We help both sides of a California tenancy — tenants facing eviction or unsafe conditions, and small landlords trying to handle a hard situation the right way. Lawma’s guided intake is free; the licensed attorney you choose quotes a flat fee before any work starts.
Both sides count
For a tenant, a 3-day notice is the start of something that can land in a credit report, a court file, or — at the worst — a sheriff at the door. For a small landlord, an unpaid rent or a damaged unit can be the difference between making the mortgage and losing the building.
California has clear rules for both sides. We help you use them — calmly, accurately, and with a real lawyer at your shoulder.
Pick your path
We treat both with care. Both sides get an attorney; both sides get the same supervised process.
The landlord gave notice, filed an unlawful detainer (eviction case), or is ignoring real repair problems.
We help you:
One unit, a duplex, a handful of apartments. You're not a corporate operator — you're a person trying to do this right.
We help you:
Note — California unlawful detainer cases are governed by Code of Civil Procedure §§ 1161–1179. The complaint form is UD-100, the response is UD-105, and tenants have 10 court days to respond (extended from 5 by AB 2347, effective January 1, 2025). The clock matters; missing it can mean losing by default.
How a Lawma case moves
How pricing works
Your lawyer charges a pre-negotiated flat fee — typically $200 to $3,500, depending on complexity. Eviction defense and active L/T disputes generally fall in the mid-to-high range. That single fee covers your attorney's work AND everything Lawma does.
For comparison, an attorney-handled eviction defense typically runs $1,500 to $5,000 in attorney fees alone.
If you qualify for legal aid, your fee is waived. Permanently.That's a Lawma commitment.
Traditional-attorney fee ranges are market estimates from industry surveys; specific quotes vary by attorney, jurisdiction, and matter complexity.
California court filing fees may apply. Tenants — and small landlords with limited income — can ask the court to waive the fee, and we help you file that request.
Questions people ask
I just got served. What's the very first thing I should do?
Open Lawma today. You generally have 10 court days to file an Answer (UD-105) after being served — and every one of them counts. Missing the deadline can lead to a default judgment and a lockout — even if you had real defenses.
My unit isn't safe. Can I just stop paying rent?
Not without doing it carefully. California recognizes habitability defenses, but how and when you withhold matters. Talk to your attorney before stopping — wrong rent-withholding can cost you the case.
As a landlord, can I just change the locks?
No. California prohibits self-help evictions. Even with the clearest case, you have to go through the unlawful detainer process. We make that process workable.
Does Lawma help large property managers?
Lawma is built for small landlords — one unit, a duplex, a small portfolio. Larger commercial operators should work with a dedicated landlord-tenant firm.
Beyond the legal piece, a housing case touches a lot of services. Lawma curates partners and earns a small fee when you use one — never by selling your data. You start the request right here on Lawma — your details never go to a third-party form.
Process servers
Swift Serve
Same-day service on most family-court papers, with a certified Proof of Service handed back to your attorney.
Mental health
Warmlight Therapy
Vetted, licensed therapists with sliding-scale rates. Telehealth and in-person. Covers divorce, separation, parenting transitions, and trauma support.
Real estate
Harbor Realty
Agents trained in divorce, downsizing, and tight-timeline sales. Honest valuations, no high-pressure listings, will work with your attorney.
Tenant advocacy
Tenants First
Free, in-language help with notices, repairs, security-deposit recovery, and eviction defense — funded by HUD partner grants.
Intake happens on Lawma — you never hand your details to a third-party form. Lawma earns a small referral fee when you connect with a partner; we only list services that meet our review bar, and we never run ads on your case file.
A short conversation puts you on the right track. Guided intake is free and confidential; the licensed attorney you choose quotes a flat fee before any work starts.
