California
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in California — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in California
California's courts run a step-by-step self-help guide that walks you through starting a divorce case from filing to final judgment. Start there before anything else.
California Courts — Start a Divorce Case
The official starting point: complete instructions for filing, serving papers, and finishing your divorce.
selfhelp.courts.ca.gov — start a divorce →Find a divorce lawyer
State Bar of California — Lawyer Referral Service
The State Bar certifies local lawyer referral services across California, listed by region. Call 1-866-442-2529 to find a certified service near you.
calbar.ca.gov — lawyer referral →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
LawHelpCA
California's statewide free legal information site, run by the Legal Aid Association of California and funded by the State Bar.
lawhelpca.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
California has no statewide CPS hotline — reports go to the county where the child lives. Find your county's Emergency Response Hotline number here.
cdss.ca.gov — county hotlines →CalHFA — CalAssist Mortgage Fund
Grants covering up to 1 year of mortgage payments for homes destroyed or severely damaged by a California disaster. Call 877-922-5432.
calhfa.ca.gov — CalAssist →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Unpaid wages in California
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in California.
Where to go
Labor Commissioner's Office (Division of Labor Standards Enforcement)
Time limit to file
3 years (most violations)
What the floor is
$16.90 (2026)
Changing your name in California
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in California.
How it works
petition the superior court
Typical court fee
~$435
Newspaper notice required?
yes (once a week for 4 weeks; some exceptions)
Small claims court in California
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in California.
Maximum claim
$12,500 for individuals ($6,250 for businesses)
Filing fee
$30–$75 depending on claim size
Can you bring one?
no at the hearing — can advise beforehand; allowed on appeal
Clearing your criminal record in California
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where California stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — expungement (and automatic relief for many)
What qualifies
convictions after probation complete; many non-conviction arrests and eligible low-level convictions cleared automatically
Waiting period
none once probation/sentence complete
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in California →
Child support in California
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in California.
How it's figured
income shares (state guideline formula) California Department of Child Support Services online guideline calculator (childsupport.ca.gov); formula in Family Code section 4055
When it ends
age 18, or age 19 if still in high school full-time
Lemon law in California
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? California's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new and leased vehicles with a manufacturer's express warranty; also used cars still under factory warranty (demos, certified pre-owned)
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts of same problem, 2+ attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, or 30+ days out of service within 18 months or 18,000 miles
What you get
replacement or refund of purchase price (consumer's choice)
Tenant rights in California
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in California.
Notice before eviction
3-day notice to pay or quit for nonpayment; 30 days to end month-to-month if tenant has been there under 1 year, 60 days if 1 year or more
Deposit limits & return
Max 1 month's rent (2 months' rent allowed for small landlords with no more than 2 properties/4 units); return within 21 days with a written itemized list
When the landlord won't fix things
May repair and deduct up to 1 month's rent after reasonable written notice (Civil Code 1942)
DUI / DWI in California
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how California handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.15
Typical penalties
Up to 6 months in jail (48-hour minimum in some counties), $390-$1,000 fine, 6-month license suspension
How far back DUIs count
10 years
Gun laws in California
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permit required; shall-issue since Bruen/SB 2 (no more 'good cause'); 21+
Carrying openly
Generally prohibited
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Universal background checks required (all transfers through a licensed dealer) Waiting period: 10 days.
Extreme risk protection
Yes — (Gun Violence Restraining Orders, since 2016). Courts can temporarily order firearms removed from someone found to be a danger.
Reciprocity
Does not recognize any out-of-state permits
Filming the police: your rights in California
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
All-party consent
State law generally requires everyone recorded to consent — but on-duty officers in public have no reasonable expectation of privacy, so courts have held that recording them is protected. (Cal. Penal Code § 632)
No buffer-zone law
California has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
Section 632 only covers 'confidential' conversations, and on-duty police in public have no expectation of privacy, so recording them is not eavesdropping. Since 2015, Cal. Penal Code § 148(g) says filming a public officer in public is not obstruction and does not justify a stop or arrest.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in California
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in California
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in California
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in California
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in California
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →