What is a Legal Document Assistant?

A Legal Document Assistant (LDA) is a California-regulated non-attorney authorized under California’s Legal Document Assistant law to prepare legal documents directly for the public. LDAs must be registered with their county clerk, bonded with a $25,000 bond, and meet specific education and experience requirements. Unlike paralegals, LDAs work directly with consumers without attorney supervision. TruPoint is Registered LDA #268 in Santa Clara County.

The key difference is who they serve. A paralegal works exclusively under an attorney’s supervision and cannot legally provide services directly to the public. A Legal Document Assistant (LDA) works directly with consumers who are representing themselves. California’s paralegal law prohibits paralegals from independently serving consumers — only LDAs can lawfully prepare legal documents directly for members of the public.

No. California law strictly prohibits Legal Document Assistants from providing legal advice, opinions, recommendations, or strategies. LDAs cannot tell you which forms to file, how to answer specific questions, or which legal course of action to take. LDAs can only prepare documents at your direction — meaning you decide what you want done, and we prepare the paperwork accordingly. If you need legal advice, we can refer you to a licensed attorney.

LDAs charge fees for document preparation, while attorneys typically charge hourly rates of $300–$500 per hour. Because LDAs only prepare documents (not legal strategy), our overhead is significantly lower. Clients typically save 60–80% compared to attorney fees for routine matters like deed transfers, living trusts, LLC formation, title reports, and name changes. TruPoint’s pricing means no surprise bills.

Yes. TruPoint Legal LLC is Registered Legal Document Assistant #268 in Santa Clara County, California. We are bonded with the required $25,000 surety bond and in full compliance with California’s Legal Document Assistant law. Our LDA identification is displayed on every document we prepare, as required by state law.

California LDAs are authorized to prepare legal documents for: deeds and property transfers, living trusts and wills, LLC and business formation, name changes, powers of attorney, title reports, and more. LDAs may also file documents with courts and serve documents at the client’s direction. Scope varies by office — TruPoint Legal prepares deeds and property transfers, living trusts, certifications of trust, name changes, and powers of attorney.

Not necessarily — it depends on your case. If your matter is uncontested, routine, and procedural (like a deed transfer, simple living trust, or LLC formation), an LDA is often sufficient. If your case involves disputed issues, complex strategy, courtroom representation, or unclear legal rights, a licensed attorney is the right choice. TruPoint helps you understand the scope of your matter and recommends an attorney referral when appropriate.

Every California LDA is registered with the county clerk of the county where they do business. You can verify registration by: (1) asking to see the LDA’s county-issued photo ID card, (2) contacting the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder’s Office directly, or (3) searching the California Association of Legal Document Assistants (CALDA) directory. TruPoint’s LDA number is #268, registered in Santa Clara County.

Every registered California LDA must file a $25,000 surety bond with the county clerk under Business and Professions Code §6405, and registration runs in two-year terms. The bond exists for you, not for us: if an LDA fails to deliver what was contracted or causes you financial harm, you can claim against it. An unregistered typing service has no bond, no county registration, and nothing behind it. That difference is the whole reason the registration scheme exists.

Yes, and the law requires it. Under §6410 an LDA must give you a written contract before providing any services, and it must carry a statement in 12-point boldface type that the LDA is not an attorney and cannot perform the legal services an attorney performs, plus the contact details for the county clerk where the LDA is registered. If anyone offers to prepare California legal documents without a written contract containing that language, that is a signal worth acting on.

We treat your information as confidential and do not share your file. But the limit is worth stating honestly: attorney-client privilege does not apply to an LDA, because we are not attorneys. Privilege is a legal protection that attaches to communications with a lawyer, and it is not something a document preparer can offer. For most deed, trust, and name change work that is not a practical concern. If you are dealing with a matter where privilege genuinely matters — a dispute, an investigation, anything likely to be litigated — that is a reason to use an attorney rather than us.

You have real recourse, which is the point of registration. You can claim against the $25,000 bond, complain to the county clerk that issued the registration, and in serious cases the conduct is criminal — failing to comply with the registration, contract, and disclosure requirements is a misdemeanour under §6412.5. An LDA who gives legal advice or makes false promises is breaking the law, not merely being unhelpful. None of that exists with an unregistered preparer.

No, and this is the clearest limit on what we do. An LDA cannot appear at a hearing, speak for you in court, negotiate on your behalf, or advise you on strategy — only a licensed attorney can. We prepare and file the documents you direct. Plenty of matters never need an appearance, and small claims is designed to be handled without a lawyer. If yours is heading for a contested hearing, we will tell you so rather than take the file.

Then the work stops being document preparation and becomes something we cannot do. A deed everyone agrees on is paperwork; a deed someone is disputing is litigation. The same is true of a trust two beneficiaries read differently, or a name change the other parent objects to. We will say so and point you toward an attorney rather than carry on and leave you exposed.

Ask three things. First, for their LDA registration number and county — a registered LDA gives it without hesitation and it is verifiable on the county clerk’s public register. Second, for the written contract, which must exist before any work starts. Third, whether they are bonded. Anyone who deflects on all three is not registered. It matters because an unregistered preparer who mishandles your deed leaves you with no bond, no county to complain to, and no practical remedy.

It depends on the document, but generally the current recorded deed — or the property address and APN so we can pull it — for anything involving real property, the exact legal names of everyone involved, and a plain description of what needs to happen. If a court, escrow officer, or title company has already told you what they need, send us that note; it is the fastest starting point. Intake takes about ten minutes and nothing is charged until we confirm the fee.