City Attorney's Office FAQs

Q. Can the City Attorney advise citizens in legal matters?

A.

  No. The City Attorney cannot provide legal advice to private citizens.

However, the following organizations in Alameda County may be helpful to citizens in seeking
legal representation and/or answers to general legal questions:

Law Center for Families
510 16th Street, Suite 300
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 451-9261

Alameda County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
(510) 302-2222
70 Washington Street, Ste 200
Oakland, CA 94607
http://www.acbanet.org

Free Legal Counsel Night at the Library, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
(Main Library - first Wednesday of every month)
1550 Oak Street
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 747-7713

Q. Where do I file a Small Claims Court action?

A. Superior Court of the County of Alameda

2233 Shoreline Drive
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 263-4305

Q. How can I receive a copy of a particular Alameda Municipal Code section?

A. A copy of a particular section may be obtained from:

City Clerk's Office
City Hall
2263 Santa Clara Avenue, Room 380
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 747-4800

A set of the Alameda Municipal Code Books are located in the Alameda Main Library
as well as its branches for citizens' use, and the Municipal Code is available online.
If further clarification of a code is required, call the City Attorney's Office at (510) 747-4750.
For zoning and planning issues, call the Planning Department of the Community Development Department at (510) 747-6800 or (510) 747-6850.

Q. Where can I borrow law books?

A. Alameda County Law Library

125 - 12th Street
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 208-4800

Q. How do I file a claim against the City of Alameda?

A. Claim forms are available from the City Attorney's Office.
The claim must be filed with the City Clerk's Office within 6 months from the date of the incident.
The City Clerk will then forward it to the City Attorney's Office. All claims are administered by the Risk Manager.