How We Can Help You

Court employees and librarians must be neutral and impartial, and can give legal information.  Only a lawyer representing you can give you legal advice.

We can:

  • Provide you with the number of a local lawyer referral service, legal services program or other service where you can get legal help.
  • Give you information about law libraries and online resources.
  • Explain and answer questions about how the court works.
  • Give you general information about court rules, procedures and practices.
  • Provide you with available court forms and instructions.
  • Provide court schedules and information on how to get a case scheduled.
  • Provide you information from your case file.
  • Answer some basic questions about court deadlines and how they are determined.
  • Provide additional assistance in some circumstances to aid you if you have special needs.
  • Provide information, brochures and contact information about mediation and ADR programs in your court.
  • Assist you in your own language.

We cannot:

  • Tell you whether or not you should bring your case to court.
  • Tell you what words to use in your papers. We can, however, check your papers for completeness before you file them.
  • Tell you what to say in court.
  • Give you an opinion about what will happen if you bring your case to court.
  • Talk to the judge for you.
  • Let you talk to the judge outside of court.
  • Change an order signed by a judge.
  • Give you information about a judge’s decision until the judge makes that decision public.
  • Give you information that we would be unable or unwilling to give to the other side in your case.
  • Interpret court documents or tell you what you “should” do.
Last updated on .

Table of Contents

    NEWS

    News & publications

    The news about recent activities for needed peoples.

    More News

    10 Apr 2025

    Access to Justice Listening Tour for Greater Richmond

    The Access to Justice Commission of the Supreme Court of Virginia Invites…

    Continue Reading

    25 Mar 2025

    A Guide to Self-Representation in the Court of Appeals of Virginia

    The Court of Appeals has issued a Self-Represented Litigant Guide to assist…

    Continue Reading