When you have an important legal issue, it is always best to seek professional help from a lawyer. Sometimes your only option, however, may be to proceed without an attorney to represent you. If that is the case, you should understand the law, the facts of your case, and the rules of court. This article will describe how to use this website and introduce some resources that can help you with your legal issue.

LSNJLAW

LSNJLAW contains articles on different legal topics like housing, domestic violence, and expungement, written by attorneys who are experienced and knowledgeable. The website also includes reliable links to outside resources. There are separate sections for each legal topic. To find information about the legal problem you are having, you can click on the “Legal Topics” dropdown menu.—For example, for a problem with your landlord, select Housing; with your employer, choose Jobs and Employment; with a benefit like food stamps, click Government Aid and Services. You can also use the search box by typing your own words to ask a question.

Other helpful articles on LSNJLAW include:

• Understanding the Law
• Doing Legal Research
• Using Gen AI Chatbots for Legal Help

New Jersey Ombudsman Program

Every county courthouse in New Jersey has an Ombudsman to help court users navigate the court system. You can find a directory on the NJ Courts website. The Ombudsman cannot give you legal advice. They can answer questions about how the court process works including important deadlines, provide some help with filling out forms, and help you get some information from your case file. More information is available in the NJ Courts brochure and in the LSNJLAW article You and the New Jersey Judiciary Ombudsman Program.

NJ Courts

The New Jersey Courts website has a self-help webpage with extensive resources for people who need help. The best place to begin is “Represent Yourself in Court” which has information on how to file a fee waiver, how to file documents electronically, how to participate in a virtual court session, a link to forms and self-help kits, and a directory of statewide court offices. The webpage has information divided by legal topic on divorce, domestic violence, foreclosure and landlord-tenant. Finally, the webpage explains the process of filing civil lawsuits and collecting civil judgments.

If you need help with a civil legal problem and your income is limited, you can apply for help from the LSNJLAW Hotline.

This information last reviewed: Jul 31, 2026