Last updated: July 14, 2026
Important note
This guide gives general information, not legal advice. Court, agency, and appeal deadlines can affect your children, safety, housing, money, and benefits. Read every notice and contact a lawyer, legal aid office, court self-help service, or the agency named on the paper as soon as you can.
Bottom line
Utah has free and low-cost help for many civil legal problems. The best first step depends on whether you need help with custody, child support, domestic violence, eviction, benefits, work, disability rights, or court forms.
Utah Legal Services is the main statewide civil legal aid office for low-income Utahns. The Utah Courts Self-Help Center helps people who do not have a lawyer understand forms and court steps. Neither resource can promise a lawyer or a result.
For a wider benefits plan, keep the Utah help guide open while you work on the legal issue. The national legal guide explains more legal-help terms and backup paths.
If you need legal help today
If you or your children are in immediate danger, call 911 when it is safe. For abuse, stalking, threats, or fear of going home, call or text the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition LINKLine at 1-800-897-5465. It is free, confidential, and open 24 hours.
Use a safer phone or computer if someone may check your calls, messages, browser history, or location. The Utah safety guide lists more shelter and support paths.
If you have a hearing, eviction case, protective-order case, custody papers, or a benefits appeal, write down the deadline now. Save the envelope, notice, case number, and the date you received it. The Utah emergency guide can help with shelter, food, bills, and other urgent needs.
Where to start
Custody or divorce
Apply to legal aid and use Utah Courts family-law pages. Ask whether you need a divorce, parentage, custody, parent-time, or modification case.
Abuse or stalking
Contact LINKLine for safety support. Then ask about a protective order, stalking injunction, shelter advocate, or court help.
Eviction or housing
Read the court papers, contact legal aid, and call 211 for rent or shelter help. Do not wait for rental aid before checking a court deadline.
Benefits denied
Follow the appeal directions on the notice. Keep proof of filing and ask legal aid whether it can help with the hearing.
Quick legal help table
| Problem | Best first step | What to ask | Reality check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custody, divorce, or parentage | Utah Legal Services and court self-help | Which case and forms fit my situation? | Forms help is not full court representation. |
| Protective order or stalking | LINKLine and Utah Courts | What safe legal and advocacy options are available? | A court order cannot guarantee safety. |
| Child support | Office of Recovery Services | How do I apply or update my case? | ORS does not decide custody or parent-time. |
| Eviction or rent case | Legal aid and Utah Courts | What is my hearing or response deadline? | Deadlines may be very short. |
| Benefits denied or closed | Appeal office named on notice | How do I request a fair hearing? | Different programs use different deadlines. |
Free and low-cost legal help
Utah Legal Services
What it helps with: Utah Legal Services provides free help in non-criminal civil cases. Help can include legal information, advice, documents, negotiation, agency work, or court representation.
Who may qualify: The office screens for income, assets, legal-status rules, case type, conflicts of interest, and available staff. Some domestic-violence cases may use different eligibility rules.
Where to apply: Use the website’s Apply Online option or the current contact details on the ULS contact page. Apply even when you are not sure your case is covered.
Reality check: Applying does not create a lawyer-client relationship or promise full representation. The office may give advice, refer you elsewhere, or be unable to take the case.
Utah Courts Self-Help Center
What it helps with: Self-Help Center staff provide free information about Utah law, court process, forms, and options for people without lawyers. They can point you to mediation, clinics, legal aid, and lawyer referrals.
Who may use it: Services are statewide for people handling their own Utah court matters. Reality check: Staff do not become your lawyer and cannot represent you in court.
The court’s MyPaperwork tool prepares forms for certain divorce, parentage, protective-order, and stalking cases. For most cases, you must download and file the papers yourself.
Brief advice and clinics
Utah Courts keeps a current list of legal clinics. Clinic lawyers usually give short advice and do not take over the full case. Bring your papers, a timeline, and two or three clear questions.
The Utah State Bar’s Virtual Legal Clinic connects eligible users with a volunteer lawyer for up to 30 minutes by phone or email. The lawyer gives brief help, not ongoing representation.
The Bar’s legal help page lists free services and licensed lawyers. As of July 14, 2026, its Modest Means page says that program is paused and not accepting new applications, so confirm status before relying on it.
Custody, divorce, parentage, and parent-time
Utah family cases may deal with legal custody, physical custody, parent-time, child support, parentage, divorce, or changes to an older order. The court’s custody case guide explains how these issues can be handled together.
Who may need a parentage case: Parents who have children together but were not married may use a parentage case to ask for orders about paternity, custody, child support, and parent-time. The parentage page explains that path.
Where to ask for help: Start with Utah Legal Services, court self-help, or a clinic. Timpanogos Legal Center has a legal advice hotline for brief help, referrals, domestic-violence assistance, and clinic screening. Its current page lists 801-649-8895, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For cases that belong in Salt Lake County, the Legal Aid Society may provide full help with divorce, custody, parentage, enforcement, modification, and minor guardianship after eligibility screening.
Reality check: A custody case can affect child support and parent-time. Do not use someone else’s forms or agreement without checking whether it fits your case. The Utah child care guide may help with care costs while a case is pending.
Child support help
The Utah Office of Recovery Services (ORS) provides child-support services to parents and caregivers who apply and provide supporting information. People receiving cash assistance or Medicaid may be referred to ORS, but ORS says they still need to complete an application for services.
What ORS can do: ORS may establish and enforce child-support and medical-support orders, collect payments, and review some orders. Use the official child support application to start.
What ORS does not do: ORS does not represent either parent, give legal advice, or decide custody and parent-time. Those issues usually require a court case.
Practical step: Save the application number ORS gives you and place it on copies of supporting documents. The Utah child support guide explains more state-specific steps.
Protective orders, stalking, and safety
Do not use this article as a safety plan. A trained advocate can help you think about shelter, safe contact, children, transportation, court advocacy, and whether legal action is safe for you now.
Utah Courts has forms and instructions for several types of protective orders. The judge reviews the request and may set a hearing. Read every order and hearing notice carefully, and attend unless the court tells you otherwise.
In Salt Lake County, the protective-order program may represent petitioners in protective-order and stalking cases regardless of income or legal status. Its service is limited by case type and county.
Reality check: A legal order may be one part of a safety plan, but it cannot promise safety. Ask an advocate how court papers, service, contact information, and device use could affect your situation.
Eviction and housing legal problems
Keep every landlord notice, summons, complaint, hearing notice, lease, rent record, repair request, and message. Utah Courts has a current eviction guide for tenants and landlords.
What legal help may cover: A lawyer or clinic may explain the papers, help prepare a response, review defenses, negotiate, or represent a tenant when capacity allows. People’s Legal Aid offers free education, consultation, and case evaluation for Utahns facing eviction or debt-collection lawsuits through its get-help page.
Where to find basic-needs help: Utah 211 lists shelters, rent help, food, utilities, and local programs on its housing resources page. Tell 211 if you have children, a court date, a shutoff notice, or no safe place to stay.
Reality check: Rental assistance and legal help are different. Applying for rent aid does not answer a lawsuit or cancel a hearing. The Utah housing guide covers shelter, rental aid, and longer-term housing paths.
Benefits appeals and agency problems
If SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, child care, or another benefit is denied, reduced, delayed, or closed, read the notice. It should explain the reason, deadline, and appeal path. Keep the notice even when it looks wrong.
For public-assistance decisions handled through Workforce Services, use the official fair hearing page. It covers appeals involving food, financial, medical, child care, General Assistance, and other listed programs. Follow the deadline on your own notice.
Some Medicaid disputes go through the Utah Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid hearing process. The right filing path depends on whether the issue is eligibility, disability review, a health-plan action, or another Medicaid decision.
What to prepare: Make a one-page timeline of the application, notices, calls, documents, and decision you want changed. Keep proof that the appeal was sent.
The benefits problems guide explains how to track notices and deadlines. Related state guides cover Utah SNAP help, Utah TANF help, and Utah health coverage.
Work, housing discrimination, and disability rights
The Utah Labor Commission’s Antidiscrimination Division handles state employment and housing discrimination complaints and wage claims. The right form and deadline depend on the problem.
What it may cover: The division accepts employment discrimination, fair housing, and unpaid-wage filings. Unfair treatment is not always illegal discrimination, so use the official screening information or ask a lawyer.
The Disability Law Center accepts requests involving disability-related housing, education, work, access, services, and other rights. It is Utah’s Protection and Advocacy organization, but it cannot accept every request.
The workplace rights guide explains pregnancy and job-protection starting points. The disability help guide covers benefits and family-support paths beyond legal aid.
Court fees, interpreters, and forms
Utah courts usually charge fees to start many cases. Some people can ask the court to waive fees. The court’s fee waiver guide explains the request and supporting financial information.
If you cannot understand or communicate in English, the court can appoint an interpreter for hearings. Utah Courts says to request a court interpreter at least three days before the hearing when possible.
Ask the Self-Help Center which statewide forms apply. Some court locations also use local forms. Never pay through a text or QR code that claims to be from a court without checking the message through the official court website or clerk.
Documents to gather
You do not need every paper before asking for help. Start the intake, then ask what the office accepts when something is missing. The documents checklist can help you build a full folder.
| Document | Why it matters | Helpful step |
|---|---|---|
| Court or agency papers | Show deadlines, case numbers, and decisions | Save the envelope and every page. |
| Existing court orders | Show current custody, support, or protection rules | Bring the signed order, not only notes. |
| Income and benefits proof | May be needed for legal aid or fee waivers | Gather pay stubs and benefit notices. |
| Messages and records | May support your timeline or legal issue | Keep dates and original wording. |
| Names and addresses | Needed for conflict checks and court papers | Use full legal names when known. |
| Your questions | Helps a short clinic visit stay focused | Put the urgent question first. |
How to prepare for legal help
| Step | What to do | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | State the legal problem in one sentence. | The screener can route the case faster. |
| 2 | Give the next deadline or hearing date. | Urgent cases need quick review. |
| 3 | List all parties by full name. | Legal aid must check conflicts. |
| 4 | Make a short date-by-date timeline. | It keeps the facts clear. |
| 5 | Ask what help is being offered. | Advice, forms, and representation are different. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Ignoring papers. A deadline can pass while you are looking for a lawyer.
- Assuming intake means representation. Ask whether the office has accepted your case.
- Missing a hearing. Read every notice and confirm the date, time, and location.
- Using unsafe contact details. Ask an advocate about safer phone, email, and mailing options.
- Mixing up ORS and court. ORS handles child-support services, not custody decisions.
- Sending your only copy. Keep copies of every form and piece of evidence.
- Paying fake court demands. Check payment requests through an official court source.
If legal help is unavailable
Ask why the office cannot help. Common reasons include income, case type, county, conflict of interest, legal-status rules, a full caseload, or a deadline that has already passed.
Ask for the next best referral: court self-help, a legal clinic, the Virtual Legal Clinic, Timpanogos Legal Center, the Utah State Bar, or a lawyer who offers limited-scope help. Limited-scope help means the lawyer handles only agreed parts of the case.
If you feel overwhelmed, ask a safe friend, advocate, case manager, or community worker to sit with you during calls. The Utah community guide can help you find local support while you handle the legal issue.
Phone scripts
Calling legal aid
“I need help with [custody, eviction, benefits, safety, or another civil issue]. I received papers on [date]. My next deadline or hearing is [date]. Can you screen my case, and what should I send today?”
Calling court self-help
“I do not have a lawyer. My case is about [case type] in [county]. Which self-help page or form should I use, and what is the next filing step?”
Calling about child support
“I want to apply for child-support services or check an ORS case. What application number, documents, and case details do you need from me?”
Calling about an appeal
“I received a notice about [benefit] dated [date]. I want to request a fair hearing. What is my filing deadline, where do I send the request, and how do I get proof it was received?”
Resumen en español
Esta guía ofrece información general, no consejo legal. Si usted o sus hijos están en peligro inmediato, llame al 911 cuando sea seguro. Para violencia doméstica, amenazas o acecho, llame o envíe un mensaje a Utah LINKLine al 1-800-897-5465.
Para ayuda legal civil, empiece con Utah Legal Services o el Centro de Autoayuda de las Cortes de Utah. Guarde todos los papeles de la corte, avisos de beneficios, órdenes, mensajes y fechas. Si tiene una audiencia o una fecha límite, dígala al comienzo de la llamada.
ORS puede ayudar con servicios de manutención de menores, pero no decide custodia ni tiempo de crianza. Si le negaron SNAP, TANF, Medicaid o cuidado infantil, siga las instrucciones de apelación en el aviso y guarde prueba de que presentó la solicitud.
FAQs about Utah legal help
Can single mothers get a free lawyer in Utah?
Sometimes. Free help depends on income, case type, county, legal-status rules, conflicts, deadlines, and staff capacity. An office may offer advice or forms help instead of full representation.
Where can I get help with custody or parent-time?
Start with Utah Legal Services and Utah Courts family-law self-help pages. Timpanogos Legal Center and Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake may also help when their eligibility and location rules fit.
What should I do if I need a protective order?
Call 911 for immediate danger. Contact LINKLine for confidential support, then use Utah Courts protective-order information or ask a local advocate or legal aid office for help.
Can ORS help me with custody?
No. ORS provides child-support services and does not decide custody or parent-time. Those issues usually require a court case.
What if my benefits were denied or closed?
Read the notice and file through the appeal path listed there before the deadline. Keep the notice and proof of filing, and ask legal aid whether it can help.
What if I received eviction papers?
Do not ignore them. Check the hearing or response information, contact legal aid, and call 211 for housing help. Rental aid does not replace a court response.
Can the court waive filing fees?
Some people can ask for a fee waiver based on benefits, legal-aid help, income, and ability to meet basic needs. The judge decides whether to grant the request.
About this guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
A Single Mother is independent and is not a government agency, benefits office, lender, law firm, medical provider, or tax advisor.
Program rules, funding, local availability, and eligibility can change. Always confirm details with the official program before you apply or make decisions.
Verification: Last verified July 14, 2026, next review October 14, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.