San Fernando Valley Division
The San Fernando Valley Division opened the Court’s first onsite self-help desk in 2007. The self-help desk is operated by Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles, the Central District Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Association, and the San Fernando Valley Bar Association. Pro bono attorneys from the two bar associations continue to hold weekly seminars and provide free legal information on bankruptcy, including a variety of self-help resources, videos, seminars, and one-on-one workshops for self-represented litigants. Topics commonly covered include bankruptcy filing requirements, the difference between chapter 7 and chapter 13, and where to find a bankruptcy attorney. In 2013, approximately 1,013 visitors were assisted by the help desk and its programs. The number of visitors is fewer than in 2012 as result of reduced clinic hours due to funding cuts, which were cut from two days to only one day a week. Volume has increased on Thursdays since the clinic began its one day weekly operation and the clinic began holding its Question and Answer sessions on the same day, following the chapter 7 seminar. The clinic sees, on average, around 25 visitors per day. Due to its popularity, a new Spanish seminar began to be held every other month in 2013.