AB 705

Under current law, an attorney who drafts or assists in drafting a pleading,

motion, or document for an otherwise self-represented person in a legal action is not

required to sign the pleading, motion, or document. However, the document must

contain a statement immediately adjacent to the self-represented person's signature

that “this document was prepared with the assistance of a lawyer,” followed by the

attorney's name and state bar number.

Under this bill, the attorney has to provide his or her name and state bar

number only if it is requested by an opposing party in a contested matter, and the

clerk of the court must then enter the name and state bar number on the document

and enter it in the clerk's minutes. The recording of the attorney's name and state

bar number does not make the attorney the attorney of record for the otherwise

self-represented person.