The Courthouse Facilitator program at Snohomish County Superior Court Clerk’s Office provides assistance to Family Law and Adult Guardianship clients who are not represented by attorneys.

Provides legal information and advice for the following issues depending on attorney availability:   -  Auto accidents - Birth injuries -  Consumer law - Criminal defense -  Family law -  Finance -  Immigration -  Landlord-tenant law -  Medical negligence -  Personal injury -  Property law -  Worker's rights/wage claims

Provides legal services to relatives and other caregivers to obtain minor guardianship of children whose parents cannot or do not want to care for them. The program provides direct representation through referrals to a pro bono panel of attorneys and/or provides guidance and advice for clients who are unrepresented. The client does not need to be a relative but must have a significant relationship with the child. The child must currently be living with the applicant.

ELAP provides free 1-hour appointments with a family law attorney for advice and consultation on family law legal issues involving domestic violence. Attorney volunteers are not able to provide full representation or represent clients in court.

A judge or commissioner decides whether it is safe for the child to remain in the home or whether the child should be placed in out-of-home care.   The focus of the 72-hour shelter care hearing is to protect the child and offer ways for the parent to address the issues that led to the state's involvement.   At this time, the court also decides an appropriate visitation schedule for children and parents, a service plan for the parents, and whether there is a need for medical, mental health or substance abuse evaluations and treatment for the parents.

Provides resources and one-on-one advocacy for non-custodial fathers seeking to establish, re-establish or maintain positive relationships with their children.   Offers guidance and assistance to fathers who are in arrears on their child support obligations. Provides assistance in obtaining legal documents for parenting plans and visitation. Cannot accompany clients to court proceedings. Offers informal counseling to help fathers make wise decisions. Provides help with connecting to other resources.

Provides free legal assistance by phone for LGBTQ people and their legal advocates. Focuses on helping with custody disputes, separation or divorce, and immigration or asylum. Can potentially assist with other topics as well. Advocates for equitable public policies affecting the LGBTQ community, and conducts community education on LGBTQ issues.

Provides a safe haven for women and girls of any age who have been involved in commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. Confidential day center provides food, clothing, laundry, hygiene items and showers, as well as the possibility of an overnight stay. Center also offers support such as free counseling and therapy, mentoring, support groups, transportation to medical appointments and court dates, life skill classes, GED prep classes, case management and referrals to other resources. Offers internships for learning job skills in administrative work, retail and coffee making. Also provides job referrals through partner organizations. Virtual appointments may be made with an attorney to assist with parenting plans, criminal record expungement or immigration assistance. Organization is faith-based.

Provides dispute resolution by means of mediation, conciliation, facilitation and training. Types of disputes include but are not limited to: landlord/tenant; consumer/merchant; parent/teenager; employer/employee; neighbor/neighbor; family; divorce; parenting plans/property division; small claims court cases; and non-violent criminal cases.

Offers a free PowerPoint presentation for self-represented parties in nonparental custody actions.   Presentation is designed to give users an overview of a nonparental, or 3rd party custody, court case. The presentation goes over how to start a case, how to serve the necessary parties, and how to finish the case.   Presentation is not intended for people who would like to get custody of their own children.

Mediation is one way that people can resolve their conflicts and still maintain or improve the quality of the relationship with the other person. In a family, a business environment, or in small towns, this can be especially important.   What you can expect in a mediation session:   Trained certified mediators to guide you through the mediation process and the expectation of the mediation   To keep the communication productive and focused on the issue the mediator will outline what it means to mediate in good faith   Time to tell all parties your story, how you feel, and how you would like to resolve the issues   Time to listen and hear the other parties’ stories, how they feel, and how they would like to resolve the issues   Work together to outline a list of items you would like resolved   Talk to each other and come to mutually agreeable solutions    Design your own settlement agreements that are long lasting   Mediation sessions can last up to 3 hours, and parties can schedule multiple session based on their own needs.    Parenting Plan Creation and Parenting Plan Modifications In the state of Washington, parents are required to have a "Parenting Plan" before a judge will grant a divorce.  In Mediation the parents can work together in the best interest of the children, work through historical issues, and work towards healthy communication and respectful relationship.  Additionally, parents will have the opportunity to design their parenting plan that looks to the future; identifying potential changes in their lives: i.e. new partners, residential transfers, children's changing needs.    When parents' communication is ineffective, children suffer in school, in peer relationships and in self esteem. Unresolved conflict is expensive.   Business Mediation Mediation is an effective and efficient process to help resolve employment disputes. A neutral mediator can assist parties in reaching a voluntary, negotiated agreement. Choosing mediation to resolve employment disputes promotes a better work environment, reduces costs and brings satisfaction for both the employer and the employee.   According to Halvorson Human Resources, the cost of turnover ranges from approximately 3 months pay for an hourly worker to $145,000 for a hi-tech employee.  Conflict is expensive.  PDRC offers the following meditations: Family, Divorce, Parenting Plans, Foreclosure, Neighborhood, Workplace, Business, Landlord/Tenant

Provides mediation and group facilitation as an alternative to the court system for resolving conflicts quickly and economically which include divorced parents, family relationships, and neighbors.   Mediation is a process and appointments are booked a few weeks out. Also provides mediator training. All parties must be willing to participate.   More types of mediations the center can accommodate:    - Parenting Plan Modifications  - Parent-Teen Mediation  - Landlord Tenant (sometimes)  - Dissolutions (Divorce) - Workplace conflicts  - Commercial  - Contract  - Probate  - Property Claims  - Real Property  - Personal Injury  - Bar Complaints

In partnership with Opportunity Council, LAW Advocates provides information about the procedures and issues involved with obtaining a non-parental custody order for a relative or unrelated person (often grandparents, aunts/uncles, or family friends). A family law lawyer will assist clients with court documents and instruct them in representing themselves in court to obtain a non-parental custody order.

Operates legal clinics providing free 30 minute consultations with an attorney. Focus is on Korean and Korean-speaking clients. Clinic attorneys can: -  Determine whether the client has a legal problem -  Suggest possible options -  Help answer papers, summons and requests -  Provide appropriate referrals   Neighborhood legal clinic attorneys may not have expertise in all areas of the law, but they will make every attempt to answer questions accurately. Attorneys CANNOT give advice on criminal legal issues or provide representation on any legal matters.

Provides legal advice and representation in family law issues for potential clients who live or work in Seattle, work with a DV agency located within Seattle, recently fled Seattle, or are cooperating with law enforcement in Seattle, who are survivors of domestic violence and telephone advice to advocates working with survivors of domestic violence. Clients gain access to the program through referral by a domestic violence advocate. Printed materials regarding legal rights, responsibilities and procedures may also be available in various languages.

Hosts a legal clinic specifically designed to address the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and couples. This clinic is run by QLaw Foundation in partnership with the King County Bar Association. The clinic is open to everyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. At the clinic, an attorney will meet with clients for 30 minutes and provide individualized legal advice and information. Clinic attorneys will answer questions and provide information in a variety of areas including family law, immigration, debt and bankruptcy, divorce/dissolution, employment discrimination, and transgender legal issues.

Provides free, monthly, 30 minute legal clinics for family law and Immigration legal needs with a focus on serving the LGBTQ Latinx community. Volunteer attorneys work with clients to identify legal needs, potential legal actions and connect clients to further community legal services.   Assists with Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs (OIRA) legal clinics, with a particular focus on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program recipients and their family members.   Helps clients prepare for citizenship by confirming eligibility and providing free naturalization classes and workshops.    Lawyers and legal volunteers assist clients complete their N-400 naturalization petition and reviews them for accuracy.

Legal Advocates provide information and support in regard to criminal and/or civil legal matters. Advocates are not attorneys and cannot represent in court, however they can help navigate the legal system and provide support and accompaniment through processes such as protection orders, divorce proceedings and parenting plans. DAWN partners with Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP) to provide an attorney working on-site at our offices for clients referred through DAWN.

Responsible for processing and managing all Superior Court records and financial transactions, including felony criminal, civil, family law, probate/guardianship, and juvenile offender matters. The Court Facilitator Can: - Help identify which mandatory family law or protection order forms are needed - Review forms you have prepared for completeness - Explain court procedures - Help a party schedule court hearings - Make referrals to other agencies - Calculate child support when provided with income for both parties - Assist both parties in an action The Facilitator Cannot: - Give legal advice - Assist litigants who are represented by an attorney - Represent parties in court - Fill out forms for a party - Tell the party what to say in court

Provides both permanency planning and intensive treatment services to children and families who may need help with chronic problems such as on-going abuse and neglect or intensive medical needs.  

A judge or commissioner decides whether it is safe for the child to remain in the home or whether the child should be placed in out-of-home care.   The focus of the 72-hour shelter care hearing is to protect the child and offer ways for the parent to address the issues that led to the state's involvement.   At this time, the court also decides an appropriate visitation schedule for children and parents, a service plan for the parents, and whether there is a need for medical, mental health or substance abuse evaluations and treatment for the parents.

Provides support to the Family and Juvenile Division of the Thurston County Superior Court. Court staff can provide: - the status of a specific case, unless the case is "confidential,"; - general information on court rules, procedures and practices; - court-approved forms; - court schedules and information on how to get matters scheduled. Staff cannot: - provide advice about whether one should file a case, or what actions they should take in the case; - words to put in a form; - advise anyone on what to say in court; - speculate about what decision the judge might make or what sentence the judge might impose.

Provides: -  Non-contested marriage dissolutions (default or agreed divorces) -  Non-contested legal separations -  Establishment of a parenting plan in non-contested (agreed) cases when the father has already been determined  Non-contested can include: -  Cases where the parties are in agreement with one another -  Cases where one party has had no contact at all with the other party (and has no concept of how they might be able to contact them) for at least 18 months  Language and American Sign Language interpreters are available for appointments. People may also bring their interpreter with them.   Procedure:  -  1) Complete application to determine eligibility  -  2) Attend meeting with program manager to start drafting legal documents  -  3) Meet with program manager to pick up legal documents and then file papers at the court  SHP no longer has classes; all meetings are now one-on-one with the program manager.  Attorney does NOT represent clients in court.

Qualified individuals will receive a legal consultation with a volunteer attorney regarding civil legal matters. Volunteer attorneys provide legal advice, direction, paperwork review, and assistance completing legal documents. Assists with the following legal matters: - Walk-In Clinic every Wednesday, 2-4pm - Family law - Employment - Wills and estates - Consumer and bankruptcy - Housing: helps with eviction and landlord/tenant information

Services are provided by trained professional mediators who volunteer their time. Services include: - Face to Face Mediation - Coaching for problems - Some simple negotiation over the telephone TYPES OF PROBLEMS THE CENTER WILL HANDLE: - Divorce mediation - Parenting Plan mediation - Neighborhood problems (noise, pets, parking, lawn & garden, property line problems and other nuisances) - Landlord-tenant issues (deposits, repairs, damages, etc.) - Real estate or personal property - Business consumer problems (faulty merchandise, refunds, exchanges, etc.) - Employer/employee grievances - School problems involving faculty or administration, students or parents - Family issues such as problems related to divorce and parenting plans - Other domestic problems not involving violence or other factors that require professional intervention or assistance TYPES OF PROBLEMS NOT HANDLED: Any problem requiring legal assistance, such as filing lawsuits (criminal defenses, will preparation, etc.); issues involving drug/alcohol abuse, domestic violence, abuse to children, or issues where one or more parties fears abuse; or problems where a party cannot speak adequately on their own behalf, although can work with clients who have a case manager. Other Services Provided: - Offers workshop of varying lengths to organizations, businesses, and groups on a range of topics including: conflict resolution, negotiation, communication, conflict styles, and dealing with difficult people. - Victim Offender Meeting Program: Brings together victims of juvenile crime with the offenders to talk about the impact of the crime and for the youth to make amends. - Assists senior citizens to resolve disputes with family members, businesses, landlords, neighbors and others through mediation. - Parent Youth Mediation Service: Allows parents and teenagers or pre-teens to sit down together to talk about how things are going within the family and develop agreements on behaviors, level of independence, respectful communication and consequences. Co-mediators assist the mediating parties.