RECOMMENDATIONS
Highlights of the proposed Paraprofessional Program
What could paraprofessionals do?
They could give you legal advice in the areas list below. They could also represent you in court for most of these:
Consumer Debt/General Civil
- Consumer debt and creditor harassment
- Enforcement of judgment
- Name and gender changes
Criminal
- Expungement and reclassification of convictions
- Infractions
Family, Children, and Custody
- Most family law matters, including divorce and child custody, uncontested adoptions, and uncontested conservatorships and guardianships
Housing
- Most residential landlord-tenant matters
- Lien clearing
Income Maintenance
- Wage and hour cases
- Unemployment insurance proceedings
- Public benefit proceedings
Violence Prevention
Restraining orders for:
- Domestic violence
- Elder or dependent adult abuse
- Gun violence
- Civil harassment
- Workplace violence
How would they be licensed?
The proposal includes:
- Education and experiential training requirements
- Subject matter-specific testing and licensing
- Moral character review process, including fingerprinting and background check
How will consumers be protected?
The proposal contains many consumer protection measures. Practitioners would be required to:
- Carry a $100,000 bond.
- Pay into a client security fund to support restitution for victims of misconduct.
- Meet continuing education requirements.
- Abide by rules of professional conduct similar to those for attorneys.
- Disclose the limits of their license as well as options for free legal help for those who quality.
- Report the fees they charge so that the license could be monitored for impact on affordability.
A discipline system would handle complaints and discipline those who fail to follow the rules.
What would these new legal providers be called?
The term "legal paraprofessionals" is really a placeholder. There are three possible names in the plan:
English
Limited license legal practitioner Limited legal practitioner Limited legal advisor
Spanish
Practicante legal con licensia limitada Practicante legal limitado Asesor legal limitado
Once a final name is chosen, translations would be provided in other languages commonly spoken in California.