California Eviction Defense 2.0: Beyond the Basics of Protecting Low-Income Tenants 2015

San Francisco & Live Webcast, March 11, 2015
FREE!

Why You Should Attend
"Renters across the nation, and in particular in California, are locked in a pernicious squeeze of rising rents and stagnant incomes that has diverted a growing share of their paycheck to rent," reports the Wall Street Journal (Conor Dougherty, "California's Affordable Rental Housing Crisis," February 11, 2014). The Journal continues, "In the Golden State, as elsewhere, the burden is heaviest on those making the least." Evicted tenants face unaffordable moving costs and lost belongings, displaced children face school disruptions, and finding other stable and affordable housing becomes increasingly difficult.

In this context, protecting low-income tenants from evictions is increasingly critical. Attorneys who have a basic understanding of California eviction defense and housing law can advance justice for low-income tenants and prevent harm from unnecessary displacement. Landlord and tenant attorneys around the state recognize that representing tenants makes a difference in tenants' lives.

This training is designed to help mitigate California's housing crisis by providing attorneys with an understanding of key procedural issues in eviction defense and protecting tenant rights. Participants will have an opportunity to connect with non-profit legal service agencies able to facilitate pro bono representation of low-income families facing this predicament.

What You Will Learn
•Civil procedure tools in the accelerated unlawful detainer context
•When and how to use pre-Answer motions to protect tenants
•Tips for conducting discovery to maximum effect in limited time
•When to raise affirmative defenses and consider affirmative lawsuits
•Key language to protect tenants in settlement agreements
•Tenant rights to jury trial and considerations for handling bench and jury trials
•When and how to file a post-trial motion or appeal
•Emerging issues in mobilehome park tenancies

Who Should Attend
Practitioners who handle or are interested in handling eviction defense matters should attend. The training will prove helpful for new attorneys and for those with experience who want to deepen their use of California procedure and explore new avenues of practice. The sessions will touch on avenues for affirmative litigation to protect low-income tenancies.