This is a required Legal Document Assistant Standard Contract.
The strange fonts and poor grammar are specified in 16 CCR §3950.
LEGAL DOCUMENT ASSISTANT CONTRACT FOR SELF-HELP SERVICES
County where Registrant is registered: Kern
Name of County Clerk Office for the county of registration: Kern County Clerk
Address: 1115 Truxtun Ave # 5th, Bakersfield, CA 93301
Telephone Number: (661) 868-3588
Web Site: www.KernCountyClerk.com
This is a contract between me, Bakersfield Paralegal, and you,____________________________, for the self-help services described in Part I below. I am the “legal document assistant” and you are the “client.”
IMPORTANT NOTICES
- You should read and understand this entire contract before you sign it. You should understand the kinds of services that I can and cannot perform for you (see Part I below).
- I am not an attorney. I cannot perform the legal services that an attorney performs. I cannot engage in the practice of law.
- The county clerk has not evaluated or approved my knowledge or experience, or the quality of my work.
- I cannot keep your original documents if you request that I return them to you. I cannot keep your original documents if you and I do not sign this contract or if this contract terminates (ends) for any reason. I cannot keep your original documents after all of the contract services have been provided (see Part I below). It is a violation of California law if I keep your original documents under any of these circumstances.
- It is a violation of California law if I make any false or misleading statement to you.
- I cannot obtain special favors from, and I do not have any special influence with, any court or any state or federal agency.
- As required by law, I have filed a bond or made a cash deposit and have registered as a legal document assistant in each county in which my principal place of business is located and in which I maintain a branch office.
SELF-HELP SERVICES
Kinds of services that I can perform for you: I can perform the following self-help services for you in connection with a legal matter in which you are representing yourself: I can type or otherwise complete, as you specifically direct, legal documents that you have selected. I can provide you general published factual legal information that has been written or approved by an attorney, to help you represent yourself. I can provide you published legal documents. I can file and serve legal forms and documents as you specifically direct.
These are the only kinds of services that I can perform for you. I cannot provide you any service if you need additional services. If you need additional services, then you require the services of an attorney.
Kinds of services that I cannot perform for you: I cannot provide you any self-help service unless you are representing yourself in a legal matter and the self-help service relates to that legal matter.
I cannot engage in the practice of law. This means that I cannot give you any kind of advice, explanation, opinion or recommendation about possible legal rights, remedies, defenses, strategies or options that you may have. I cannot give you any advice, explanation, opinion or recommendation regarding selection of forms.
I will provide you all the following services (list all services for which the client is being charged): ____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
You are paying me only for those services listed above and no others. It is unlawful for me to make any guarantee or promise to you unless it is written in this contract and unless I have a factual basis for making the guarantee or promise.
FEES AND EXPENSES
You agree to pay me the following fees, costs and expenses:
A flat fee in the total amount of $_________________________ for all services, costs and expenses, to be paid as follows (itemize services, costs and expenses and state terms of payment): [See itemization on receipt attached to this contract].
OR
A rate of $150 per hour, not to exceed a total of $_________________________ for all services, costs and expenses. I will provide you a statement itemizing all services rendered, expenses incurred, and the balance owed, each time a payment is due.
III. CANCELLATION
You may cancel this contract for any reason within 24 hours after we both have signed it.
If you cancel the contract, I must immediately refund any fees which you have paid me. The only fees that I may keep are fees for services which I have actually, necessarily and reasonably performed on your behalf during the 24-hour period. I cannot keep any fees for services performed during the 24-hour period unless you knew that I would perform those services and you agreed in this contract that I would perform them.
To cancel this contract, send me a written notice stating that you are canceling the contract. Mail the notice by first-class mail with the correct postage, and send it to me at my address (see Part V below). Cancellation takes effect on the date of the postmark on the notice. You can also cancel this contract by delivering a written notice of cancellation to my address within the 24-hour period.
You may also cancel this contract at any time if I:
- Fail to give you a copy of this contract before providing any services to you, or
- Fail to specify in the contract the services which I will perform and the costs of those services, or
- Fail to give you a copy of the contract in English and in any other language that you understand and that was principally used in any oral sales presentation or negotiation leading to execution of the contract.
If you cancel this contract for any of these reasons, I must immediately refund in full any fees which you have paid me.
You may also cancel this contract at any time if you have legal cause.
ATTORNEY’S FEES AND COSTS
In the event of suit for damages arising from this contract or to enforce any of its provisions, the court may award the prevailing party his or her reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.
VENUE
The venue for any action arising out of a dispute between you and me is the California county in which you have your primary residence.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PARTIES
Legal Document Assistant
Full Name: Victor VeVea Telephone Number: 661.873.4423
Business Name: Bakersfield Paralegal Fax Number: None
Business Address: 1412 17th St., Ste 349, Registration Number in county where
Bakersfield, CA 93301 services will be provided: #122, Kern
I have filed a bond or made a cash deposit in the following counties: Kern
Client
Full Name: _________________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: ____________________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________________
Title or brief description of the legal matter in which the client is representing himself or
herself: __________________________________________________________________
***ADDITIONS: The following three lines are additions to the statutory contract:
- Client agrees to a $50 returned check fee
- Client agrees that the initial consultation fee of $150.00 has been earned and applied to retainer.
- Initial here if you would like us to begin work on you matter immediately. ______
VII. SIGNATURES
Executed at Bakersfield, California.
___________________________________________________ ___________________
Signature of Legal Document Assistant Date
Notices to Client
You may obtain information from the local bar association or a legal aid or legal services office regarding free or low-cost representation by a lawyer.
You may contact the local police, sheriff, district attorney or legal aid or legal services office if you believe that you are the victim of fraud, unauthorized practice of law or other injury.
___________________________________________________ ___________________
Signature of Client Date
(THIS CONTRACT IS NOT VALID OR BINDING UNTIL THE LEGAL DOCUMENT ASSISTANT HAS GIVEN ALL CLIENT PARTIES A FULLY EXECUTED COPY OF IT, INCLUDING AN ACCURATE TRANSLATION OF IT IN ANY LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH THAT THE CLIENT UNDERSTANDS AND THAT WAS PRINCIPALLY USED IN ANY ORAL SALES PRESENTATION OR NEGOTIATION LEADING TO EXECUTION OF THE CONTRACT.)
BREAKDOWN OF COSTS/RECORD OF PAYMENT
Date of Payment: ______________
Document Cost: $______________
Filing Fees: $455 $255 $90 FW Other: $_________
Process Service Fee: $______________
5% Credit Card Fee: $______________ or NOT APPLICABLE
Total Transaction Amount: $______________
PAID BY:
CASH CHECK (#____________) CREDIT CARD
DEBIT CARD VENMO (#___________________)
ZELLE (#_________________________) CASH APP
OTHER (__________________________________________________________)
Was payment made by someone other than the client? If so, who?