Serves as the official record keeper for the Superior Court.  It is our mission to serve the courts and the citizens of Grays Harbor County in a manner best suited to provide quality, efficient, and effective service.  The position of County Clerk is best characterized as the administrative and financial officer of the Superior Court.

Serves as the official record keeper for the Superior Court. Employees of the Clerk's office are prohibited by law from giving legal advice. Provides trial information, legal forms, instructions on court procedures, passport applications and photos, jury duty information, DV resources, and the Kitsap County Jail inmate roster Assists with filing for no contact and orders orders of protection.

Qualified individuals will receive a legal consultation with a volunteer attorney regarding civil legal matters. Volunteer attorneys provide legal advice, direction, paperwork review, and assistance completing legal documents. Assists with the following legal matters: - Walk-In Clinic every Wednesday, 2-4pm - Family law - Employment - Wills and estates - Consumer and bankruptcy - Housing: helps with eviction and landlord/tenant information

Provides online parenting classes for ages 0-16, with a certificate of completion. Hardcopy and ebook materials are available and some classes may be eligible as court ordered parenting class requirements.

A judge or commissioner decides whether it is safe for the child to remain in the home or whether the child should be placed in out-of-home care.   The focus of the 72-hour shelter care hearing is to protect the child and offer ways for the parent to address the issues that led to the state's involvement.   At this time, the court also decides an appropriate visitation schedule for children and parents, a service plan for the parents, and whether there is a need for medical, mental health or substance abuse evaluations and treatment for the parents.

Provides mediation and group facilitation as an alternative to the court system for resolving conflicts quickly and economically which include divorced parents, family relationships, and neighbors.   Mediation is a process and appointments are booked a few weeks out. Also provides mediator training. All parties must be willing to participate.   More types of mediations the center can accommodate:    - Parenting Plan Modifications  - Parent-Teen Mediation  - Landlord Tenant (sometimes)  - Dissolutions (Divorce) - Workplace conflicts  - Commercial  - Contract  - Probate  - Property Claims  - Real Property  - Personal Injury  - Bar Complaints.

Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC)'s Youth Homelessness Program provides free civil legal services for youth and young adults between ages 12-24 who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

This program provides intensive assistance with the preparation of parenting plans for parents facing domestic violence.

This 12-week parenting program is based on the curriculum, Moral Reconation Therapy and is designed to address past parenting behaviors, present family interactions and assists parents in planning for a healthy family future. This behavioral-based approach to parenting encourages parents to recognize the value of taking responsibility for the choices they make and for the actions that they take. Organization is a contracted provider with DSHS Children’s Services. Course meets court/CPS requirements.

Hosts a legal clinic specifically designed to address the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and couples. This clinic is run by QLaw Foundation in partnership with the King County Bar Association. The clinic is open to everyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. At the clinic, an attorney will meet with clients for 30 minutes and provide individualized legal advice and information. Clinic attorneys will answer questions and provide information in a variety of areas including family law, immigration, debt and bankruptcy, divorce/dissolution, employment discrimination, and transgender legal issues.

Responsible for processing and managing all Superior Court records and financial transactions, including felony criminal, civil, family law, probate/guardianship, and juvenile offender matters. The Court Facilitator Can: - Help identify which mandatory family law or protection order forms are needed - Review forms you have prepared for completeness - Explain court procedures - Help a party schedule court hearings - Make referrals to other agencies - Calculate child support when provided with income for both parties - Assist both parties in an action The Facilitator Cannot: - Give legal advice - Assist litigants who are represented by an attorney - Represent parties in court - Fill out forms for a party - Tell the party what to say in court

Advice clinics offer one-on-one appointments with a volunteer attorney for civil law matters only. Topics include family law (custody, visitation, divorce, minor guardianship), general law (contracts, consumer protection, debt), immigration law, and employment law. No walk-in appointments-all are scheduled after an intake with staff. Self-help materials and forms available as well.

Assists with the following areas of family law:   -  Divorce, legal separation, invalidity, annulment -  Family law motions -  Child support modifications and adjustments -  Establishing parenting plans -  Parenting plan modifications -  Non-parental custody -  Temporary orders -  Restraining orders -  Guardianships    Provides information on how to begin certain family law actions, necessary forms and where to get them, as well as court rules and procedures.   Can explain legal terminology and will review documents for completeness, once they are filled out, but cannot fill out papers or tell clients how to fill them out. Limited referrals for legal consultation for low income pro ses.   Does not provide legal advice. Cannot assist with the following issues:   -  Adoptions -  Juvenile dependency -  Eviction -  Traffic citations -  Will and probate matters -  Bankruptcy -  Name changes -  Criminal charges   Drop-in child care provided by the Children's Home Society at the Regional Justice Center for parents while they appear in court.

Provides mediation services for developing parenting plans, work place issues, custody, support and property division.

Services are provided by trained professional mediators who volunteer their time. Services include: - Face-to-face mediation - Conflict coaching for problems - Some simple negotiation over the telephone TYPES OF PROBLEMS THE CENTER WILL HANDLE: - Neighborhood problems (noise, pets, parking, lawn & garden, property line problems and other nuisances) - Landlord-tenant issues (deposits, repairs, damages, eviction prevention due to COVID, etc. ) - Real estate or personal property - Foreclosure mediation - Business consumer problems (faulty merchandise, refunds, exchanges, etc. ) - Employer/employee grievances - School problems involving faculty or administration, students or parents - Family issues such as problems related to divorce and parenting plans - Other domestic problems not involving violence, restraining orders, or other factors that require professional intervention or assistance. TYPES OF PROBLEMS NOT HANDLED: - Any problem requiring legal assistance, such as filing lawsuits, criminal defenses, will preparation, etc. - Issues involving drug/alcohol abuse, domestic violence, abuse to children, or issues where one or more parties fears abuse - Problems where a party cannot speak adequately on their own behalf, although can work with clients who have a case manager. All clients must be able to keep agreements made

Offers legal representation for issues that affect large numbers of women or set legal precedents in the Pacific Northwest. Services are available only for selected cases in areas such as:   Discrimination in employment: -  Employment discrimination or other adverse employment actions against survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking -  Refusal of employer to provide leave to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking -  Change in terms of employment based on status as a parent or caregiver -  Change in terms of employment based on pregnancy -  Employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression   Discrimination in schools, including athletic equity and schools' mishandling of sexual harassment or sexual assault.   Family law: -  Discrimination against DV survivors by CPS: Children removed from a parent's care based on allegations that the parent failed to protect children from domestic violence by the other parent -  Refusal of court to order abuser to surrender weapons in a DV Protection Order case or appeals filed by an abuser ordered to surrender weapons -  Abusive litigation against survivors of domestic violence -  Alleged father seeks parental rights for a child conceived as a result of sexual assault -  Parental rights terminated due to parent's incarceration   Nonconsensual pornography AKA "revenge porn": Cases in which private, intimate images of a person are distributed without her or his consent   Anti-LGBTQ discrimination, such as: -  Unfavorable treatment of LGBTQ parents in family law cases -  Denial of insurance coverage for transgender persons  Denial of access to health care, including: -  Reproductive health care, including abortion, contraception, or emergency contraception -  Health care for LGBTQ patients -  Health care or other services for incarcerated women

Provides legal information and advice for the following issues depending on attorney availability:   -  Auto accidents - Birth injuries -  Consumer law - Criminal defense -  Family law -  Finance -  Immigration -  Landlord-tenant law -  Medical negligence -  Personal injury -  Property law -  Worker's rights/wage claims

Provides legal services to relatives and other caregivers to obtain minor guardianship of children whose parents cannot or do not want to care for them. The program provides direct representation through referrals to a pro bono panel of attorneys and/or provides guidance and advice for clients who are unrepresented. The client does not need to be a relative but must have a significant relationship with the child. The child must currently be living with the applicant.

Coordinates civil legal aid with the help of licensed attorneys and skilled staff in the categories of vacation of criminal record, eviction prevention, protection orders / trauma-informed family law, divorce, custody, support, general legal aid, guardianship and wills, and landlord/tenant issues from the perspective of the tenant. Offers a bi-weekly Civil Tribal Legal Clinic addressing family law, landlord/tenant, wills and estate planning, contracts, and homeownership. Offers a weekly Drop-In Clinic at the Cowlitz County Hall of Justice, and a bi-weekly general civil legal clinic. Offers a bi-weekly legal clinic at Cowlitz Family Health Center. Also provides free legal forms to the public for different civil legal issues.

Provides Legal information on the following topics: Divorce, Parenting Plan Modification, Paternity, Third-Party Custody and Protection Orders. Also provides services for Land Lord/Tennant Issues, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Bankruptcy, and Will preparation

In partnership with Opportunity Council, LAW Advocates provides information about the procedures and issues involved with obtaining a non-parental custody order for a relative or unrelated person (often grandparents, aunts/uncles, or family friends). A family law lawyer will assist clients with court documents and instruct them in representing themselves in court to obtain a non-parental custody order.

Addresses the needs of children, parents, and families by offering support groups, education, foster care and adoption support, help for guardians, as well as special programs for foster youth and teens. - Parent Support Classes: offering support groups and classes for parents and families to help educate and support as they're raising their children. Includes: 7 to 10-week Parenting Skills Classes for parents/caregivers of children, 0-18 years of age; and 4-hour Co-Parenting Seminars required by the courts to support parents who are going through divorce or separation and have minor children. - Adoption Resource: offers adoption counseling for birth mothers who are considering adoption or are interested in more information about adoption. Families learn how the process works, discover future opportunities, and receive support throughout the adoption process. - Kinship Navigator: provides services to enhance the ability of relatives to provide safe, stable, and a nurturing environment for the children in their care. Services include legal referral regarding custody, financial assistance to reach basic needs, parent education & training, support group, assistance in applying for federal and state subsidies, help with child care, help in navigating through the education system, and information on medical dental, and mental health services. - Foster Teen Programs: assists youth in acquiring the skills they need in order to live and function effectively on their own. These include interpersonal skills, money management, housing, work and vocational skills.

Operates a legal clinic providing a free 30-minute consultation with an attorney (60 minutes if an interpreter or other accommodation is needed) Clinic is open to all, but particular focus is on providing culturally-informed legal services in a safe and welcoming environment to individuals who identify as African American or Black. This clinic is staffed primarily by attorneys of color. Clinic attorneys can: -  Determine whether the client has a legal problem -  Suggest possible options -  Help answer papers, summons and requests -  Provide appropriate referrals   Neighborhood Legal Clinic attorneys may not have expertise in all areas of the law, but they will make every attempt to answer questions accurately. Attorneys CANNOT give advice on criminal legal issues or provide representation on any legal matters.

The Family Law Orientation (FLO) is a series of videos you can watch on YouTube. The videos provide information on the court processes, including court rules and resource information.

Operates several advice clinics at a variety of locations and times (including evenings), makes referrals to volunteer attorneys and provides public information for low-income clients. Has attorneys on staff and can provide limited emergency services depending on the client's legal issue. Clients are encouraged to start an intake through the website, call or come by for legal assistance and referrals to other organizations. Current clinic times and locations are available online and appointments are required for some clinics (check website for clinic times and details). Areas of assistance can include: - Family Law & Domestic Violence - Landlord/Tenant - Foreclosure - Consumer and Business - Bankruptcy - Vacation of Criminal Records - Reinstatement of Drivers License - Veteran Assistance - Wills, Probate, Guardianship and Power of Attorney. Also serves as a referral partner with the Federal Civil Rights Clinic. Will direct clients to the clinic for intake, appointments, and follow up.