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Status Conference Voluntary Attorney

About

Thank you for being a volunteer at our Pro Per Status Conferences. Your work at these status conferences is invaluable to the litigants you are helping and to the Judicial Officers. The court requires that each volunteer attorney read, review and sign the two documents at the following links on SignNow. One document is a Memorandum of Understanding For Access to San Mateo County Superior Court's Electronic Court Data (Register of Actions) and/or Systems and the second document is a Volunteer Attorney Portal Access Terms, Conditions and Acknowledgement document.

The signing of these documents is a one-time endeavor. If these documents are not signed in advance of the calendar date, the volunteer attorney will not be given credentials to access enhanced information via the Odyssey Portal.

You should have received an email with your assigned department and the Odyssey login information.

Here is the link to Odyssey: https://odyportal.sanmateocourt.org/portal

When you first meet with the litigants it is important to introduce yourself and to explain the goal of the conference and that while you are an attorney you cannot give them legal advice and you do not represent them. Below is a sample script.

Hi my name is __________, I am an attorney volunteering with the Court assist you with your case. I am an attorney however I do not represent either party in the matter and I cannot give either party legal advice. I am here to help you with procedural issues in your case and assist with completing the necessary paperwork to get a judgment submitted in your matter.

Department 34 will start their Zoom Status Conferences prior to the actual calendar start time to check in and to answer any last-minute questions. In addition, the clerk can provide you with continuance dates, if necessary. Please check in with the clerk following the Status Conference you conduct. You can also email kcunningham@sanmateocourt.org in advance of the hearing with any questions, comments, or concerns. If you are not able to attend, please let us know so that we can plan accordingly.

Interpreters

The Court will have interpreters available. Please inform the clerk so that they can contact the Interpreter Division.

File Review Checklist

Below is a file check list regarding the three types of cases you will see at the Status Conferences.

Trial Setting Order

At the end of the Status Conference the litigants need to agree on next steps in their case. Below is a link to the Status Conference Trial Setting Order. You will need to fill out the order which should include the next status conference date.

Here is some sample language of items to include under section 13 of this order.

SINCE THE COURT IS NOT CALLING THE MATTER AND NO COURT REPORT IS PRESENT, ANYTHING ORDERED MUST BE BY AGREEMENT OR CONSENT OF THE PARTIES PRESENT AT THE HEARING.

  • The parties have request confidential mediation. Both parties will sign all necessary paperwork within 14 calendar days of this hearing.
  • The Petitioner/Respondent will serve their preliminary disclosures on the other party within 30 calendar days from this hearing and file their Declaration Regarding Service of Disclosures within 45 calendar days.
  • The parties will sign up for ADR within 14 calendar days from this hearing.
  • The parties have jurisdictional issues and will either file a declaration with the Court or request an uncontested hearing within 30 calendar days of this hearing.
  • The Party will attempt to find the other party to serve them. If they are unable to serve them, they will file a request for publication or posting within 60 calendar days of this hearing.
  • The Party will file an amended Petition within 30 calendar days of this hearing.
  • The Parties will file an uncontested Judgment within 30 calendars days of this hearing
  • The Party will file a default Judgment within 30 days of this hearing.

Helpful links and referral for the Litigants During the Case Status Conference

San Mateo Lawyer Referral Service

To get a referral, please call: (650) 369-4149.

The Bar changes $35 (payable in advance by credit card), for a consultation of up to 30 minutes.

Below is a link you can share with the litigants regarding the bar associations lawyer referral service:
https://www.smcba.org/for-the-public/find-a-lawyer/

Workshops

The Self Help Center is currently offering drop in workshops to assist with Preliminary Disclosures on Wednesdays at 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm. The Zoom link is: https://sanmateocourt.zoomgov.com/j/1602891820?pwd=U2dSSm9PNXN1T1drZE9hV1hoSW1kZz09. Please check in with the Clerks or staff attorney to verify any possible changes. This is first come first serve and they must show up at 1:30 pm. We will only accept the first 5 people.

The Self Help Center is also offer Judgment Workshop Appointments. Those 1-hour appointments. The parties can sign up through the Self Help chat (see below) or talk to the staff attorney about possible dates.

If they sign up with you at the Status Conference for the divorce workshop, please gather all their contact information including an email address and ask them their availability on Thursdays. Please contact the staff attorney by phone or in Dept 15 to confirm if we have any appointments available. Once they are signed up, please give the litigants the Zoom link. Due to staff shortage, we cannot follow up with litigants unless they are fully signed up for the workshop using the above process.

Service Issues

If the parties are having difficulty serving the other party. Please give them the link to Family Tree Now to help them locate the other party. Also let them know that any searching they do can be used in their request for publication or posting.
https://www.familytreenow.com/

Self Help Chat QRC code:

Please share the below link with the parties to contact the Self-help Chat. This chat can be used to sign up for Judgment workshops in the future, verify the times of the Preliminary Disclosure Workshop and ask for any procedural questions regarding their case.
https://www.sanmateo.courts.ca.gov/flf

Pro Per Packets Available for Litigants
Confidential Child Custody Mediation

When signing up the parties please have them sign the attached sheet and return it to the Clerk. This can only be offered if both parties are present at the Status Conference and must be returned same day. Below is the form

ADR Program

Here is the link you can share with the litigants:
https://www.sanmateo.courts.ca.gov/adr/familylaw/

The cost for this program is $100 for the first 90-minute session, ($50 for each person). They must mail the form to:
Family Law ADR Program
400 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063

San Mateo Court Status Conference Training Video