Santa Cruz

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Some people who don’t need a full-service attorney can save considerable money by using the right book, a Paralegal, a Legal Document Assistant, a Notary, or a QDRO expert. We are, therefore, happy to recommend the following businesses and books:

• Handbook for the Accused: How to Help Your Attorney Defend You in a California Criminal Case – 2nd Edition (2017) by Roger Lampkin & J. Anthony Bryan. A guide for defendants in California’s “plea machine” – shows how to work with your lawyer, assert your rights, and actively assist in building your defense instead of passively pleading guilty.
• California Criminal Defense Motions in Limine – 3rd Edition (2019) by Victor VeVea & Roger Lampkin. A comprehensive collection of ready-to-use motions in limine for California criminal trials – updated forms and arguments to exclude prejudicial evidence, control courtroom procedure, and give defense attorneys an edge before trial.
• How to Manage a Contested Divorce in California – 15th Edition (2017) by Ed Sherman. Provides strategies and guidance for handling a difficult or contested divorce case in California – how to take charge of your case in or out of court, work effectively with (or without) an attorney, navigate court procedures, and manage complex disputes over property, support, or custody in a contested divorce.
• How to Probate an Estate in California – 26th Edition (2023) by Lisa Fialco. Step-by-step guide to settling a deceased person’s estate through California’s probate process – explains how to read a will, collect and inventory assets, handle probate court paperwork, manage debts and taxes, transfer property to beneficiaries, and close the estate, highlighting what tasks you can do without a lawyer.
• Prenuptial Agreements: How to Write a Fair & Lasting Contract – 7th Edition (2022) by Katherine E. Stoner. Guides couples through creating a solid prenup agreement that meets California’s requirements – learn how to disclose finances, decide how property and debts will be handled, protect inheritances or business interests, and ensure the agreement is fair, legally enforceable, and built to strengthen your marriage.
• The California Landlord’s Law Book: Rights & Responsibilities – 20th Edition (2023) by Nils Rosenquest & Janet Portman. The definitive legal guide for California landlords on managing rentals and complying with state law – covers everything from choosing good tenants and drafting leases, handling security deposits, rent control and eviction rules, to making repairs, entering the property, and avoiding liability, with forms and advice to prevent landlord-tenant disputes.
• Legal Essentials for California Couples – (2006) by Ed Sherman & Susan Cameron Sherman. Introduces the innovative “Couples Contract” approach for California couples who are married, about to marry, or living together – explains how California’s default marriage and partnership laws affect your finances and property, and shows why and how to create a personalized written agreement to enhance your relationship, set expectations, protect assets, and avoid future legal conflicts.
• Everybody’s Guide to Small Claims Court in California – 23rd Edition (2023) by Cara O’Neill. Explains in plain English how to sue or defend a case in California’s small claims court – from determining if your case is eligible (and worth up to $10,000) and filing the proper forms, to serving your opponent, presenting evidence before the judge, handling counterclaims, and collecting a judgment, with practical tips to maximize your success without a lawyer.
• California Marriage Law: From Prenuptial Agreements to Divorce Planning – 14th Edition (2019) by Ed & Susan Cameron Sherman. Covers the legal essentials of marriage and divorce in California – prenuptial agreements, property division, custody, and strategies for avoiding divorce pitfalls.
• Paralegal Handbook: California Criminal Defense Edition – (2022) by Bakersfield Paralegal & Roger Lampkin. An in-depth resource on California criminal defense procedures designed for paralegals (and anyone assisting in a criminal case) – includes sample pleadings and motions, step-by-step instructions for filings and court hearings, local court rules, and practice tips for handling every stage of a criminal case in California from arraignment and discovery through trial and post-conviction.
• Special Needs Trusts: Protect Your Child’s Financial Future – 10th Edition (2023) by Kevin Urbatsch & Jessica Farinas Jones. Explains how to set up a special needs trust under California and federal law to provide for a loved one with a disability – shows how these trusts can hold money or property for the person with special needs without jeopardizing their eligibility for essential government benefits (like SSI or Medi-Cal), and provides forms and guidance to create, fund, and manage the trust effectively.
• The Foreclosure Survival Guide: Keep Your House or Walk Away With Money in Your Pocket – 8th Edition (2023) by Amy Loftsgordon & Cara O’Neill. Offers clear advice for California homeowners struggling with mortgage payments – covers California’s foreclosure timeline and homeowner rights, options to prevent foreclosure (like loan modification, repayment plans, or short sales), how to handle “zombie” second mortgages and COVID-19 mortgage relief, strategies to avoid foreclosure scams, and tips on rebuilding financially whether you save your home or decide to let it go.
• Long-Term Care: How to Plan & Pay for It – 13th Edition (2022) by Joseph L. Matthews. Helps California families navigate the maze of long-term care for aging or disabled relatives – explains how to evaluate nursing homes, assisted living, and home care options, covers how to pay for care (including California’s Medi-Cal rules, Medicare coverage, veterans benefits, and long-term care insurance), and offers strategies to protect your assets while ensuring you or your loved one receive quality care.
• Credit Repair: Make a Plan, Improve Your Credit, Avoid Scams – 15th Edition (2022) by Amy Loftsgordon & Cara O’Neill. Provides step-by-step strategies to clean up your credit report and raise your credit score under California and federal law – learn how to check and fix errors on your credit report, negotiate with creditors and debt collectors, get rid of outdated or inaccurate information, rebuild credit after financial trouble, and protect yourself from credit-repair scams and identity theft.
• Form a Partnership: The Complete Legal Guide – 10th Edition (2022) by Denis Clifford & Ralph Warner. Covers everything involved in starting and running a business partnership in California – how to decide if a partnership is the right business structure, negotiate and draft a thorough partnership agreement, divide profits and losses, handle new or departing partners, and deal with liability, all while complying with California partnership laws and taxes. Includes sample agreements and worksheets.
• How to Form Your Own California Corporation – (2022) by Anthony Mancuso. Step-by-step guidance to incorporate your business in California without a lawyer – shows you how to choose the right corporate name, prepare and file the Articles of Incorporation with the California Secretary of State, create bylaws and hold board meetings, issue shares of stock, meet California’s corporate tax and record-keeping requirements, and keep the liability protections of your corporation. (Includes all needed forms.)
• How to Do Your Own Divorce in California – 47th Edition (2024) by Ed Sherman. A comprehensive divorce self-help kit that empowers you to get an uncontested divorce in California without hiring an attorney – covers every step from start to finish, including filing the proper forms, understanding California’s community property rules, working out child custody and support, spousal support, and debt division, negotiating and writing a marital settlement agreement, and obtaining a final divorce judgment from the court.
• Every Landlord’s Legal Guide – 17th Edition (2022) by Marcia Stewart, Janet Portman & Ann O’Connell. A nationally acclaimed legal guide for landlords that is also highly applicable in California – teaches you how to handle all aspects of landlording in compliance with the law, from advertising and screening tenants (without discriminating) and setting up solid lease or rental agreements, to handling security deposits, privacy rights, repairs, and tenant complaints. Includes state-by-state charts (with California rules on rent control, eviction notices, etc.) and tips to prevent legal problems in managing rental property.
• The California Landlord’s Law Book: Evictions – 20th Edition (2024) by Nils Rosenquest. A complete guide for California landlords who need to remove a problem tenant legally and efficiently – provides all required forms and instructions for every step of the eviction (“unlawful detainer”) process, including how to prepare and serve termination notices (3-day pay or quit, 30/60-day notices), file court papers to start an eviction lawsuit, handle tenants’ defenses (like hardship or COVID-19 rent issues), win an eviction judgment, and work with the sheriff to enforce a lockout if necessary.
• How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation in California – (2023) by Anthony Mancuso. Everything you need to legally create and operate a tax-exempt nonprofit in California – explains how to choose a charitable purpose, pick an available name, file the Articles of Incorporation with California’s requirements, write bylaws and hold your first board meeting, apply for 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt status (and California tax exemptions), and comply with annual reporting and fundraising laws. Includes detailed instructions and forms for new California nonprofits.
• California Tenants’ Rights – 24th Edition (2024) by J. Scott Weaver. Empowers California renters with a thorough understanding of their legal rights and remedies – covers finding and renting an apartment in California’s competitive market, tenant protections under state and local rent control laws, how to get landlords to make necessary repairs and address mold or pest problems, your right to privacy and quiet enjoyment, steps to take if you need to break a lease, how to get back your security deposit, and effective strategies to fight an eviction or illegal landlord harassment.
• The Criminal Law Handbook: Know Your Rights, Survive the System – 19th Edition (2022) by Paul Bergman & Sara J. Berman. Demystifies the criminal justice system for anyone in California (or other states) – explains your legal rights at every stage, from police stops, searches, and arrests to arraignment and bail, plea bargains, jury trials, sentencing, and appeals. Learn what to expect in court, how to work with a public defender or attorney, and get answers to common questions about crimes, punishments, and courtroom procedures, all in plain-English to help non-lawyers confidently navigate the criminal process.

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