings County <5> Lake County <5> Lassen County <6> Los Angeles County <5> Madera County <5> Marin County <5> Mendocino County <5> Merced County <6> Mono County <5> Monterey County <5> Napa County <5> Orange County <5> Placer County <6> Plumas County <5> Riverside County — Code <5> Riverside County — Ordinances <1> Sacramento County <6> San Benito County <2> San Bernardino County <2> San Diego County <2> San Joaquin County <5> San Luis Obispo County — Code <5> San Luis Obispo County — Ordinances <1> San Mateo County <5> Santa Barbara County <5> Santa Clara County <5> Santa Cruz County <3> Siskiyou County <5> Sonoma County <5> Stanislaus County <6> Tehama County <5> Tulare County <3> Ventura County <5>  

Note: Two sources for a county — one for “Code” and one for “Ordinances” — are shown in this list when uncodified ordinances are available at the second source. To access the web site of the on-line provider of a county's ordinances, click on the button indexed to the name of the county (e.g., "<1>"). NOTE: On some web sites, selecting the state (and enabling JavaScript) will be necessary for access to the ordinances link.
Municipal Ordinances
Select a municipality ... Adelanto <2> Agoura Hills <5> Alameda <5> Albany <4> Alhambra <2> American Canyon <6> Anaheim <2> Anderson <5> Angels <3> Antioch <2> Arcadia <5> Arcata <3> Arroyo Grande <5> Artesia <6> Atascadero <6> Atherton <3> Atwater <5> Auburn <2> Avalon <4> Azusa <5> Bakersfield <6> Baldwin Park <2> Banning <5> Barstow <5> Bell Gardens <3> Bellflower <6> Belmont <5> Benicia <3> Berkeley — Code <3> Berkeley — Ordinances <1> Beverly Hills <7> Big Bear Lake <5> Biggs <3> Bishop <5> Blythe <5> Brawley <5> Brea <2> Brentwood <6> Brisbane <5> Buellton <6> Buena Park <6> Burlingame <6> Calabasas <5> Calexico <1> <5> Calimesa <3> Calistoga <3> Camarillo <1> <5> Campbell <5> Capitola <6> Carlsbad <5> Carmel-by-the-Sea <3> Carpinteria <5> Carson <3> Cathedral City <6> Ceres <5> Cerritos <3> Chico <1> Chino <5> Chino Hills <5> Chowchilla <5> Chula Vista <3> Citrus Heights <5> Cloverdale <3> Clovis <3> Coachella <5> Colton <5> Colusa <5> Commerce <5> Compton <4> Concord <1> Corcoran <7> Corning <5> Corona <2> Coronado <3> Corte Madera <5> Costa Mesa <5> Cotati <5> Covina <3> Crescent City <5> Cudahy <3> Culver City <2> Cupertino <2> Cypress <5> Daly City <5> Dana Point <6> Danville <2> Davis <6> Del Mar <1> Desert Hot Springs <6> Diamond Bar <5> Dinuba <3> Downey <6> Duarte <5> Dublin <3> Dunsmuir <5> East Palo Alto <5> El Cajon <6> El Centro <5> El Cerrito <5> El Monte <5> El Segundo <7> Elk Grove <3> Emeryville <3> Escalon <3> Escondido <6> Etna <3> Eureka <2> Fairfax <2> Fairfield <3> Fillmore <5> Folsom <3> Fontana <5> Fortuna <3> Foster City <3> Fountain Valley <6> Fowler <5> Fremont <3> Fresno <5> Fullerton <2> Gardena <3> Gilroy <3> Glendale <1> <5> Glendora <6> Goleta <6> Gonzales <7> Grand Terrace <5> Gridley <2> Gustine <5> Half Moon Bay <3> Hawaiian Gardens <6> Hawthorne <6> Healdsburg <3> Hemet <5> Hercules <3> Hermosa Beach <1> Hesperia <5> Highland <3> Hollister <6> Holtville <3> Hughson <3> Huntington Beach <1> Huntington Park <6> Imperial Beach <6> Indian Wells <6> Indio <2> Inglewood <6> Ione <5> Irvine <5> Irwindale <5> Kerman <3> King City <6> Kingsburg <5> La Cañada Flintridge <6> La Habra <6> La Habra Heights <3> La Mesa <5> La Mirada <2> La Palma <5> La Puente <2> La Quinta <6> La Verne <6> Lafayette <5> Laguna Beach <6> Laguna Hills <3> Laguna Niguel <5> Laguna Woods <5> Lake Elsinore <3> Lake Forest <5> Lancaster <5> Larkspur <3> Lathrop <6> Lawndale <6> Lemon Grove <6> Lemoore <7> Livermore <3> Lodi <5> Loma Linda <6> Lomita <5> Lompoc <6> Long Beach <5> Loomis <6> Los Alamitos <6> Los Altos <5> Los Altos Hills <6> Los Angeles <2> Los Banos <5> Los Gatos <5> Lynwood <7> Madera <2> Malibu <1> <5> <6> Mammoth Lakes <5> Manhattan Beach <5> Manteca <6> Marina — Code <1> <5> Marina — Ordinances <1> Martinez <5> Marysville <3> Maywood <5> Menlo Park <3> Merced <5> Millbrae <3> Milpitas <5> Mission Viejo <5> Modesto <5> Monrovia <2> Montclair <5> Monte Sereno <5> Montebello <5> Monterey <3> Monterey Park <6> Moorpark <6> Moraga <5> Moreno Valley <6> Morgan Hill <5> Morro Bay <5> Mountain View <5> Mt. Shasta <3> Murrieta <2> Napa <6> National City <5> Nevada City <5> Newark <5> Newman <3> Newport Beach <3> Norco <3> Norwalk <6> Novato <5> Oakdale <4> Oakland <5> Oakley <3> Oceanside <5> Ojai <5> Ontario <2> Orange <5> Orange Cove <5> Orinda <5> Oroville <1> <5> Oxnard <2> Pacific Grove <3> Pacifica <5> Palm Desert <6> Palm Springs <6> Palmdale <3> Palo Alto <2> Palos Verdes Estates <3> Paradise <5> Pasadena <5> Paso Robles <5> Patterson <3> Perris <5> Petaluma <3> Pico Rivera <6> Pinole <2> Pismo Beach <2> Pittsburg <3> Placentia <1> <5> Placerville <7> Pleasant Hill <3> <4> Pleasanton <6> Point Arena <3> Pomona <5> Port Hueneme <5> Porterville <7> Portola <1> <5> Portola Valley <5> Poway <3> Rancho Cordova <3> Rancho Cucamonga <5> Rancho Mirage <6> Rancho Santa Margarita <5> Red Bluff <2> Redding <5> Redlands <7> Redondo Beach <6> Redwood City <5> Reedley <7> Rialto <5> Richmond <5> Ridgecrest <5> Rio Dell <3> Rio Vista <6> Riverbank <2> Rocklin <5> Rohnert Park <5> Rolling Hills Estates <5> Rosemead <5> Roseville <6> Sacramento <6> Salinas <5> San Anselmo <5> San Bernardino <1> San Bruno <6> San Buenaventura <5> San Carlos <3> San Clemente <5> San Diego <1> San Dimas <6> San Fernando <5> San Francisco <5> San Francisco — Building Inspection Codes <2> San Gabriel <2> San Jacinto <3> San Joaquin <2> San Jose <2> San Juan Bautista <3> San Juan Capistrano <5> San Leandro <6> San Luis Obispo <3> San Marino <7> San Pablo <5> San Rafael <5> San Ramon <5> Sanger <5> Santa Ana <5> Santa Clara <3> Santa Clarita <3> Santa Cruz <3> Santa Fe Springs <2> Santa Monica <6> Santa Paula <2> Santa Rosa <6> Santee <6> Saratoga <5> Scotts Valley <5> Seaside <5> Selma <7> Shafter <5> Shasta Lake <5> Sierra Madre <5> Signal Hill <2> Simi Valley <5> Solana Beach <3> Soledad <5> Solvang <7> Sonoma <3> South Gate <3> South Lake Tahoe <3> South Pasadena <6> South San Francisco <6> St. Helena <3> Stanton <6> Stockton <6> Suisun City <5> Sunnyvale <6> Susanville <6> Taft <7> Tehachapi <5> Tehama <5> Temecula <6> Temple City <7> Thousand Oaks <2> Tiburon <5> Torrance <5> Tracy <5> Tulare <2> Turlock <3> Tustin <5> Ukiah <7> Union City <6> Upland <6> Vacaville <3> Vallejo <5> Victorville <5> Villa Park <5> Visalia <2> Vista — Code <1> Vista — Ordinances <1> Walnut <6> Walnut Creek <3> Wasco <3> Waterford <6> Watsonville <3> West Covina <5> West Hollywood <6> West Sacramento <6> Westlake Village <5> Westminster <6> Wheatland <6> Whittier <5> Williams <5> Willits <5> Willows <3> Windsor <5> Winters <3> Woodlake <5> Woodland <5> Woodside <2> Yorba Linda <5> Yountville <6> Yreka <5> Yuba City <4> Yucaipa <6> Yucca Valley <7>  

Note: Two sources for a municipality — one for “Code” and one for “Ordinances” — are shown in this list when uncodified ordinances are available at the second source. To access the web site of the on-line provider of a municipality's ordinances, click on the button indexed to the name of the municipality (e.g., "<1>"). NOTE: On some web sites, selecting the state (and enabling JavaScript) will be necessary for access to the ordinances link.

California Law-Related Periodicals

1. Berkeley Journal of Criminal Law (Berkeley J. Crim. L.) ... [Univ. of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall Sch. of Law] — Formerly titled California Criminal Law Review (until 2000).
2. Berkeley Technology Law Journal (Berkeley Tech. L.J.) ... [Boalt Hall Sch. of Law / Univ. of Cal. at Berkeley]
3. Business Law Journal ... [UC Davis Sch. of Law]
4. California Bar Journal (Cal. B.J.) ... [State Bar of California]
5. California Western International Law Journal (Cal. W. Int’l L.J.)
6. California Western Law Review (Cal. W. L. Rev.)
7. Cal-Tax Digest (Cal-Tax Dig.) ... [Cal. Taxpayers' Ass'n]
8. Chapman Law Review (Chap. L. Rev.)
9. Ecology Law Currents (Ecology L. Currents) ... [Univ. of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall Sch. of Law] — On-line content from the staff of Ecology Law Quarterly.
10. Ecology Law Quarterly (Ecology L.Q.) ... [Univ. of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall Sch. of Law]
11. Glendale Law Review (Glendale L. Rev.) ... [Glendale Univ. Coll. of Law]
12. Journal of Ethics and Social Philosophy (J. Ethics & Soc. Phil.) ... [Univ. of S. Cal.]
13. Journal of National Security Law & Policy (J. Nat'l Sec. L. & Pol'y) ... [Univ. of the Pacific / McGeorge Sch. of Law]
14. Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review (Loy. L.A. Ent. L. Rev.)
15. Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review (Loy. L.A. Int’l & Comp. L. Rev.) ... Formerly titled Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Journal (until August 1999).
16. Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review (Loy. L.A. L. Rev.)
17. Santa Clara Computer and High Technology Law Journal (Santa Clara Computer & High Tech. L.J.) ... [Santa Clara Univ. Sch. of Law]
18. Scientific Testimony: An Online Journal (Sci. Testimony) ... [Univ. of Cal. at Irvine / Dep't of Criminology, Law & Society] — The journal publishes articles and commentary about forensic science and scientific evidence.
19. Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal (So. Cal. Interdisciplinary L.J.) ... [Univ. of So. Cal. Law Ctr.] — Articles that assess existing law and propose legal reform using perspectives that come from outside legal scholarship.
20. Southern California Law Review (S. Cal. L. Rev.)
21. Stanford Law & Policy Review (Stan. L. & Pol’y Rev.)
22. Stanford Technology Law Review (Stan. Tech. L. Rev.)
23. Thomas Jefferson Law Review (T. Jefferson L. Rev.) ... [Thomas Jefferson Sch. of Law]
24. UC Davis Law Review (UC Davis L. Rev.)
25. UCLA Journal of Law and Technology (UCLA J.L. & Tech.) ... Formerly titled UCLA Bulletin of Law and Technology.
26. UCLA Law Review (UCLA L. Rev.)
27. University of San Francisco Law Review (U.S.F. L. Rev.)
28. Western Criminology Review (W. Criminology Rev.) ... [Western Society of Criminology (Cal.)]

Other California Commentary

1. Judicial Council Publications ... Selected publications by the Judicial Council, available in various formats (MS Access 6.0, MS Word 6.0, HTML, and PDF files).
   Franchise Tax Board — Internal Procedure Manuals
   Bank and Financial Handbook Collection Procedures Manual Manual of Audit Procedures Multistate Audit Technique Manual 
   See also additional internal procedure manuals.
   Attorney General

   1. Publications
      Antitrust Enforcement in California California Firearms Law Conflict of Interest Guidelines for Access to Public Records Women's Rights Handbook 
      The publications linked in this list are selected “information” publications. Other available publications include various reports as well as a few collections of state laws on specific subjects.
   2. Law in the School: A Guide for California Schools, School Safety Personnel and Law Enforcement (6th ed. 2000) ... [California Attorney General: SafeState.org] — “This book is an excellent resource for teachers, parents and students, concerning all aspects of the law related to California public schools. School administrators, professors, lawyers and law enforcement officials will also find it an excellent resource.”
      Introduction and Table of Contents Chapters 1 and 2 Chapters 3 and 4 Chapters 5 and 6 Chapter 7 and Resources 
      From the introduction: “The goal in making this handbook available is to provide a better understanding of state and federal laws that specifically relate to establishing and maintaining safe schools. School rules and local and district ordinances that apply to school operations (often found in local or district publications) and many state and federal laws unrelated to safety have not been included.”

   California Judges' Benchguide: The Indian Child Welfare Act ... [California Indian Legal Services] — See a copy at the Internet Archive until this book becomes available on the reconstructed CILS web site.

   Children's Regulatory Law Reporter ... [Univ. of San Diego Sch. of Law] — This reporter “focuses on the child-related rulemaking activities of California state agencies. For each regulatory proposal discussed, the . . . [reporter] explains the proposed action and analyzes its impact on children.”

   Public Law Research Institute Reports ... [Univ. of California, Hastings Coll. of Law] — “Founded by Professor Julian Levi at Hastings College of the Law in 1983, the Public Law Research Institute (PLRI) analyzes legal issues that currently confront California's state and local governments, at the request of various state and local governmental offices, including the California Senate Office of Research and the Research Bureau of the California State Library. The range of topics varies from year to year, and is as broad as the spectrum of issues state and local governments confront. Past topics have included legislative responses to the AIDS crisis, corporate governance, election reform, welfare reform, economic development, crime control, health care reform, and more.”

   Witkin Library — Contents of Treatises ... [Witkin Legal Institute] — Access to the tables of contents of the four Witkin treatises: Summary of California Law (10th ed. 2005); California Procedure (5th ed. 2008); California Evidence (4th ed. 2000); California Criminal Law (3rd ed. 2000). While the text is not accessible, the tables of contents are very detailed, and together they provide a good topical overview of California law.

   Appellate Counsellor Tips ... [Calvin House, Esq. (Cal.)] — Practical advice from a seasoned appellate specialist, on various aspects of appellate practice: tips to make sure your appeal is timely; tips for preparation of the record; tips on briefing; appellate practice in action; step-by-step down the road to a writ of mandate; depublication in the California Supreme Court.

   Additional Resources

   ¶ Recent California Case-Law Developments ... [Witkin Legal Institute (Cal.)] — Brief analyses of selected recent California decisions. Several more-recent developments are linked on the main page, and there is an archive of developments previously posted, which are organized by topic.

California Law-Related Topical Web Sites

California Court Information

Appellate Court Web Sites
Supreme Court Court of Appeal — 1st District Court of Appeal — 2nd District Court of Appeal — 3rd District Court of Appeal — 4th District Court of Appeal — 5th District Court of Appeal — 6th District 
Superior Court Web Sites
Alameda County Alpine County Amador County Butte County Calaveras County Colusa County Contra Costa County Del Norte County El Dorado County Fresno County Glenn County Humboldt County * Imperial County Inyo County Kern County Kings County Lake County * Lassen County Los Angeles County Madera County Marin County Mariposa County Mendocino County Merced County Modoc County Mono County Monterey County Napa County Nevada County Orange County Placer County Plumas County Riverside County Sacramento County San Benito County San Bernardino County San Diego County San Francisco San Joaquin County San Luis Obispo County San Mateo County Santa Barbara County Santa Clara County Santa Cruz County Shasta County Sierra County Siskiyou County Solano County Sonoma County Stanislaus County Sutter County Tehama County Trinity County * Tulare County Tuolumne County Ventura County Yolo County Yuba County ————— * Page on the Judicial Council's web site.
Former municipal courts have been administratively consolidated into the superior courts.
U.S. Court Web Sites
U.S. District Court—Central District     —Eastern District     —Northern District     —Southern District ————— U.S. Bankruptcy Court—Central District     —Eastern District     —Northern District     —Southern District 

California Forms

A.  Litigation Forms

Courts of Appeal — Local Forms
1st District (San Francisco) 2nd District (Los Angeles / Ventura) 3rd District (Sacramento) 4th District (San Diego / Riverside / Santa Ana) 5th District (Fresno) 6th District (San Jose) 
1. Judicial Council Forms
   These forms are prescribed for use in all California trial courts. Some forms are optional, but in most cases, using a prescribed form is mandatory. See also a long list of all forms by number and a list of the most recent changes in prescribed forms.

   Note— Most of the Judicial Council forms can be downloaded to a local computer and filled out. Forms also can be printed and fill in by hand. See also “Using Fillable Forms” for technical instructions and advice about using the forms. Alternatively, see an interactive forms web site maintained by the San Mateo County Superior Court (for use in family-law cases, domestic-violence cases, small-claims cases, landlord-tenant cases, and guardianship or probate cases).

   Superior Court Forms
   Alameda County Amador County Butte County Calaveras County Contra Costa County El Dorado County Fresno County Inyo County Kings County Los Angeles County Madera County Marin County Mariposa County Napa County Nevada County Orange County Plumas County Riverside County Sacramento County San Bernardino County San Diego County San Francisco San Luis Obispo County San Mateo County Santa Barbara County Santa Clara County Santa Cruz County Shasta County Solano County Sonoma County Stanislaus County Ventura County Yolo County Yuba County
   These are downloadable local-court forms, for use in addition to mandatory forms prescribed by the Judicial Council (see above). For courts not listed here, local forms might be included in the local rules (often in an appendix).
   U.S. Court Forms
   Central District Court Forms Northern District Court Forms Southern District Court Forms Central District Bankruptcy Forms Eastern District Bankruptcy Forms Northern District Bankruptcy Forms Southern District Bankruptcy Forms

2. Forms of Jury Instructions
   See also links to forms of Ninth Circuit jury instructions for federal courts.
   California Civil and Criminal Jury Instructions ... [Judicial Council of California]
   Additional Resources
   ¶ Litigation Forms ... [American LegalNet, Inc. (Cal.)] — Various state and federal court forms can be downloaded (registration for a “free subscription” is required).
   ¶ Judicial Council Forms ... [LaserGraphics, Inc. (Cal.)]
   ¶ California Criminal Jury Instructions ... [Thomas Lundy, J.D. (Cal.)] — Collection of articles, cases, and commentary, including comments on specific CALJIC instructions. Note that CALJIC instructions are superseded by new approved criminal instructions (see the link above).

B.  Tax Forms

1. Controller
   Estate Tax Forms and Information
   Property Tax Postponement Claim Form ... The Property Tax Postponement Program allows eligible homeowners (senior citizens; blind and disabled citizens) to postpone payment of the property taxes on their principal place of residence. This program is suspended after February 20, 2009.

2. Employment Development Department
   Disability Insurance Forms
   Paid Family Leave Forms
   Payroll Tax Forms
   Unemployment Insurance Forms

3. Equalization, Board of — Forms

4. Franchise Tax Board — Income Tax Forms

C.  Government Agency Forms

1. Corporations, Department of ... Some forms may be available in word processor files as well as PDF files.
   Consumer Complaint Form
   Financial Services Division — Forms — Finance Lenders ... Forms under the Finance Lenders Law and other consumer-finance laws.
   Securities Regulation Division

   Forms — Securities ... Forms under the Securities Law, the Franchise Law, and the Capital Access Company Law.
   Forms — Brokers, Dealers, Investment Advisors

2. Real Estate, Department of — Forms ... Some can be filled-in (using the Adobe Acrobat free reader) on-line before being printed.

3. Business Entity Forms ... [Paracorp, Inc. (Cal.)] — Convenient interface to view and print in-blank official state forms (in PDF files) for filing by business entities. A JavaScript-enabled browser is required.

D.  Transaction Forms

1. Controller — Forms for Claiming Unclaimed Property ... See also forms for reporting unclaimed property.

2. Motor Vehicles, Department of — Forms

3. Secretary of State
   Corporation Forms
   Limited Liability Company Forms
   Miscellaneous Business Entities Forms ... Forms relating to unincorporated associations, nonprofit associations, and foreign lending institutions.
   Notary Public Forms
   Partnerships

   General Partnership Forms

   Limited Partnership Forms

   Limited Liability Partnership Forms
   Trademark and Service Mark Forms
   U.C.C. Forms
   Unclassified Statutory Filings Forms ... Forms for statutorily required filings not covered by one of the specific program areas above (e.g., change-of-name decree, registration of claim as successor-in-interest).

Other California Resources

Government-Related Web Sites
Legislature—Assembly Legislature—Senate     —Legislative Counsel     —Legislative Analyst     —Law Revision Commission Judicial Council ————— Attorney General State Public Defender ————— Board of Equalization Franchise Tax Board Secretary of State ————— Association of Bay Area Governments 
See also the Piper Resources list of sites.
Additional Resources
¶ Vital Records — Contact Information ... [Elizabeth Orsay (Ind.)]
¶ Workers' Compensation — Agency and Staff Contact Information ... [Robert W. McDowell / North Carolina Industrial Commission]
1. State Bar of California

   Local Bar Associations
   Alameda County Bar Association Beverly Hills Bar Association Contra Costa County Bar Association El Dorado County Bar Association La Jolla Bar Association Los Angeles County Bar Association Los Angeles County, Lawyers Club of Los Angeles, Women Lawyers Association of Marin County Bar Association Monterey County Bar Association Orange County Bar Association Pasadena Bar Association Placer County Bar Association Riverside County Bar Association Sacramento County Bar Association Sacramento, Women Lawyers of San Bernardino County Bar Association San Diego County Bar Association San Diego County, Bar Association of Northern San Diego, Lawyers Club of San Fernando Valley Bar Association San Francisco, Bar Association of San Francisco Bay Area, Queen's Bench Bar Association of the San Joaquin County Bar Association San Mateo County Bar Association Santa Clara County Bar Association Sonoma County Bar Association Tahoe-Truckee Bar Association Ventura County Bar Association Yolo County Bar Association 
   Special-Interest Bar Associations
   Armenian Bar Association Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom California Applicants' Attorneys Association California Attorneys for Criminal Justice California Association of Certified Family Law Specialists California District Attorneys Association California Lawyers for the Arts California Public Defenders Association California Women Lawyers Consumer Attorneys of California Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association of San Diego County La Raza Lawyers Association of California Orange County Asian American Bar Association San Francisco La Raza Lawyers Association South Asian Bar Association of Northern California Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association Tom Homann Law Association 
   Law-Related Organizations
   California Association of Criminalists California Taxpayers' Association (Cal-Tax Online) ————— California Association of Legal Document Assistants Sacramento Valley Paralegal Association San Francisco Paralegal Association 
   See the National Federation of Paralegal Associations for links to websites of member organizations.
   Additional Resources
   ¶ California Minority Counsel Program
   Law Schools ♦ Admission to Practice ♦ Continuing Legal Education
   Continuing Education of the Bar [CEB] Bar Admissions Boalt Hall School of Law (University of California at Berkeley) Cal Northern School of Law California Western School of Law Chapman University School of Law Empire College School of Law Glendale University College of Law Golden Gate University School of Law Hastings College of the Law (University of California) John F. Kennedy University School of Law Lincoln Law School of San Jose Loyola Law School (Loyola Marymount University) McGeorge School of Law (University of the Pacific) Monterey College of Law Pepperdine University School of Law San Francisco Law School San Joaquin College of Law Santa Barbara College of Law Santa Clara University Law School Silicon Valley University Law School Southern California Institute of Law Southwestern University School of Law Stanford Law School Thomas Jefferson School of Law UCLA School of Law (University of California at Los Angeles) University of California at Davis School of Law University of La Verne College of Law University of San Diego School of Law University of San Francisco School of Law University of Southern California Law School University of West Los Angeles School of Law Ventura College of Law Western State University College of Law Whittier Law School (Whittier College)  Abraham Lincoln University School of Law American College of Law California School of Law California Southern Law School Concord Law School East Bay Law School Inland Valley College of Law Irvine University College of Law Larry H. Layton School of Law Lorenzo Patiño School of Law (University of Northern California) Northwestern California University School of Law Oak Brook College of Law Pacific Coast University School of Law Pacific West College of Law Peoples College of Law Southern California University for Professional Studies Western Sierra Law School William Howard Taft University School of Law 
   See also the California State Bar list of law schools. Graduates of unaccredited law schools may be eligible to take the bar examination notwithstanding the lack of accreditation.

2. Public Law Research Institute ... [Hastings Coll. of the Law / Univ. of Cal.] — Analyzes legal issues that currently confront California's state and local governments, at the request of various state and local governmental offices (see a subject index of reports. Topics have included legislative responses to the AIDS crisis, corporate governance, election reform, welfare reform, economic development, crime control, health care reform). PLRI Reports are available on-line.
   Consulates of Canada and Mexico ♦ Consulats ♦ Consulados
   Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles Consulate of Canada in San Diego Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco / Silicon Valley ————— Consulado General de México en Calexico Consulado General de México en Los Angeles Consulado General de México en Sacramento Consulado General de México en San Bernardino Consulado General de México en San Francisco Consulado General de México en San Jose Consulado General de México en Santa Ana

Legal Research and Assistance

Law Libraries
See also a directory of California public law libraries, presented by the Council of California County Law Libraries.
Alameda County: Bernard E. Witkin Law Library Contra Costa County El Dorado County Fresno County: Frank J. Creede, Jr. Law Library Kern County Los Angeles County Mendocino County Merced County Monterey County Nevada County Orange County Riverside County Sacramento County San Bernardino County San Diego County San Francisco San Joaquin County San Luis Obispo County San Mateo County Santa Barbara County Santa Clara County Santa Cruz County Solano County Sonoma County Stanislaus County Tulare County Ventura County Yolo County California Western School of Law Chapman University: Harry and Diane Rinker Law Library Golden Gate University John F. Kennedy University Loyola Law School Los Angeles: William M. Rains Library Pepperdine University: Jerene Appleby Harnish Law Library San Joaquin College of Law Santa Barbara College of Law Santa Clara University: Heafey Law Library Southwestern University Stanford University: Robert Crown Law Library Thomas Jefferson School of Law University of California (Hastings Coll. of the Law) University of California, Berkeley: Garret W. McEnerney Law Library (Boalt Hall Sch. of Law) University of California, Davis: Mabie Law Library University of California, Los Angeles: Hugh & Hazel Darling Law Library University of La Verne University of San Diego: Pardee Legal Research Center University of San Francisco: Dorraine Zief Law Library University of Southern California: Asa V. Call Law Library University of the Pacific: Gordon D. Schaber Law Library (McGeorge Sch. of Law) Ventura College of Law Western State University Whittier Law School Mills Law Library (San Francisco)
See also links to web sites of public law libraries and catalogs of academic law libraries, maintained by the library at Washburn University School of Law; and the LibrarySites.Info database of library web sites (“Libcat”).
1. Judicial Council — Self-Help Center ... “This site is intended to help you find legal assistance, learn about California law, work better with an attorney, and represent yourself in some legal matters.” There is also a Spanish version, Centro de Ayuda, as well as versions in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
   State Bar of California — Consumer Pamphlets ♦ Legal Information Topics
   Guide to Legal Literacy When You Become 18: A Survival Guide for Teenagers Seniors & the Law: A Guide for Maturing Californians How Can I Find and Hire the Right Lawyer? What Can a Lawyer Referral Service Do for Me? What Can I Do if I Have a Problem With My Lawyer? Can the Client Security Fund Help You? How Do I Become a Lawyer? How Can I Resolve My Dispute Without a Trial? How Do I Use the Small Claims Court? What Should I Know About Serving on a Jury? Kids & the Law - An A-Z Guide for Parents What Should I Know About Divorce and Custody? Can the Law Help Protect Me From Domestic Violence? What Should I Know About Elder Abuse? Do I Need a Will? Do I Need Estate Planning? Do I Need a Living Trust? What Should I Know Before I Rent? What Are My Rights As an Employee? What Should I Do if I Have an Auto Accident? What Can I Do if I Can't Pay My Debts? What Should I Know About Elder Abuse? What Should I Know if I Am Arrested? What Should I Do if I Am a Crime Victim?  What Should I Know About Elder Abuse?
   See also The State Bar of California—What Does It Do, How Does It Work?

2. State Government Executive Departments
   1. Consumer Affairs Department
      1. Publications
      2. Legal Guides ... “Legal guides provide technical and practical information on everyday consumer law issues. They are written by the Department of Consumer Affairs' Legal Services Unit as a general resource for consumer attorneys and representatives, consumer complaint handlers, Small Claims disputants and personnel, reporters and others involved in analyzing, describing and administering consumer laws. Legal Guides are not written primarily for use by the general public . . . .”
   2. Insurance Department — Consumer Information Guides
   3. Real Estate Department — Publications

3. Bankruptcy Law and Procedures for California Residents ... [Calicchia & Kinast LLP (Ohio)] — This web site, presented by a Cleveland bankruptcy law firm, covers basic information about the bankruptcy process, describes debt consolidation and credit counseling as alternatives to bankruptcy, lists the property that an individual is allowed to keep (with citations to governing provisions of California law), and gives information about the bankruptcy courts and how to contact bankruptcy attorneys in California.

4. Low-Cost Legal Aid ... See also the web site for LawHelp.org and the web site for SelfHelpSupport.org.
   1. LawHelp California ... [Pro Bono Net (N.Y.) / Public Interest Clearinghouse (Cal.) / California Consumer Protection Foundation] — This is “a joint project of California Indian Legal Services and Public Interest Clearinghouse with the guidance of the CalJustice Advisory Committee and assistance from advocates at many LSC and IOLTA-funded legal aid programs. Our goal is to provide the public with easy internet access to basic legal information and legal resources in California.”
   2. California Indian Legal Services ... CILS “is the first Indian-controlled law firm organized to provide specialized legal representation to Indians and Indian tribes. CILS provides free or low-cost representation on those matters that fall within the priorities . . . set by our Board of Trustees.”
   3. California Legal Help for the Poor ... [Am. Bar Ass'n] — Contact information for statewide and local legal-aid programs, from the ABA's Directory of Pro Bono Programs. The ABA also provides a page of links to pro bono programs' web sites.
   4. WomensLaw.org — Sources of Legal Help ... [WomensLaw.org (N.Y.)] — Sources of legal help (not limited to legal help for women) include statewide domestic-violence resources, local domestic-violence resources listed by city or town, free or low-cost legal services, and lawyer referral services.