District of Columbia Self Help and Legal Research
This page provides information about Self Help and Legal Research resources in District of Columbia.
Links are grouped by those that cover courts statewide, for multiple counties, and then by individual county.
District of Columbia - Statewide Courts Self Help
Family Court Self-Help Services
View information about the Family Court Self-Help Center and services offered for people without attorneys.
Domestic Violence Resources
View information about matters in the Domestic Violence Unit, including protection orders, Intake Center locations and services, Supervised Visitation Centers, hotlines, and general support information and resources. Links to forms, electronic filing, record searches, and child care resources are also provided.
Child Support Resources
View child support information and an online child support calculator.
Self-Representation Information
View information about representing yourself in Superior Court, including types of cases, where to file, and which forms to file. Links to information about case types, Crime Victims Compensation, tax matters, mediation, how to locate an attorney, forms, a Small Claims Handbook in English and Spanish, the Consumer Law Resource Center, a handbook for self-represented parties in civil cases, a glossary of terms, and answers to frequently asked questions are also provided.
Superior Court Rules
Search Superior Court rules by keyword, or browse by case type.
D.C. Child and Family Services
The D.C. Child and Family Services Agency is responsible for the protection of children at risk of abuse and neglect, and provides intervention, foster care, and placement services. The agency also assists at-risk families, partners, and caretakers.
Tax Information
View information about tax matters, including filing a petition and mediation. Links to forms are provided.
Dispute Resolution Information
View information about the Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division of Superior Court, which can help parties resolve disputes without going to trial. Programs include mediation, arbitration, case evaluation, and conciliation in civil, small claims, landlord-tenant, medical malpractice, family, probate, and tax disputes.
Free Legal Information
Legal information is organized by topic including Consumer, Employment, Family Law, Housing, Public Benefits, Immigration, Estate Planning, Guardianship, Small Business Law, and Taxation.
Information on Sealing and Expungement of Records
View information from the District of Columbia Public Defender on the sealing or expungement of criminal records.
Housing Conditions Calendar
View information about the Housing Conditions Calendar, a program in the Civil Actions Branch that allows tenants to sue for housing code violations. Links to complaint and summons forms and instructions are included.
District of Columbia Official Code
Search the Official Code of the District of Columbia by keyword, or browse the table of contents by title.
Contest Traffic and Parking Tickets
Contest District of Columbia parking and photo enforcement tickets online, or schedule minor moving violation hearings online. View instructions for contesting tickets by mail or in person.
Foreclosure Prevention Resources
View resources for preventing foreclosure in the District of Columbia, including local housing counseling agencies, the Home Saver Program, and a link to legal aid providers.
Family Court Information
View information about Family Court matters including abuse and neglect, adoption, paternity and child support, and mediation. Instructions for filing a case; a link to the Family Court Self-Help Center; answers to frequently asked questions; a Domestic Relations Handbook for parties representing themselves in divorce, custody, and support cases; a video in English and Spanish; a parents' calendar tool in English and Spanish; and links to forms, electronic filing, and case record searching are also provided.
Probate Information
View information Probate Division matters, including types of estates, filing a will, guardianships, conservatorships, and other types of cases handled by the Division.Links to answers to frequently asked questions, electronic filing, record request instructions, the Probate Resource Center, mediation, brochures and videos, and formst are also provided.
Court Information and Glossary
Search answers to frequently asked questions by category and keyword. A glossary of legal terms is also provided.
Criminal Information
View information about criminal matters including arrest, arraignment, traffic violations, misdemeanors, bond, community and problem solving courts, and sealing of records. Links to forms, pre-trial services, answers to frequently asked questions, and the Public Defender Service are also provided.
Drug Court
View information about Drug Court, which can set up treatment in lieu of incarceration for some offenders, and result in dismissal of charges for some misdemeanor offenders.
Mental Health Court
View information about Mental Health Community Court, which can set up treatment in lieu of incarceration, and result in reduced or dismissed charges, for some offenders with mental health problems.
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