(a)Purposes. An attorney acting pursuant to an agreement with a party for limited representation that complies with the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct may enter an appearance limited to one or more of the following purposes:
(1)filing a pleading or other paper;
(2)acting as counsel for a specific motion;
(3)acting as counsel for a specific discovery procedure;
(4)acting as counsel for a specific hearing, including a trial, pretrial conference, or an alternative dispute resolution proceeding; or
(5)any other purpose with leave of the court.
(b)Notice. Before commencement of the limited appearance the attorney shall file a Notice of Limited Appearance signed by the attorney and the party or, if permitted by the judge, orally announce the limited appearance on the record in a proceeding. The Notice shall specifically describe the purpose and scope of the appearance and state that the party remains responsible for all matters not specifically described in the Notice. The clerk shall enter on the docket the attorney’s name and a brief statement of the limited appearance. The Notice of Limited Appearance and all actions taken pursuant to it are subject to Rule 11.
(c)Motion to clarify. Any party may move to clarify the description of the purpose and scope of the limited appearance.
(d)Party remains responsible. A party on whose behalf an attorney enters a limited appearance remains responsible for all matters not specifically described in the Notice.
Amendment History
Added effective April 1, 2007; amended effective May 1, 2014.
Plain-English Summary
Not every case needs full-time representation. Rule 75 lets an attorney and client agree, consistent with the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct, that the lawyer will handle only a defined slice of the case—drafting a single pleading, arguing one motion, running a specific discovery procedure, or appearing at a particular hearing or trial. With the court's permission, the arrangement can cover other tasks too.
Before the limited representation begins, the attorney must file a Notice of Limited Appearance, signed by both attorney and client, spelling out exactly what the lawyer will and won't handle and confirming the client stays responsible for everything outside that scope. A judge may allow the attorney to announce the arrangement on the record instead of filing paperwork. Either way, the clerk logs the attorney's name and a short description of the limited role on the docket, and everything the attorney files or does under that notice is held to Rule 11's signing and certification standards. If the scope of the arrangement is unclear, any party can ask the court to clarify it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of tasks can a limited-appearance lawyer handle?
Filing a pleading or other paper, handling a specific motion, running a specific discovery procedure, appearing at a specific hearing (including trial, a pretrial conference, or an alternative dispute resolution proceeding), or any other purpose the court allows.
Does the client still have to handle parts of the case the lawyer isn't covering?
Yes. The party remains responsible for every matter not specifically described in the Notice of Limited Appearance.
How does a limited-appearance lawyer's role end?
It ends automatically once the identified purpose or proceeding is finished, without a separate withdrawal motion, though the attorney (or the judge, if permitted) still has to file a notice or announce the withdrawal on the record. See Rule 74(b).
Is a limited appearance held to the same standards as regular filings?
Yes. The Notice of Limited Appearance and everything the attorney does under it are subject to Rule 11.
Source & verification. Rule text, Advisory Committee Notes, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure,
adopted by the Utah Supreme Court. Last verified July 13, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as:limited scope representation utahlimited appearance attorneyunbundled legal services utah courtsnotice of limited appearanceURCP 75