Legal Aid – What you need to know and where to get answers.

Step #1: find out if you qualify.  If not, there are still options.

We often get people calling LawOne who tell us they need a “Legal Aid lawyer.”  Many lawyers do take legal aid cases but it is not a mandatory requirement.  However, before you can start making inquiries you will need to make sure you qualify for legal aid.  Qualification is based on financial circumstances and several other factors.

Legal Aid is a program operated by the Legal Services Society. The LSS website provides some guideline information on financial need to help you assess whether you qualify but there are other considerations so it is best to visit the legal aid office closest to you and talk to a trained Legal Aid intake assistant to see if you qualify.

Some of the things that may be covered by legal aid include:

• Criminal charges (Note: Recent cuts have meant that less serious offences including breach of probation, breach of bail, motor vehicle offenses, and failure to appear in court are no longer covered).

• Mental health and prison issues

• Serious family problems

• Child protection matters

• Immigration problems

Even if you aren’t eligible for legal aid you may still be able to get help through the legal advice and legal information programs offered by the LSS.  You can find out more about these programs by visiting the LSS website or clicking on the highlighted links in this post.