Apr. 20--Court officials want the public to save time by going online.
You can pay traffic tickets, postpone jury duty and check the time and place of a hearing on the Stanislaus County Superior Court's Web site, which is available in English or Spanish at www.stanct.org.
The court also has a Self Help Center that offers free legal help in divorce and child custody arrangements, landlord-tenant disputes or other civil matters where less than $25,000 is at stake.
Guide through legal system
Drop-ins are welcome from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. at the center's office, which is in Room 220 of the courthouse at 800 11th St. in downtown Modesto.
The center can be reached by calling 525-7737.
But people can get a head start by checking the Web site first, as it has links to forms and other information aimed at guiding litigants through the legal system.
Brochures about the court's online services soon will be available at the courthouse, libraries and other public agencies.
Officials said they are trying to get the word out because the economic downturn is forcing many more people to represent themselves in legal matters.
-----
To see more of The Modesto Bee, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.modbee.com/.
Copyright (c) 2009, The Modesto Bee, Calif.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.