Description
“I have been looking for this for years. It is an excellent resource for beginning lawyers and secretaries and answers most questions on California procedure as well as including applicable forms.”
— Marlene Hazelwood
“California Legal Secretary is the most complete reference book I have yet to see in my 12 years as a legal secretary.”
— J. Monroe, Costa Mesa, CA
Filing procedures are seldom found in either traditional practice guides, or on the Web. Colleagues with experience in the area may be unavailable. Courts clerks are hard to reach.
When you need ready and reliable answers to procedure questions, turn to Marlene Hazlewood’s California Legal Secretary. Written specifically for those who have to quickly prepare and file legal documents, California Legal Secretary contains:
- Concise statements of procedure
- Completed forms
- Detailed completion and filing instructions
Hundreds of attorneys and paralegals own and rely on California Legal Secretary. They use the book to quickly find the specific nuts and bolts how-to information that is seldom found in traditional practice guides. Here, in one affordable book, are detailed procedures and model forms to speed and simplify your court filings and transactions:
1. Detailed procedures
Dozens of procedure checklists are provided, each cross-referenced to the applicable forms. You receive specific, step-by-step instructions:
- Content and format of pleadings, discovery documents, motions and briefs
- How to file all types of forms
- Service requirements
- Deadlines and fees
2. Model forms
Hundreds of completed forms are supplied – in both print and digital formats – for the most common types of litigation and transactions:
- California and federal civil litigation
- Family law
- Real property
- Corporations
- Landlord/tenant
- Wills and probate
Hundreds of Step-by-Step Guidelines
Written in plain English, with no confusing statutory language or legalese, the instructions are given in quick-reading outline format with no extra law to wade through—only the rules and procedures you need. The forms are completed so you know what to place where, and memory-prodding checklists keep you from omitting any key steps. California Legal Secretary will help you to:
- File suit against a public entity
- Commence an unlawful detainer action
- Execute disclosure and discovery documents
- Commence workers’ compensation proceedings
- And much, much more!
For a complete and comprehensive guide to California legal procedures, turn to California Legal Secretary. Find definitions, background information, step-by-step guidelines, statement of procedure and plenty of sample forms to help you file documents correctly the first time.
REVISION 30 HIGHLIGHTS
California Legal Secretary provides specific how-to information seldom found in traditional practice guides. Here, in one affordable book, are detailed procedures and model forms to speed and simplify your court filings and transactions. New in this edition are more than 50 updated forms plus:
In this edition, new material on remote appearances::
CIVIL PROCEEDINGS BEFORE TRIAL – CHAPTER 1
- Amount in controversy limits for limited civil cases and small claims court. §101.3
- Filing in counties with multiple superior courts, LA County Rules. §103.4
- Service by electronic mail. §105.4
CIVIL TRIAL AND POST-TRIAL – CHAPTER 2
- Post-judgment interest on unpaid money judgments of less than $200,000 for a claim related to medical expenses or $50,000 for a claim related to personal debt. §220
- Time for service of order for appearance of judgment debtor. §221.2
FEDERAL COURT PROCEDURES—CHAPTER 3
- Format, filing, and service procedures for district courts-o Eastern district: courtesy paper copies, service of documents. §§321.4, 321.7 o Central district: hyperlinks. §323.1
- Filing fees. §330.4
- Disclosure statement. §330.5
- Motions-o Eastern district: replies, continuances, and supplementary material. §371.2 o Central district: briefs, summary judgment motions. §§373.1, 373.7
REAL PROPERTY – CHAPTER 5
- Mailing addresses and phone numbers for county recorders. Form 536-1
CORPORATIONS – CHAPTER 6
- Filing documents in the Sacramento office. §610.1.1
- Filing documents in the Los Angeles office. §610.1.2
- Filing documents online. §610.1.3
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Linda Gubba-Reiner has worked as a legal secretary and paralegal for 25 years. For the past 11 years, she has worked for Sullivan Hill Rez & Engel, A Professional Law Corporation, which, as of February 2024, is Fennemore LLP.
Marlene Hazlewood has worked as a legal secretary and legal assistant since 1969. From 1979 through 1990, she worked on a freelance basis for law firms in Los Angeles and Orange counties, during which time her areas of practice included federal and state court litigation, labor law, creditors’ rights, family law, probate, corporate and real property. Ms. Hazlewood was employed by Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton in Los Angeles as a litigation paralegal and was a member of the Government Contracts and Regulated Industries Practice Group from 1991-2003.
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