California Self-Help Conservatorship: Filing Without an Attorney

What the Self-Help Center Can and Cannot Do

Every California Superior Court operates a self-help center where members of the public can get guidance on court procedures. For conservatorships, these centers provide access to Judicial Council forms, written instructions, and sometimes one-on-one assistance from a staff attorney or facilitator.

What they cannot do: give you legal advice. Government Code §§ 24004 and 68082 prohibit court staff from recommending which forms to use, helping you fill in case-specific information, or advising you on strategy. They can point you to the right form packet — they cannot tell you what to write on it.

This limitation matters more for conservatorship filings than for most other court procedures. The petition packet requires at least nine separate forms, several of which contain confidential information that must be filed separately from the public petition. Getting the paperwork wrong triggers "probate notes" from the court examiner — flagged deficiencies that must be corrected before the hearing. Unresolved notes mean the judge continues (postpones) your hearing, adding two to four months to your timeline.

The Forms You Need

For a limited conservatorship, the core filing packet includes:

• GC-310 — Petition for Appointment of Probate Conservator
• GC-312 — Confidential Supplemental Information (filed under seal, not attached to the petition)
• GC-314 — Confidential Conservator Screening Form (background check disclosures)
• GC-335 — Confidential Capacity Declaration (completed by a physician or psychologist if medical powers are sought)
• GC-320 — Citation for Conservatorship (served on the proposed conservatee)
• GC-020 — Notice of Hearing (mailed to relatives)
• GC-348 — Duties of Conservator and Acknowledgment of Receipt of Handbook
• GC-340 and GC-350 — Order Appointing Probate Conservator and Letters of Conservatorship

Some counties require additional local forms — a care plan (Los Angeles), an investigator referral (Santa Clara's PB-4002), or a local coversheet. Check your county's probate division website before filing.

The Filing Fee and Waivers

The statewide filing fee for a conservatorship petition is $435. If the proposed conservatee's income is limited to SSI, they likely qualify for a fee waiver under forms FW-001-GC and FW-003-GC. The fee waiver covers the filing fee, certified copies of Letters of Conservatorship, and court investigator fees.

The waiver is evaluated based on the proposed conservatee's income and assets — not the petitioner's. If your adult child receives only SSI and has no significant savings, the waiver is typically granted.

Where Pro Se Filing Works

Self-represented filing is realistic when:

• The petition is uncontested (no family member or the proposed conservatee will object)
• You are seeking a limited conservatorship with standard powers (records access, contracting, medical consent)
• The proposed conservatee is an active Regional Center client
• You can organize and track the multi-form packet without assistance

Many families successfully file without an attorney, particularly when they have a clear understanding of which powers they are requesting and why.

Where It Gets Risky

Self-help filing is more difficult when:

• The case could be contested (another family member objects, or the proposed conservatee may express opposition)
• You are requesting estate conservatorship over significant assets (triggering bond requirements and annual, then biennial, accounting)
• The county has complex local rules you are not familiar with
• You need to navigate a probate examiner's notes without understanding the underlying procedural rules

The most common pro se mistake is improper service. The proposed conservatee must be personally served — not by the petitioner, but by a non-party process server — at least 15 days before the hearing. Relatives must receive mailed notice and a copy of the petition 15 days in advance. The Regional Center must receive notice 30 days before. Miss any of these deadlines and the hearing gets continued.

Resources Beyond the Court

California's self-help courts website at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov has the most comprehensive step-by-step guides for limited conservatorship filings. Disability Rights California publishes free guides on conservatorship alternatives. Your local Regional Center service coordinator can walk you through the assessment process.

The California Adult Guardianship & Alternatives Guide consolidates the full filing checklist, county-specific requirements, and document preparation steps into one planning tool — designed specifically for families navigating this process without an attorney.

See more California guides →