The JDC Legal Help Center at the San Francisco Courthouse
The Legal Help Center is a free service offered by the Justice & Diversity Center of the Bar Association of San Francisco (“JDC”) to provide information and limited-scope legal assistance to pro se litigants in civil cases. The Legal Help Center is a project of the Bar Association of San Francisco and is not part of the United States District Court.
Location & Hours
United States Courthouse
450 Golden Gate Avenue
15th Floor, Room 2796
San Francisco, CA 94102
The Legal Help Center is staffed by an attorney employed by JDC. All services are provided in San Francisco.
Help is provided by appointment only.
Services
The Legal Help Center’s attorney will provide information about legal rights and responsibilities and about the court procedures applicable to their cases, limited-scope legal advice, help preparing simple pleadings, and referrals to legal, social, and government services. If a litigant seeks help from the Legal Help Center, he/she will still represent him/herself. The attorney at the Legal Help Center can provide information, advice, and basic legal help but cannot represent litigants as their lawyer.
Who May Use the Legal Help Center
Anyone who is representing him/herself as a plaintiff or a defendant in a civil case in the San Francisco or Oakland divisions of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, or who is considering filing a complaint in one of those divisions. This service is not available to litigants who have legal representation.
How to Make an Appointment
Help is provided by appointment only. There are two ways to schedule an appointment and only one appointment may be scheduled at a time:
- Sign up in the appointment book located on the table outside the door of the Legal Help Center or
- Call 415-782-9000 x8657
Attorneys Interested in Pro Bono Opportunities
The Federal Pro Bono Project arranges pro bono counsel for litigants with cases in the Northern District. Learn more.