If you feel unsafe and need immediate protection, dial 911. Scroll down for crisis support information.
Notice – Office Closures
Our office will be operating with limited staff from December 23, 2025, to January 2, 2026. On December 24th and December 31st the office will close at 1pm. The office will be closed on December 25, 2025 and January 1, 2026. If you have a life-threatening emergency, please dial 911. You may still submit an application, but you may receive a response longer than 2 business days. For all domestic violence emergencies please call 911 or visit the courthouse nearest to you for immediate assistance.
Nuestra oficina estará operando con personal limitado desde el 23 de diciembre del 2025 hasta el 2 de enero del 2026. Los días 24 de diciembre del 2025 y el 1 de enero del 2026. Si tiene una emergencia que pone en peligro su vida, por favor marque al 911. Puede presentar su solicitud, pero es possible que reciba una respuesta en un plazo mayor a dos días hábiles. Para todas las emergencias relacionadas con violencia doméestica, por favor llame al 911 o visite el juzgado más cercano para recibir asistencia inmediata.
Dignity. Empowerment. Service.
These are the values that drive the mission of the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law.
Our Mission
To ensure meaningful access to justice and stability through the family law system.
Our Vision
A just, fair, and accessible
family law system for all.
Who We Serve
We serve low-income residents of Los Angeles County in need of legal assistance in child custody and visitation, child support, parentage, restraining orders, divorce, property division, and spousal support.
How We Do It
We provide free legal services, education, and advocacy. Our work empowers our clients to protect themselves and their children from domestic violence, poverty, housing insecurity, and other barriers to lasting stability.
If you need crisis support, immediate assistance, or shelter 24 hours a day/7 days a week, please reach out to:
National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-7233
LA County Domestic Violence Hotline
800-978-3600
National Sexual Assault Hotline
1-800-656-4673
Impacted by the fires in Los Angeles?
If you are a low-income resident of Los Angeles County who has been impacted by the wildfires in Southern California and need free family law legal services, please call 213-388-7505 EXT 327 to be scheduled for a free legal consultation.
Si usted es un residente del condado de Los Angeles de bajos ingresos que ha sido afectado por los incendios forestales en el sur de California y necesita servicios legales gratuitos de derecho familiar, por favor llame al 213-388-7505 EXT 327 para programarle una consulta legal gratuita.
Stories About Our Clients
- Sofia’s Story
WATCH FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH BUHAI CLIENT SOFIA AND SARAH LUETTO Sofia* endured years of abuse from the father of her two young children. Early in their relationship, she briefly left after he was arrested for DUI and domestic violence,
[Read more] - Having an Attorney Made All the Difference
Cynthia’s* 20-year marriage was filled with abuse, but when she learned of her daughter’s distress, she found the courage to leave. Desperate to protect her children, Cynthia turned to the Buhai Center for help, and the support she received made
[Read more] - Path to Healing.
Rosario* already faced a lifetime of trauma—human trafficking, domestic violence, and the kidnapping of her children—before learning that her young daughter was molested by her father. Seeking to break free from a devastating cycle of abuse, Rosario found support at
[Read more]
What’s Happening at Buhai?
- From Personal Experience to Powerful Advocacy: Donor Sarah Treem Reflects on Her Support for the Buhai Center
“[family law court] is radically different than anything you thought you knew about [the justice system] … it can go on for years. It can bankrupt people,” she explains. “Once people are through these experiences, it’s just such a dark chapter of their lives that they don’t want to go back there.” Her insights shed light on the deep emotional and financial toll the system imposes on the people who have to navigate it, especially low-income individuals, and why organizations like the Buhai Center play such an important role in shedding light on these issues.