What Types of Legal Problems Does ULS Help With?

Utah Legal Services (ULS) can only provide legal help to those who qualify in non-criminal cases. We can answer questions, give advice, prepare legal documents, and represent clients in court and before administrative agencies. We cannot assist you in any criminal matter (including traffic violations).  We currently handle the following types of cases:

Family Problems

ULS may be able to help with:

• Assistance in acquiring a protective order when there is violence or abuse by a spouse, cohabitant or in a dating relationship;
• Assistance in obtaining a stalking injunction when there is violence, abuse or stalking by someone who is not a cohabitant;
• Representation in a divorce proceeding or getting a child custody order where violence or abuse are a factor.

Public Benefits Assistance

ULS may be able to help apply for any of the following public benefits and/or appeal a decision if you have been denied or received an overpayment:

• Financial Assistance (FEP, GA)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Social Security Disability benefits (SSDI)
• Unemployment compensation
• Food Stamps
• Medicaid
• Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
• PCN 

Housing

ULS may be able to help with if: 

• You have received a notice of Eviction and/or received court papers for eviction;
• Your landlord has locked you out of your apartment without first obtaining a court order allowing him/her to do so;
• Your home is in the process of foreclosure;
• Your rental unit is in need of repairs that affect your safety and your landlord is not responsive despite being notified; 
• Your landlord claims you have abandoned the property, but you did not voluntarily leave;
• You have received notice of potential loss of a federal subsidy.

Consumer

ULS may be able to help with the following:

• Contract disputes such as enforceability, breach and right to cancel;
• Your rights under a lease such as claims of landlord for damages or retention of deposit;
• You rights under sales agreements such as purchasing an automobile;
• Credit issues, such as identity theft;
• Debt collection; or
• Issues arising out of predatory lending practices (i.e., bait and switch).

Seniors

ULS may be able to help seniors (those 60+) or in some cases, other low-income Utahns with the following:

• Social Security retirement and other public benefits, denials, and overpayments;
• Medicare claim or benefit problems;
• Housing issues, including nursing homes;
• Limited assistance with estate planning and advanced directives, such as living wills; and
• Defense of the proposed ward in a guardianship proceeding (we do not initiate guardianship petitions).

Agricultural Workers

In addition to those listed above, ULS may be able to help with the following:

• Agricultural-related employment issues such as:
  • wages;
  • violations of work contract and working arrangements;
  • work conditions;
  • pesticides;
  • field sanitiation;
  • worker housing;
  • human trafficking.
• Immigration petitions for citizenship

Native American Indian

In addition to the areas listed above, ULS may be able to help Native American's with the following:

• Tribal housing on the Ute and Ibapah Reservation;
• Issues involving the Indian Child Welfare Act;
• Juvenile delinquency cases in tribal court;
• Other matters pertaining to Indian Law.

Pro Bono (includes bankruptcy, family issues, QDROs, and guardianships)

Even if ULS cannot assist you directly, we can often find volunteer or pro bono attorneys who are willing to help low-income clients free of charge.  The types of cases we can place with volunteer attorneys depending on many factors, including the expertise of the attorneys themselves and we cannot guarantee placement of any case.  

How to Apply

We encourage you to Apply Online or call us at 801-328-8891 between the hours of 9:00 am and 2:00 pm, Monday through Friday to see if we can help you.