Legal Document Assistance · CaliforniaYour Legal Documents, Professionally Managed
Handled Personally,
Start to Finish.
Three Keys Legal helps Californians navigate divorce, restraining orders, and estate planning without the attorney price tag.
Free 15–30 min intake call · No obligation · No paperwork
Understanding Your OptionsWhat Is a Legal
Document Assistant?
A Legal Document Assistant, or LDA, is a registered California professional who prepares legal documents for people representing themselves, based on their specific instructions.
Before California formally established the LDA profession, this work was commonly performed by people known as Independent Paralegals. In 1998, California created the Legal Document Assistant category and established registration, bonding, qualification, and consumer-protection requirements for people providing these services independently.
Those boundaries matter.
Three Keys LegalRegistered, Commissioned, & Bonded
LDA REGISTRATION
#303 · San Diego County
AUTHORITY
California B&P Code §§6400–6415
BOND
On file with San Diego County Clerk
SERVICE AREA
All California Counties
COMMISSIONED
Notary Public
Substantive requirements affecting divorce, custody, support, and other family-law matters
Requirements affecting probate and estate-related documents
Service, deadlines, procedure, and how matters move through the court system
Rules that may affect material submitted to the court
Statewide filing, formatting, procedural, and Judicial Council form requirements
Additional requirements adopted by the county handling your matter
Filing practices, required supporting documents, and administrative procedures that can vary by court
The Judicial Council maintains statewide forms and rules, but local courts may impose additional procedures and requirements.
A case can get slowed down by something surprisingly small: a missing attachment, inconsistent information between forms, an incomplete disclosure packet, a signature problem, or documents submitted in the wrong sequence.
That is where Three Keys Legal comes in.
I prepare your documents from the information and decisions you provide, apply the procedural and formatting requirements that govern the filing, and help make sure the paperwork is organized and complete before it reaches the courthouse.
You remain in control of your case. I handle the paperwork.
An LDA is not an attorney. We cannot give legal advice, tell you what legal position to take, recommend a strategy, or make legal decisions for you. What we can do is take the decisions you have made and turn them into properly prepared legal documents that are organized, complete, and ready for the next procedural step.
Not Every LDA Has the Same Background
California requires LDAs to meet minimum education or law-related experience requirements, register with the county, and maintain a bond. But those qualifications can be satisfied through several different pathways, which means the training and practical experience of individual LDAs can vary considerably.
Three Keys Legal brings both formal paralegal education and hands-on California legal experience to the work.
That matters because court paperwork rarely exists in isolation.
It means understanding how the forms fit together. Knowing which supporting documents ordinarily accompany a filing. Tracking disclosures and procedural steps. Formatting attachments correctly. Spotting inconsistencies between documents before they are submitted. And knowing when something in the paperwork needs to go back to the client — or an attorney/mediator — before the case moves forward.
That is the difference between simply filling in boxes and managing the document process carefully.
What Your Documents Have to Satisfy
Your paperwork may sit at the intersection of several layers of California authority and court procedure.
Family Code
Probate Code
Code of Civil Procedure
Evidence Code
California Rules of Court
Local Court Rules
Court Procedures
LEGAL DOCUMNET ASSISTANT
Charliana Michaels
The Person Behind the PracticeMeet Charliana
Hi, I'm Charliana the person behind Three Keys Legal. I started this practice because the paperwork is where most self-represented people get stuck. Not because the forms are complicated on their own, but because California’s procedural rules are unforgiving, and a rejected judgment can cost months.
I handle every case personally, from your first call to your final documents. No handoffs, no surprises just clear communication and meticulous preparation at every step. My background in high-conflict family dynamics means I understand what these cases look like from the inside, and why precision matters most when emotions are running highest.
I'm based in San Diego and serve clients throughout all of California. In addition to my work as a Registered LDA and Commissioned Notary Public, I am a UCLA certificated Paralegal, a Certified Divorce Coach, a Certified Co-Parenting Specialist, and I hold advanced training in high-conflict dispute resolution.
I proudly serve as Secretary of the San Diego Paralegal Association and hold active memberships with the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, San Diego Family Law Bar Association, Institute of Divorce Financial Analysts, North County Bar Association, California Association of Legal Document Assistants, and the National Association of Legal Assistants.
LDA #303
Commissioned Notary Public
Co-Parenting Specialist
UCLA Certificated Paralegal
SDPA Secretary
Certified Divorce Coach
San Diego Based
All CA Counties
What We HandleOur Services
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Divorce & Legal Separation
Flat-fee document preparation for amicable, uncontested divorces statewide. From initial filing through final judgment every step handled personally.
Includes MSA, parenting plan, and final judgment paperwork.
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Estate Planning
Wills, trusts, and powers of attorney prepared accurately so your wishes are documented and your loved ones are protected.
Individual documents or full estate plan packages.
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Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
All required DVRO paperwork prepared with care and urgency. We help you take the right steps to protect yourself quickly and accurately.
Emergency, full package, and renewal/modification available.
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Commissioned Notary Public
As a Commissioned Notary Public, I provide convenient and reliable notarization services with a focus on the documents I know best. I specialize in notarizing divorce and estate planning documents, ensuring your paperwork is properly witnessed, signed, and sealed when you need it.
Notarization for divorce and family law documents
Notarization for wills, trusts, and estate planning paperwork
On-site notarization for your convenience
Deed Drafting Grant deeds, quitclaim deeds & more.
E-Filing Service Available in participating CA courts.
The ProcessHow It Works
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01
Complete a Brief Intake Form
I confirm your complexity tier and scope before you pay anything. No commitment required.
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02
Sign & Pay to Begin
Sign the Client Agreement and pay the flat fee. Your case starts immediately.
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03
Documents Are Prepared
Three Keys Legal prepares all required California Judicial Council forms based on your information.
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04
Review & Approve
You review the documents and request revisions within your package limit, then sign.
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05
Next Steps with Your Documents
Divorce: Concierge clients receive e-filing directly; Base & Guided clients receive step-by-step filing instructions.
Estate Planning: We assist with trust funding guidance and distributing copies to appropriate parties.
Deed Prep: Your deed is prepared for recording with instructions for filing at the County Recorder.
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06
Closing Your Matter
Divorce: Final Judgment paperwork is prepared after court processing to officially close the case.
Estate Planning: We confirm all documents are executed, and your plan is complete and in place.
Deed Prep: We verify successful recording and confirm finalization of your transaction.
Typical Turnaround TimesBASE
5–7
business days
GUIDED
5–7
business days
CONCIERGE
3–5
business days
Court processing times vary by county and are outside our control. Complex cases or incomplete intakes may extend turnaround.
Clear Scope * Flat-Fee PricingPricing & Service Options
Clear scope. Transparent pricing. No surprise billing. Your complexity tier and flat fee are confirmed in writing before you pay anything.
Flat-fee packages for cooperative, uncontested divorces and legal separations. Your fee depends on two things: case complexity and the level of support you want.
Step 1 — Identify Your Case Complexity
-
Simple
No minor children · No real property
Short marriage
Limited assets or debts
Straightforward division
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Moderate
Minor Children OR Meaningful Assets
One primary moving part, such as:
Minor children with no real property, or
Meaningful assets with no children
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Complex
Multiple Moving Parts or unusual facts
Minor children together with significant assets, or
Any matter involving real property, retirement account division, or detailed support and custody terms, or
Unconventional circumstances
Step 2 — Choose Your Service Level
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Base
You manage the process
Complete preparation of all required documents, petition through judgment
Step-by-step filing instructions at each stage
1 revision round included
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Guided
Structured support along the way
Everything in Base, plus:
Shared checklist and milestone tracking
Procedural information about each stage of the California divorce process
Scheduled check-ins as your case moves forward
2 revision rounds included
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Concierge
Professionally managed, start-to-finish
Everything in Guided, plus:
Spousal & Child Support Calculations
Joint process meetings with both parties
Financial disclosure coordination and completeness review
Deadline and milestone management
E-filing service*
Judgment submission and follow-through
Document coordination with your mediator, at your direction
Priority response and faster turnaround
3 revision rounds included
Flat-Fee Packages
Pricing below for both spouses using Three Keys Legal together.
COMPLEXITY
SIMPLE
MODERATE
COMPLEX
BASE
$995
$1,395
$1,895
GUIDED
$1,495
$1,995
$2,695
CONCIERGE
$2,495
$3,295
$4,250
Every package includes: Every full-service package includes the documents required for the applicable stages of your case, from initial filing or response through judgment. Settlement agreements and parenting plans are prepared from terms provided by the client(s).
Clearly defined scope.
Your flat fee covers the services listed for your package, as detailed in your written Client Agreement. If your matter changes, new issues arise, or you request work beyond your package, you’ll recieve the cost before any additional work begins. Approved additional work is billed at $225 per hour.
Packages assume a cooperative matter in which both parties agree on terms. Court filing, service, notary & e-filing fees are separate. *E-filing is available where court rules and local procedures permit. Where a filing must be submitted in paper, documents are prepared for mail or in-person submission with instructions provided.
Working with a Mediator?
Many Concierge clients come to Three Keys legal through their mediator. Your mediator helps you and your spouse reach agreement. Three Keys Legal prepares the documents that carry that agreement through the court, at your direction, and manages the filing process through final judgment. The two roles are designed to work together, and neither duplicates the other.
Pricing varies based on complexity and urgency. Urgent matters are given priority. Court filing fees are separate.
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Emergency DVRO
Urgent preparation with priority handling.
Starting at $350
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Full DVRO Package
Comprehensive restraining order document set.
Starting at $550
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Renewal / Modification
Renewal or modification of an existing order.
Starting at $250
Contact for an exact quote. Pricing confirmed at intake before any payment.
Simple, transparent pricing for your essential documents. Final fee confirmed at your intake call.
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Protection Package
Will, Advance Health Care Directive, HIPAA Authorization, Statutory and Durable Powers of Attorney.
Starting at $600
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Full Estate Plan
Revocable Trust, Pour-Over Will, Powers of Attorney, Advance Health Care Directive, HIPAA Authorization.
Starting at $1,200
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A La Carte
Need just one document? Select only what you need individual legal documents prepared à la carte to fit your specific situation.
Starting at $200
All prices are starting points. Final fee confirmed at your intake call based on your specific needs.
Not sure which tier fits? We figure it out together before you commit.
Client ExperiencesWhat Clients Say
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“
Three Keys Legal saved me. Charliana is a PRO, she's efficient, effective, and a total RockStar at what she does. I highly recommend Three Keys Legal. The pricing is reasonable, and what you get is priceless.
J.W.
Sonoma, CADivorce
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“
Charliana was truly a godsend. I'm so glad we chose to work with her. She patiently answered all of our questions, and made us feel comfortable. I will absolutely be reaching out to her again.
J.H.
San Diego, CAEstate Planning
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“
I needed a restraining order quickly and Charliana was compassionate and efficient. I felt supported the whole time. I can't thank her enough.
Name withheld
Orange County, CADVRO
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“
Working with Charliana was the best decision I made during one of the hardest times of my life. She explained every document and kept me informed every step of the way.
J.M.
San Diego, CADivorce
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“
I had a great experience working with Charliana, She was very informative in answering all my questions, gave me enough time to make sure I understood. She is efficient, respectful and easy to talk to.
I.M.
Encinitas, CAEstate Planning
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“
Charliana was amazing on the day of signing even as we were delayed in getting some key information to her. We still ended up signing on our scheduled date and couldn't have done it without her support. Would gladly recommend their services.
B.R.
La Jolla, CANotary
Ready to Move ForwardReady to Get Started?
Schedule a free 15–30 minute intake call no obligation, no paperwork. We confirm your scope and answer your questions before you commit to anything.
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Free · No obligation · No paperwork · We confirm everything before you commit