The Service Tree lists all services in "branched" groups, starting with the very general and moving to the very specific. Click on the name of any group name to see the sub-groups available within it. Click on a service code to see its details and the providers who offer that service.
Judicial Services
Programs that prepare and file with the appropriate Justice or Municipal Court a written statement which accuses one or a number of individuals who are named (or unknown individuals) of committing a specified offense, which offers to prove the facts and which requests that prosecution be initiated. If it appears from the complaint that probable cause exists that the individuals named committed the alleged crime, a warrant for their arrest is issued.
Divisions or programs of the court that accept and file actions, petitions, motions or other applications from the public for the purpose of obtaining a ruling or order directing some action in favor of the applicant. Court filings are generally completed by a lawyer on behalf of a client, though some jurisdictions may permit (but not recommend) filing by clients on their own behalf.
Criminal and Civil Fine Collection Offices
Offices that are responsible for collecting fines that are assessed when an individual commits an act that constitutes a civil infraction and receives a citation or commits a misdemeanor or a felony and is ordered by the court to pay a fine, fee and/or other monetary penalties. These offices may also handle requests for fine deferments or installment plans.
Programs that investigate parties to a divorce in cases involving minor children and report their findings and recommendations for custody and visitation to the court.
Individuals appointed by the court to represent, in a particular lawsuit, the interests of minors, people judged to be incompetent or people unborn or unascertained who may have a future interest in the property involved in the litigation. These special guardians may also serve as advocates for dependent children pending settlement of their cases in dependency court; and are usually attorneys but may also be court appointed special advocates (CASA volunteers).
Divisions within the court system that are responsible for the assignment, summoning and qualification of citizens who, if approved by the prosecuting and defense attorneys, will be impaneled and vested with the power to award a verdict of guilty or innocent with regard to a person who is accused of a public offense or to try a question of fact as in a civil suit.
Programs that approve applications for the release of individuals who have been indicted for a crime prior to their trial date and allow them to return to their homes while awaiting their scheduled appearance in court. Options include release on the individual's own recognizance, release on non-financial conditions that require monitoring the defendant in the community, setting bail in the form of property, cash, or surety that the defendant must post in order to be released or ordering the defendant retained in confinement without bail (which occurs when the individual is considered a flight risk or a danger to the community).
Programs that function as impartial investigative arms of the court which conduct a thorough risk assessment of individuals who have been arrested and are in custody before their trial, recommend a pretrial disposition (pretrial release or incarceration prior to and during the trial), perform intensive monitoring of the arrestee if he or she is released during the trial period and report violations of conditions to the court. The program interviews the individual, conducts criminal history checks, investigates previous releases, may talk with the police agency involved, may contact references given by the individual and prepares a summary of their findings for the court. The programs may also conduct investigations on behalf of individuals who want a reduction in the amount of bail which has been set in their case or on behalf of law enforcement agencies wanting an increase in bail.
Programs that officially deliver to individuals named in process papers, to their homes or to their legal agents, summons, subpoenas, writs, complaints and other papers that are used by the court to acquire or exercise its jurisdiction over individuals or specific properties.
Programs that are part of the city, county, state or federal judicial system that are responsible for prosecuting, in the name of the government, individuals who have been accused of an offense; for providing legal representation for representatives of government offices to which they are counsel; or for representing indigent defendants in criminal cases.