SLO Women's Center

The Family Law Project

This project of the Family Law Action Committee of the Women's Community Center provides affordable, accessible divorce information and advice for people trying to navigate the family law courts without the services of an attorney. Over half the marriages in the United States end in divorce. In almost half of these cases one or both parties does not have an attorney. Since August 2000 the Committee has sponsored a number of activities designed to provide a climate of support and assistance for the women, and men, representing themselves in family law matters in San Luis Obispo County.

The following ongoing monthly activities all take place at the Women's Community Center. Please call to reserve your place, as space is limited.

DIVORCE GUIDANCE CLASS

Are you thinking about getting a divorce? Are you in the middle of it already and bewildered? Come to this informal class to find out the answers to questions you have been afraid to ask and haven't. Tips and advice from someone who has been there and done that. This informative, educational seminar takes place every third Wednesday of the month at 7 PM. A $5 donation covers the cost of the printed materials distributed at the workshop.

LEGAL CLINIC FOR SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS

With the assistance of the San Luis Obispo County Bar Association Family Law Section, the Women's Community Center provides one-on-one legal advice for persons filing their own divorces. Only persons who do not have an attorney may participate. The Women's Community Center will also have document preparers available to participants to assist them in completing the court required forms. Clinic sessions are held once a month on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 5:30 PM at the San Luis Obispo Women's Community Center. A $25 donation is requested to defray expenses.

COURTWATCH SERVICES

If you have a court hearing scheduled and want someone to come with you, to provide moral support, call the Center. We have trained volunteers who will come and sit with you in the courtroom and observe the proceedings. These volunteers may not give legal advice to you nor may they speak up in court. They are present to provide support for you. The Project also provides court watchers to observe proceedings. These trained observers attend the court sessions on a regular basis and record their observations to ensure that the courts treat all people in a fair and equitable manner, wither the person has an attorney representing her or whether she is representing herself. While court watching, the volunteer may not speak to any particular litigant or show any partiality.

REAL F.A.C.T.S.

Begun as an ad hoc committee to investigate why their own families were not receiving adequate services through the Department of Social Services, this group has grown into a county-wide support and advocacy group on behalf of families whose children are under the jurisdiction of the Child Welfare Services agency. (more to come)

Si lo necessita, se habla espanol.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information, call:
Women's Community Center 544-9313
Family Law Facilitator 546-3769
Women's Shelter 781-6401 (SLO) or 461-1338 (North County)
Victim Witness 781-5821

THE REAL FACTS THE FORUM ON ABUSED CHILDREN AND "THE SYSTEM"
Mission and Goals of The Real F.A.C.T.S.: The Real F.A.C.T.S. has a lobbying group in Sacramento. Our mission is to raise public awareness and interest in issues facing abused children and their caretakers within the county's child welfare systems and the courts, with the intent of developing the best possible practices among professionals in these fields. Our goals include working toward establishing more sensible laws for protecting abused children and their caretakers, allowing abused children to maintain unsupervised contact with non-abusive family members, and giving non-abusive family members more control over what happens to abused children in their families. We will work to insure that abused children are removed from abusers and that more legal rights are developed for grandparents. The Real FACTS will work towards fulfilling this mission by: Gathering information and documentation from individuals who are currently involved with, or who were previously involved with, the county welfare systems and the courts. Determining whether inappropriate actions have been taken by any of the county agencies or the courts. Exposing through public formats such as newspapers, television news, pamphlets, etc. the injustices and questionable practices within the system. Developing a statewide network with other groups pursuing similar actions. Working together with other groups to develop and lobby for new legislation that will better serve and protect abused children and their caretakers

We are an action oriented group whose main thrust is to monitor agencies where abused children are involved. We are not a support group, but need to hear your stories and to obtain, if possible, written documentation of what has happened to you. Please change or omit case names to avoid any problems with violations of confidentiality laws, but give a telephone number where you can be reached for further clarification, if necessary. There may be information we can share with you regarding your rights but we are not attorneys and accept no responsibility whatsoever for any outcome of your case. PO Box 1796
Atascadero, Calif, 93423-1796
TEL (805) 461-4824 or (805) 460-1796
EMAIL therealfacts@tcsn.net The Real FACTS THE REAL FACTS THE FORUM ON ABUSED CHILDREN AND "THE SYSTEM" Some Real FACTS From 105th CONGRESS, HCON 182 Whereas gender bias still exists within the courts, particularly those making and affecting child custody determinations, and has long existed and still exists within the mental health system Whereas false accusations by women are in fact rare, occurring no more often than do other false reports of crimes, such as bank robbery Whereas many courts and professionals use the baseless parental alienation syndrome to force mothers into joint or shared parenting arrangements or to give custody to fathers, especially when mothers try to protect themselves or their children from men who abuse them or their children Fathers who abuse their children's mothers are more likely to dispute custody and visitation than are fathers who are not violent. "You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth" Legal Advisor for The Real F.A.C.T.S.:

STEPHEN C. RONCA
Attorney at Law
General Practice located in San Luis Obispo, CA The Real FACTS The Forum on Abused Children and "The System" PO Box 1796 Atascadero, Calif. 93423-1796
Phone 805-461-4824 460-9016