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FL-955-INFO
Information for Client About Notice of Completion of
Limited Scope Representation
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Why did I get this Proposed Notice of
Completion of Limited Scope Representation
(form FL-955)?
When you and the limited scope attorney signed the
Notice of Limited Scope Representation (form
FL-950), you agreed to sign the Substitution of
Attorney—Civil (form MC-050) when the attorney
completed the tasks listed on form FL-950.
You have not yet signed that Substitution of Attorney
form. By serving you a Proposed Notice of
Completion (form FL-955), your attorney is telling you
that he or she has completed the tasks agreed to and is
taking action to be removed from your case.
Why is it marked “Proposed”?
The attorney wants to give you a chance to respond if
you agree or disagree that he or she completed the
work for you.
What do I do if I agree?
You can contact the attorney and say that you agree.
But you don’t have to take any action.
What if I don't take any action?
After the 10th day, the attorney will serve you and the
other party a Notice of Completion form marked
“Final.” It will then be filed with the court along with
the proofs of service of the “Proposed” and “Final”
Notices of Completion. When the “Final” Notice is
served on you, the attorney no longer represents you.
Unless you have a new attorney, you now represent
yourself.
What if I don’t agree and think that the attorney
is not finished with the work we agreed to?
Contact the attorney right away and see if you can work
it out. But, if you can’t, YOU MUST ACT RIGHT
AWAY to file papers and ask for a court hearing.
How fast do I have to act?
You have only 10 days from the date that form FL-955
was personally served on you to file papers with the
court. If the form was served another way, the time to
act is increased slightly.
Look at the Objection to Proposed Notice of Completion
of Limited Scope Representation (form FL-956). The
attorney is required to fill in the date by which you have
to file the form. To understand how that date was
calculated, read .
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What do I have to do by the 10th day if I
disagree?
Fill out form FL-956, Objection to Proposed
Notice of Completion of Limited Scope
Representation.
You should have been served with a blank form
FL-956 along with the Notice of Completion of
Limited Scope Representation that was marked
“Proposed.” Form FL-956 is also available
online at courts.ca.gov/documents/fl956.pdf.
Next, make two copies of the completed
Objection (form FL-956).
File the original Objection with the court clerk
by the following deadlines:
10 calendar days
10 calendar days,
PLUS
2 court days
10 calendar days,
PLUS
5 calendar days
from the date that form
FL-955 was personally
served on you
from the date that form
FL-955 was served on
you by e-mail, facsimile,
express mail, or other
overnight delivery
from the date that form
FL-955 was served on
you by mail within the
state of California
Note: The court clerk may reject your
Objection if it is not served and filed by the
correct deadline.
The court clerk will set the hearing no later
than 25 court days from the date you file the
Objection and give you filed copies of the
Objection so that they can be served as
described in item .
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Is there a filing fee for the Objection?
Yes, a fee is due when you file the Objection (form
FL-956) because the court will have to set a
hearing on the Objection. If you cannot afford to
pay and do not yet have a fee waiver order for your
case, you can ask the court to waive the fee by
completing and filing , Request to
Waive Court Fees and , Order on
Court Fee Waiver.
Form Approved for Optional Use
Judicial Council of California
www.courts.ca.gov
New September 1, 2017
Information for Client About Notice of
Completion of Limited Scope Representation
FL-955-INFO, Page 1 of 2
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What will my limited scope attorney do
if I file the Objection?
The attorney may file form FL-957, Response to
Objection to Proposed Notice of Completion of
Limited Scope Representation, with the court at least
nine court days before the hearing, and serve a copy
on you and all the parties (or their attorneys) in the
case. The hearing will go forward even if the
attorney does not file and serve a Response.
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How should I prepare for my hearing?
Take at least two copies of your documents and
filed forms to the hearing.
Write down the tasks that the attorney agreed to
do but has not completed and bring that list to
court.
Bring any paperwork that helps prove that the
work is incomplete.
Important! Your agreement with your attorney
is private and should not go into the court file.
Letters between you and your lawyer are also
private. If you want to bring these documents to
court to show why you don’t think the tasks are
completed, make two copies. Keep the original
and give one copy to the judge and the other to
the attorney at the hearing. These documents
will help the judge make the decision, but they
should not be filed with form FL-956,
Objection.
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What will happen at the hearing?
The judge will decide if your attorney has finished
the work agreed to or not. You will get an Order on
Completion of Limited Scope Representation (form
FL-958) signed by the judge. The attorney will
usually prepare the order, unless the court decides
otherwise.
Do you have questions or need help?
Talk to a lawyer or contact the Family Law
Facilitator or Self-Help Center for information and
assistance about any subject included in this form.
Go to www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-courtresources.
htm.
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What else needs to be done?
Copies of the filed Objection have to be “served”
on your attorney and the other party in the case, or
the other party’s attorney. Someone else who is at
least 18 years old must do it (for example, a friend,
relative, sheriff, or professional process server).
The server must complete a proof of service,
which must be filed with the court.
10 How can the Objection be served?
A copy of the filed Objection can be served by:
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Personal service. The server hand delivers the
papers. The server may leave the papers near the
person if he or she will not take them.
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Mail service. The server places a copy of all
documents in a sealed envelope and mails them
to the address of each person being served. The
server must be at least 18 years old and live or
work in the county where the mailing took
place.
Electronic service. If you and your attorney
have agreed in writing that you can send each
other documents by e-mail or other electronic
transmission, you can serve each other that way.
Service by express mail or overnight delivery.
An authorized courier or driver authorized by the
express service can deliver the papers to a
person’s business or residence.
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When does the Objection need to be served?
Everyone in the case needs to be served with the
Objection, as described below, unless otherwise
ordered by the court:
16 court days
before the hearing
16 court days
PLUS
2 court days
before the hearing
if personal service is used
if service is by fax, electronic
service, or overnight delivery
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16 court days
PLUS
5 calendar days
before the hearing
if service is by mail within
California. For service
outside of California, see item
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FL-955-INFO
Information for Client About Notice of Completion of
Limited Scope Representation
New September 1, 2017
Information for Client About Notice of Completion of
Limited Scope Representation
FL-955-INFO, Page 2 of 2
