If you do not have a legal representative, it is important to seek legal help. Clients who are new to the court system or do not have a lawyer can get free support and information from the FLIC. Counsel can answer legal questions, provide summary legal advice and review legal documents. Depending on the type of support you need, as well as your financial situation, all or only part of your legal fees may be covered. LAO has adopted financial eligibility guidelines, which apply depending on the level of legal assistance required. Once you receive your certificate, you can present it to any lawyer who accepts legal aid and agrees to represent you. Not all lawyers accept legal aid certificates. You can either ask if the lawyer accepts legal aid certificates during or before a consultation, or use the “Find a Lawyer” tool on the Legal Aid website to search for a lawyer. The lawyer can`t start proceedings for you, but they can give you legal advice and information on how to apply for a legal aid certificate.
It is important to note that legal aid may also consider a person associated with the applicant who is not a family member, but who may be considered another source of legal fees. However, this is at the discretion of the Area Manager. These may be people who contribute to the needs of the applicant, for example, a roommate renting. Legal Aid Ontario covers a number of legal issues. If a person is financially eligible, the following types of legal aid cases may be covered: specific criminal charges, family law matters (including domestic violence), immigration and refugee matters, landlord and tenant matters, and some civil and final appeals. To qualify for legal aid in Ontario, you have little or no money left after paying for basic needs such as food and shelter. Recipients of social assistance are almost always entitled to legal aid. You may be eligible for legal aid even if you have money in the bank or even if you own a house. For more information, visit LAO`s website: legalaid.on.ca. To be eligible for legal aid services such as duty counsel (for criminal, family protection and child protection matters) and summary legal advice (through the toll-free telephone service), your gross annual family income on April 1, 2020 must: You may be able to get a legal aid certificate, that you can use to hire a lawyer to represent you in your family law case. Your legal issue must be covered by LAO and you must be financially eligible.
If you qualify, you will receive a certificate that you can use with any lawyer who accepts it. It will be for a certain number of hours. As your case progresses, your lawyer can contact LAO to request overtime if needed. Family court lawyers provide immediate legal aid to low-income people who appear in court without a lawyer. They can provide advice on legal rights, duties and procedures, and help negotiate and resolve issues, as well as review or prepare court documents for submission. Ask your lawyer if you are not in custody and are applying for legal aid in a criminal case About 5,000 lawyers contribute to the legal aid program by accepting lower rates and limits on the hours billed for the legal services they provide to LAO clients. Because your legal aid certificate may not cover all the legal issues you are dealing with, you should ask LAO and your lawyer to explain exactly what is and is not. Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) provides a wide range of legal aid to low-income people. LAO provides special family law services to people exposed to domestic violence, regardless of their immigration status. When it comes to domestic violence or abuse, the requirements change to accommodate a larger group of people.
The financial eligibility of a victim of domestic violence increases from the above to twenty-two thousand seven hundred and twenty (C$22,720) Canadian dollars. In addition to the above services, a person is entitled to two (2) hours of free consultation with an experienced lawyer in domestic violence cases. This consultation does not require the approval of a legal aid certificate. For more information on eligibility criteria for domestic violence, see Legal Aid Ontario – Family Violence. If you are financially qualified and have a legal issue that we cover, we will help you pay for a lawyer to represent you. You may receive an approval form from LAO for up to two hours of free legal advice on family law and immigration and refugee law. You can use this form with lawyers on an approved list. You can use up to two hours per legal issue in a calendar year.
LAO can provide legal aid to claimants who go beyond various measures of income and assets. They would then need a contribution. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. LAO can provide amounts for unavoidable but necessary expenses, such as prescriptions, medical supplies and costs related to access to legal aid. Although legal aid is most often available for more serious criminal cases, for example: if there is a high probability that someone will go to jail, as well as for charges under the Juvenile Justice Act, this also covers many other legal issues.