Title BPC — California Bus. & Prof. Code

This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.

A legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant shall be registered pursuant to this chapter by the county clerk in the county in which their principal place of business is located, and in which they maintain a branch office, and provide proof that the registrant has sa…

To be eligible to apply for registration under this chapter as a legal document assistant, the applicant shall possess at least one of the following: (a) A high school diploma or general equivalency diploma, and either a minimum of two years of law-related experience under the su…

To be eligible to renew registration under this chapter, the registrant shall complete 15 hours of continuing legal education courses, which meet the requirements of Section 6070, during the two-year period preceding renewal. A registrant is not required to complete legal ethics …

(a) The application for registration of a natural person shall contain all of the following statements about the applicant: (1) Name, age, address, and telephone number. (2) Whether the applicant has been convicted of a felony, or of a misdemeanor under Section 6126 or 6127, or f…

An applicant shall pay a fee of one hundred seventy-five dollars ($175) to the county clerk at the time the applicant files an application for initial registration or renewal of registration. An additional fee of ten dollars ($10) shall be paid to the county clerk for each additi…

(a) (1) An application for a certificate of registration by an individual shall be accompanied by a bond of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) executed by a corporate surety qualified to do business in this state and conditioned upon compliance with this chapter. The total ag…

(a) If granted, a certificate of registration shall be effective for a period of two years, until the date the bond expires, or until the total number of legal document assistants and unlawful detainer assistants employed by a partnership or corporation exceeds the number allowed…

(a) The county clerk shall maintain a register of legal document assistants, and a register of unlawful detainer assistants, assign a unique number to each legal document assistant, or unlawful detainer assistant, and issue an identification card to each one. Upon renewal of regi…

The registrant’s name, business address, telephone number, registration number, and county of registration shall appear in any solicitation or advertisement, and on any printed papers or documents prepared or used by the registrant, including, but not limited to, contracts, lette…

(a) All advertisements or solicitations published, distributed, or broadcast offering legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant services shall include the following statement: “I am not an attorney. I can only provide self help services at your specific direction.” …

No legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant shall retain in their possession original documents of a client. A legal document assistant or an unlawful detainer assistant shall immediately return all of a client’s original documents to the client in any one or more …

Notwithstanding any other law, the venue for an action arising out of a dispute between a legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant and their client shall be the county in which the client has their primary residence.

(a) Every legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant who enters into a contract or agreement with a client to provide services shall, prior to providing any services, provide the client with a written contract, the contents of which shall be prescribed by regulations…

(a) It is unlawful for any legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant, in the first contact with a prospective client of legal document or unlawful detainer assistant services, to enter into a contract or agreement for services or accept any compensation unless the l…

It is unlawful for any person engaged in the business or acting in the capacity of a legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant to do any of the following: (a) Make false or misleading statements to the consumer concerning the subject matter, legal issues, or self-he…

(a) Any owner or manager of residential or commercial rental property, tenant, or other person who is awarded damages in any action or proceeding for injuries caused by the acts of a registrant while in the performance of their duties as a legal document assistant or unlawful det…

(a) Any person injured by the unlawful act of a legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant shall retain all rights and remedies cognizable under law. The penalties, relief, and remedies provided in this chapter are not exclusive, and do not affect any other penalties…

A legal document assistant or an unlawful detainer assistant may neither seek nor obtain a client’s waiver of any of the provisions of this chapter. Any waiver of the provisions of this chapter is contrary to public policy, and is void and unenforceable.

The county clerk shall revoke the registration of a legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant upon receipt of an official document or record stating that the registrant has been found guilty of the unauthorized practice of law pursuant to Section 6125, 6126, or 6127…

A registrant whose certificate is revoked shall be entitled to challenge the decision in a court of competent jurisdiction.

A failure, by a person who engages in acts of a legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant, to comply with any of the requirements of Section 6401.6, 6402, 6408, or 6410, subdivision (a), (b), or (c) of Section 6411, or Section 6412.5 is a misdemeanor punishable by a…