Legal Question in Family Law in California

Family law cases are not qualified for pro bono services. If a family has no assets, they can do a divorce with one of the many books available (I recommend Nolo Press) and the assistance of the Family Law Facilitator in their local court. If they have assets, by definition they are not pro bono clients.

You may be able to find attorneys to take a case without a retainer if there is another confirmed source of payment, such as a family home that will have to be sold and has equity, or the other spouse has income or assets that will support a petition to have the spouse with money pay the other spouse's attorney's fees (this is very common if one spouse has all the money and the other spouse doesn't).