Events
 Homestead Exemption: Automatic Homestead vs. Declared Homestead
Virtual event: Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 12:00pm – 1:00pm
1 hour participatory California MCLE credit
No-cost, free event
Program Description
People know what a homestead exemption is in general. However, most people don't know exactly how it works. Most people have heard about the automatic homestead exemption but not the declared homestead exemption. This presentation will discuss what each exemption does and does not do, and the difference between them.
About the Presenter
WookSun Hong is part of the Bay Area Legal Incubator, a group of attorneys who provide legal services for mid to low-income communities. Their practice areas cover employment, immigration, estate planning, real estate, business/corporate law, prisoners’ rights, and more. He personally handles real estate, housing/landlord-tenant cases, residential or commercial, and housing discrimination including service/support animal issues. Mr. Hong handles many other aspects of related real estate issues. His areas of practice include Business law (Business contact and entity formation) and estate planning (Trust, Will, Power of Attorney).
Mr. Hong graduated from Seoul National University with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He pursued the Ph.D. in biochemistry before switching to law. Mr. Hong is the principal at the Law Offices of WookSun Hong and a fellow at Bay Area Legal Incubator. He also works as an expert in commercial tenancy/unlawful detainer for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, San Francisco, CA.
Register via Humanitix
Flyer available here
 New Free In-Person Eviction Response Clinic at the Alameda County Law Library
Starting February 6, Tenant Power Toolkit will be hosting a free eviction response clinic on the first and third Fridays of the month from 10:00am to 1:00pm at the Alameda County Law Library. At this clinic, attendees seeking assistance with answering an unlawful detainer (eviction) complaint will be guided through the Tenant Power Toolkit (https://www.tenantpowertoolkit.org) to complete the necessary court forms.
- Walk-ins only. Patrons will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis
- Residential tenants only
- Participants must bring their Summons and Complaint-Unlawful Detainer to the workshop
- Non-legal advice clinic
Flyer available here.
 Legal Access Alameda Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Clinics
Legal Access Alameda is now offering Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Clinics several times a month to qualifying low-income individuals.
To register, visit the Alameda County Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service webpage and click on the Option 2: Leave us an Online Request link.
Flyer available here
 Immigrant Family Preparedness Plan Program
Legal Access Alameda is introducing a program for immigrant families who may want to get legal advice on family preparedness planning in the event that one or both parents are detained or deported. Their volunteer attorneys can help families:
- Develop a child care plan
- Understand short- and long-term immigration options
- Understand the risks and benefits of each option
- Find trusted legal and immigration help and resources in Alameda County
Child Care Plans:
- Help parents plan ahead for alternate caregivers if they can’t be there
- Create clear communication between parents, caregivers, and schools
- Protect families and parental rights
Flyer available here
 Civil Appellate Self-Help Workshop for the First Appellate District
Are you a party in an unlimited civil case on appeal to the Court of Appeal? The Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, is collaborating with the Justice & Diversity Center of the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) and the Appellate Law Section of BASF on a new, free civil self-help workshop. The workshop is designed to teach litigants without an attorney how to navigate the appellate process. Live, two-hour workshops, staffed by BASF-member attorneys, will be offered at 4:00pm on the first Wednesday of each month, virtually over Zoom.
[Note: This workshop does not cover limited civil appeals, which are taken to the appellate division of the superior court, or federal appeals.]
[Read more]
Flyer available here
Court Accounting Workshops in 2026
The Contra Costa County Public Law Library is offering a series of free Court Accounting Workshops throughout the year via Zoom to provide hands-on training and assistance with court-required accounting reports and conservatorship accounting. Workshop attendees MUST sign-up in advance. Sign-ups end two (2) days before the scheduled class. Please call the Contra Costa County Public Law Library at (925) 655-4627 or email programs@ll.cccounty.us to sign-up and obtain additional information. See the flyer for more details.
Flyer available here
FAQ Friday: Where can I get help with my taxes?
As January ends, you might be wondering where you can go to get help with preparing your tax return, other tax filings, or resolving an issue with the IRS. Read our Advance Sheet blog post for information on free programs and clinics such as the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA), the Justice and Diversity Center of the Bar Association of San Francisco's Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC), and the UC Law SF Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic.
[Read more]
 East Bay Rental Housing Association's 2026 Annual Housing Collaborative Event
Staff of the Alameda County Law Library will be tabling at the East Bay Rental Housing Association's Annual Housing Collaborative 2026 event on Saturday, January 31, 2026, from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM. From their website:
"The Annual Housing Collaborative is a FREE event for the general public. The event’s mission is to connect all of the non-profit community-based organizations that support housing, rental housing providers, renters/aspiring homeowners and introduce the various support programs in Alameda County to our community.
The collective goal is to highlight housing programs such as:
- Grants & Assistance Programs
- Energy Savings & Rebates
- Home Repair Subsidies
- Fair Housing Education
- Affordable Housing & Section 8
- First-Time Buyer Programs & Financing Options
- Municipal Housing Support Services"
Video Recording of the Forms Forms Forms: Finding Forms and Templates at the Alameda County Law Library MCLE presentation from December 10, 2025 Now Available
We've made a video recording of the Forms Forms Forms: Finding Forms and Templates at the Alameda County Law Library presentation from December 10, 2025 available on our YouTube channel for self-study MCLE credit.
Program Description
This session covers the variety of online and print sources that are available through the law library. During the program we will review sources for forms used in litigation and transactional topics. Learn about the sources for forms on Westlaw, Lexis, Bloomberg, CEB, as well as a few third-party databases, and we’ll discuss some of the precise searches you can use to search these databases to find the forms you need. We’ll also view websites that the librarians use to find forms and instructions. Finally, we’ll review some of the sources that we have in library that are not available online.
About the Speaker
Pauline Afuso is the Public Services Librarian for the Alameda County Law Library, and she provides reference and research assistance to self-represented litigants, attorneys, and all patrons needing legal information. In addition to working in county law libraries for the past 13 years, she has worked as a reference librarian at Paul Hastings, the USC Law Library, and she also was a product developer at Thomson Reuters where she oversaw the development, release, and maintenance of several research features for Westlaw. She received her MLS from UCLA and her JD from Chicago-Kent College of Law. She spends her free time experimenting with recipes on the NY Times Cooking App and listening to Minnesota Wild hockey games on the radio.
View the video here
View other MCLE and non-MCLE videos on our Alameda County Law Library YouTube Channel
New and Revised Judicial Council Forms
On January 1, 2026 a number of new and revised Judicial Council Court Forms became effective. The Judicial Council has released a publisher’s list of all the updates. The latest changes to court forms can always be found on the California Court’s website.
In total, the Judicial Council has published 240 new and revised forms with an effective date of January 1, 2026, and has revoked 10 forms no longer in use.
Read more on our Advance Sheet blog
 A new year means new laws! The Daily Journal publishes a list of laws that passed in 2025 and what codes they modify. This publication is available at the Reference Desk.
View publication info in our library catalog
New Titles and Editions Added in November and December
The Law Library added the following new titles and updated editions in November and December:
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Becoming a U.S. Citizen: A Guide to the Law, Exam & Interview (Nolo, 2025)\
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California Attorney's Guide to Damages (Continuing Education of the Bar - California, 2025)
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California Elements of an Action (Thomson Reuters, 2008- )
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California Fair Housing and Public Accommodations (The Rutter Group, 2014- )
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California Government in a Nutshell (West Academic, 2025)
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California Law and Motion Model Forms (The Rutter Group, 2022- )
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California Practice Guide: Administrative Law (The Rutter Group, 2014- )
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California Practice Guide: Alternative Dispute Resolution (The Rutter Group, 1992- )
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California Practice Guide: Bankruptcy (Rutter Group, 2025)
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California Practice Guide: Civil Appeals and Writs (The Rutter Group, 2025)
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California Practice Guide: Privacy Law (The Rutter Group, 2020- )
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California's Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) Litigation and Compliance Manual (Castle Publications LLC, 2025)
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Courtroom Storytelling (Trial Guides LLC, 2023)
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How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy (Nolo, 2025)
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IRAs, 401(k)s & Other Retirement Plans: Strategies for Taking Your Money Out (Nolo, 2025)
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Judicial Council of California, criminal jury instructions: CALCRIM (Thomson Reuters, 2006- )
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Neighbor Law: Fences, Trees, Boundaries & Noise (Nolo, 2025)
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Patent It Yourself: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Filing at the U.S. Patent Office (Nolo, 2025)
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Police Misconduct: Law and Litigation (Thomson Reuters, 2008- )
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Represent Yourself in Court: Prepare & Try a Winning Civil Case (Nolo, 2025)
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Special Needs Trusts: Protect Your Child's Financial Future (Nolo, 2025)
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The Foreclosure Survival Guide: Learn How To Navigate Foreclosure & Potentially Stay in Your Home (Nolo, 2025)
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Wage and Hour Manual for California Employers (Castle Publications LLC, 2024)
See the list in our library catalog
Video Recording of the An Overview of Law and Motion Procedures MCLE presentation from October 15, 2025 Now Available
We've made a video recording of the An Overview of Law and Motion Procedures presentation from October 15, 2025 available on our YouTube channel.
Program Description
We will discuss how to file a motion in California state court, what papers are necessary, how the tentative ruling process works, and tips on oral argument.
About the Speaker
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Sunil R. Kulkarni joined the bench in October 2013. He currently has a juvenile justice assignment, but he has significant experience handling civil cases, including one year of civil trials, two years handling civil motions, and three years of handling complex civil cases. Judge Kulkarni also has served his court by supervising his court’s civil division. In addition, he has been active in statewide judicial governance and teaching, and often addresses attorney and non-attorney groups on various law-related topics, including diversity in the legal profession and pathways to the bench.
Before becoming a judge, Judge Kulkarni worked as a senior litigation counsel for the University of California for almost 3 years. Before UC, he was a partner (and associate) with the Palo Alto office of Morrison and Foerster LLP for 13 years, specializing in intellectual property and securities litigation. He also was a law clerk for the Honorable Oliver W. Wanger, U.S. District Court (E.D. Cal.), from 1996 to 1997. Judge Kulkarni received his law degree with high honors from UC Law SF (Hastings) in 1996, and his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering with honors from the University of California, Berkeley in 1993.
View the video here
View other MCLE and non-MCLE videos on our Alameda County Law Library YouTube Channel
New Attorney and Solo Practitioner Resources
Starting your career as an officer of the court can be an intimidating, but the Alameda County Law Library is a free legal resource that can help power your practice. This blog provides a quick guide about resources available at the library that you may want to consult when entering the profession or starting your own practice. Keep an eye out on our website for a page dedicated to new attorneys and solo practitioners.
[Read more]
 Now Available -- Recordable Form Template
California Government Code Section 27361.6 sets out various formatting requirements for forms to be recorded with a county recorder such as deeds, liens, and some other documents.
The Alameda County Law Library now has a recordable form template available in both Microsoft Word and Google Docs format on the Court Forms & Transactional Forms section of our website.
Updated MCLE CDs and DVDs
The Alameda County Law Library has updated our MCLE CD and DVD collection. Some of our updated MCLE materials include:
See our library webpage on MCLE materials here and browse our selection of MCLE CDs and DVDs in our searchable library catalog here.
 Verifying Attorney Credentials and Unauthorized Practice of Law
People you meet in the library or elsewhere may offer legal advice or services they are not legally permitted to provide.
It’s important to always verify the credentials of individuals offering legal services.
View our flyer about verifying attorney credentials and the unauthorized practice of law here.
California State Bar resources:
We’re honored to be featured in The Oaklandside!
Learn how the Alameda County Law Library supports access to justice by offering free legal information, resources, and services for our community — there are no barriers to entry, we will help anyone!
From self-help books to referrals and friendly guidance to resources, we’re here to help you navigate the law with confidence.
A big “thank you” to Law Library Trustee Diane Rames and the Gwilliam Ivary Chiosso Cavalli & Brewer law firm for sponsoring this article!
Read the full article on The Oaklandside's website
Alameda County Law Library Immigration Resources webpage
 The Alameda County Law Library provides access to a wide range of resources to support those navigating immigration issues. From self-help guides and legal databases to reliable print materials and referrals to trusted community organizations, we’re here to help you find accurate and up-to-date information. We can help you access resources on topics like visa applications, citizenship, asylum, and more—including reference help in multiple languages through our Language Line interpreter services.
We've collected many of our resources on our new Immigration Resources webpage. See the webpage for some of the materials we have available, or reach out to our law librarians for assistance.
The law library develops and maintains “Quick Resource Guides” and “Referral Sheets” on frequently requested legal topics (e.g. eviction, probate, family law, dealing with debt, small claims, restraining orders, property transfers, etc.) to help direct the public to relevant websites, legal forms, library books, legal aid organizations and lawyer referral services for that specific legal subject area.
We have the guides in print and electronically on our website, Library Research Resource Guides and Referral Sheets, Materials are organized by topic.
 New Alameda Law Library Merchandise
🚨 This is not a drill! Fresh Alameda County Law Library swag just dropped! Rep your local law library — a vital resource connecting people to legal information — all while looking fire. Tap this link to shop and support!
Law Help Interactive: Online Software for Alameda County Residents Who Want Help Filling Out Certain Forms
Law Help Interactive is a free website that can help you fill out legal forms generated from answers you provide to interview style questions.
You can find a list of issues that Law Help Interactive covers on the Superior Court of California County of Alameda Law Help Interactive webpage. Generally, the tool helps with forms for various issues related to:
- Divorce/Legal Separation/Nullity
- Restraining Orders
- Name Change
- Parentage
- Eviction – Unlawful Detainer
- Guardianship Petition
- Small Claims Plaintiff's Claim
[Read more]
Self-Study MCLE Credit for MCLE Videos on the Alameda County Law Library YouTube Channel Now Available
You can now watch videos of some of our past MCLE events for California Self Study MCLE credit. We have put links to the MCLE written materials in the description fields of the MCLE videos on the Alameda County Law Library YouTube Channel's Self-Study MCLE playlist. You can watch the videos, download and read the written materials, and keep a record of your self-study activities on a California State Bar MCLE Personal Log, which can be downloaded from: https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/forms/mcle/MCLE-Personal-Log_ADA.pdf
Note that self-study credit can be received only from videos that were prepared in the preceding five years (see MCLE Rules – Attorneys (effective October 1, 2023), Rules of the State Bar, Title 2, Div. 4, Rule 2.83 Self-study at: https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/rules/Rules_Title2_Div4-MCLE.pdf)
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