A Civil Law Self-Help Center (CLSHC) opens Monday (Dec. 7) in the Regional Justice Center to provide self-represented litigants with the tools to effectively prepare for court. The center will provide common civil forms, education and self-help legal information to those wishing to represent themselves in civil matters in the Clark County court system.
“This center allows us to respond to the needs of the community and the courts,” said District Court Presiding Civil Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez. “Our civil caseload has increased this year as more individuals face foreclosure, civil lawsuits and landlord-tenant issues. Many of those people are self-represented and require help in navigating our courts.”
Legal Aid of Southern Nevada will staff the center with a lawyer and four bilingual paralegals. They will remain neutral and will not provide legal advice. The center will offer assistance in the following Legal Topics: Civil Actions, Landlord – Tenant and Evictions, Mediation, Protection Orders, and Small Claims. A mediator also will provide litigants the option of using no cost resolution programs to settle their matters outside of a courtroom.
The center, located on the first floor of the RJC, will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day.
A Civil Law Self-Help Center Web site will allow individuals to prepare legal documents over the Internet. It can be found at http://www.clarkcountycourts.us/self-help.html.