Free legal help and notaries in Palo Alto

Legal problems rarely arrive at a convenient time. A private attorney in Silicon Valley is expensive too. The good news is that Palo Alto residents can reach a solid network of free and low-cost help. The county runs a public law library and a court self-help center. The local bar runs a referral service with a free first half hour. Nonprofits handle housing, family, immigration and elder law. The city itself pays for a mediation program for landlord, tenant and neighbor disputes.

This page describes those resources as the providers publish them. It is not legal advice. Staff at libraries, self-help centers and referral services cannot give legal advice either. They can point you to forms, information and people who can.

The Santa Clara County Law Library

The Santa Clara County Law Library is a public law library at 360 North First Street in downtown San Jose, between Julian and Bassett streets. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closes on some holidays.

• Access. The front doors stay locked. Ring the doorbell or call the front desk at (408) 299-3568 to be let in. Recorded information is at (408) 299-3567.
• Purpose. Use is limited to legal research with the library's books or databases. Bar exam study is also allowed.
• Resources. Reference help, public computers and Wi-Fi, photocopying and printing, plus legal databases on the library's terminals.

The Palo Alto City Library lists the county law library among its legal resources and describes it as open to residents of Santa Clara County. The city library also offers its own legal databases with a library card, including a collection of Nolo self-help books on topics such as renters' rights, divorce and starting a small business. Our library card guide explains how to sign up.

Court self-help

If you are going to court without a lawyer, start with the Superior Court of Santa Clara County's self-help pages. The court's Self-Help Center and Family Law Facilitator's Office are based at the Family Justice Center Courthouse, 201 North First Street in San Jose.

• Remote help. The court's resource flyer says the Self-Help Center offers remote assistance only, with no walk-in services. Reach it by phone at (408) 882-2926 or by email or live chat through the court's website. Check the website for current phone hours.
• Restraining Order Help Center. In-person help is limited to emergencies, such as restraining orders, emergency custody or visitation, emergency guardianship and emergency evictions.
• Small claims. The court's website also links to a Small Claims Advisor.

The statewide California Courts Self-Help Guide explains common case types in plain language and links to free court forms. It is a good first stop before you call anyone.

The bar's lawyer referral service

When you need an actual lawyer but do not know where to start, the Santa Clara County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service can match you with one. According to the bar:

1. You fill out the online request form or call 669-302-7803 and pick a practice area.
2. You pay a $45 administrative fee, which is non-refundable except in one case: if neither your first referral nor a re-referral can provide a consultation.
3. An attorney usually contacts you within 72 hours.
4. All panel attorneys charge no fee for the first 30 minutes.

Practice areas include family law, wills, trusts and estates, probate and conservatorship, landlord and tenant, criminal law, collections defense, business and business or real estate litigation. The bar says it checks that panel attorneys are in good standing with the State Bar and carry professional liability insurance. Niche areas such as medical malpractice may not be available. The service does not offer free or reduced-fee representation itself, but staff can often refer you to agencies that do. After the first half hour, any further work is between you and the lawyer, so ask about fees in writing.

The State Bar of California also lists certified lawyer referral services on its public site, calbar.ca.gov.

Free and low-cost legal aid

The City of Palo Alto's legal services referral page lists nonprofits that serve residents. Most have income or other eligibility rules, so call to check before you go.

The Stanford and Santa Clara University clinics are staffed by law students working under supervising attorneys. Older residents can find more support through the services in our resources for older adults guide.

The Palo Alto Mediation Program

Many disputes do not need a court at all. The Palo Alto Mediation Program, which the city lists under the nonprofit Project Sentinel, offers conciliation and mediation to help settle disputes. The city's tenant resources page says the service is free and open to anyone who lives, works, does business or owns property in Palo Alto. For many types of rental disputes, Palo Alto landlords and tenants are required to take part. Reach the program at (650) 856-4062 or [email protected].

Project Sentinel also helps with housing questions such as repairs, deposits and privacy. The city expanded its renter protections in 2023, including just cause eviction rules for more renters and a lower cap on security deposits. Our renting guide covers those rules in more depth.

Notaries

A notary public confirms your identity and witnesses your signature. It is not legal advice and a notary cannot tell you what a document means. Bring a current government photo ID and wait to sign until the notary asks you to.

In Palo Alto, notary service is listed at:

• The UPS Stores. All three list notary service. The UPS Store Midtown at 2625 Middlefield Road lists it seven days a week. The UPS Store on Bryant Street downtown and the Town & Country Village store list it too. The Bryant Street store's own FAQ suggests checking whether the notary is in during all hours, so call ahead.
• Banks and credit unions. Stanford FCU offers notary service free for members and recommends an appointment. Bank of America on Lytton Avenue, Wells Fargo downtown and in Midtown and both U.S. Bank branches list notaries. First Tech offers one by appointment. Bank notaries are often reserved for customers.

The California Secretary of State commissions notaries. Its notary public pages explain what notaries may and may not do. Our banks and credit unions guide has the full branch list.

Choosing the right kind of help

A rough guide to where to start:

• A form or a deadline from the court. The court's self-help center and the state self-help site.
• A dispute with a landlord, tenant or neighbor. The Palo Alto Mediation Program.
• Low income and a housing, benefits or family problem. Bay Area Legal Aid, the Law Foundation or the Pro Bono Project.
• Age 60 or older. SALA.
• You can pay and want a lawyer. The bar's lawyer referral service.
• You want to read the law yourself. The county law library or the city library's databases.

Starting a company raises its own legal questions. Our business registration guide covers the city and state filings.

Frequently asked questions