Advice/Advisor

How Do I Contact The Small Claims Advisor?

You can leave a message for the Small Claims Advisor by calling (209) 524-3784 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can also send an email to advisor@stanislausmediation.org.

For in-person hours and the Small Claims clinic schedule please click on this link: http://www.stanislausmediation.org/small_claims.html.

Small Claims assistance is available in person on the first four Fridays of the month in the Research Area located in the clerk's office at 1100 I Street, Modesto from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. 

What Can The Small Claims Advisor Do For Me?

The Advisor can answer your questions about Small Claims and:

1. Explain the small claims rules and procedures;
2. Explain how to complete small claims forms;
3. Explain how to prepare for court;
4. Explain how to collect your money if you've won;
5. Explain what you can do if you can't afford to pay;
6. Refer you to an attorney or other agencies who may be able to help you.

PLEASE NOTE: The Advisor cannot act as your attorney, and their services are not intended to replace those of your own attorney. Also, the Advisor will not be able to tell you whether you "have a case," whether you will win, or what your chances are of winning. They can, however, assist you in preparing your best case. The Advisor's main purpose is to explain how to prepare for and correctly use the Small Claims Court, how to complete the forms, and to inform you about the Small Claims and general California law and common consumer problems.

Forms & Instructions

Blank forms are available from the Small Claims counter clerks at 1100 I Street, Modesto, or
on the California Courts website, which is located at:  www.courtinfo.ca.gov/forms .

If you need legal advice you need to consult with an attorney. 

For a referral to an attorney, you can call the Stanislaus County bar's Lawyer's Reference Service, at (209) 571-5727 (there is a $60 fee for a one-half hour consultation).

If you are a Stanislaus County resident age 60 or older (or married to such a person), or if have a low income, the California Rural Legal Assistance attorneys may be able to help with certain problems other than Small Claims.  To find out whether you qualify for their free services and whether it is the type of case they will handle, you need to call them at (209) 577-3811.  

Alternatively, there is also the Landlord-Tenant/Small Claims Clinic located at CRLA that can provide assistance much like the Advisor, but their services are also based on low income customers and limited to plaintiffs only.  To find out if you qualify for assistance you can go to the Clinic , located at 1111 I Street, Suite 310, Modesto, CA  Mon-Tues, & Thurs-Friday from 9 to 3:30 p.m. (Closed Wednesdays and lunch time 12-1p.m.)

For Additional Assistance

An information booklet called "The Do's and Don'ts of USING THE SMALL CLAIMS COURT" is published in English by the California Department of Consumer Affairs. It provides answers to frequently asked questions about Small Claims court. The booklet is available to read at the following places: the reference desk of the county library at 1500 "I" St., and the Small Claims court counter at 1100 I Street, Modesto.

The information booklet is also available online at: http://www.dca.ca.gov/smallclaims/.

Other books available at the public library include:

How to Win in Small Claims Court in California

Everybody's Guide to Small Claims Court in California

Books available at the law library include:

Everybody's Guide to Small Claims Court in California

Small Claims Court and Consumer Law

Small Claims Procedure Manual

How to Collect When You Win a Lawsuit

If you need landlord-tenant information, please visit:
http://www.dca.ca.gov/r_r/lanldtoc.htm

The Judicial Council sponsors a Small Claims website with general information on Small Claims law and procedure, and specific information about Small Claims court and advisory services within each of the 58 counties. The address is: www.courtinfo.ca.gov  For another useful site (in English), see: http://www.sanmateocourt.org/director.php?filename=./smallclaims/index.html or  www.dca.ca.gov (pages 18-21).

For the same site in Spanish, see:
http://www.sanmateocourt.org/director.php?filename=./smallclaims/spanish/index.html