What is Legal Aid Ontario?
Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) is a publicly funded organization that helps people who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer. LAO can help with certain types of legal problems, and depending on your financial situation, costs may be reduced or waived.
What legal issues does Legal Aid Ontario help with?
You can get legal aid even if you're not a Canadian citizen for the following legal issues:
You must apply for legal aid to get support with a legal issue in Ontario. LAO will decide whether or not to take you on as a client, depending on your legal issue and if you're financially eligible.
How do I apply for legal aid?
You can apply online, by phone, or in person, depending on your situation. Before applying, ensure you have any documents about your legal case and proof of income ready. Proof of income can be:
- Tax documents
- Pay stubs
- Social assistance cheque stubs
- Employment insurance statements
What services does Legal Aid Ontario offer?
If you qualify, LAO will provide you with legal aid services best suited to your legal matter, including:
- Duty Counsel for criminal, family, and child protection cases.
- Summary legal advice through toll-free telephone service in over 300 languages.
- A Legal Aid Certificate that covers the cost of a private lawyer who accepts legal aid work for a certain number of hours.
What if my issue is not covered by Legal Aid Ontario?
If your legal issue is not covered by LAO or you do not qualify for LAO, there are other options.
Community Legal Clinics: cover issues like housing, social assistance, employment, and more.
Law Society Referral Service: refers you to a lawyer in your area who can give you a free 30-minute consultation. You can ask for a lawyer who speaks your language.
What if I am under 18 and charged with a criminal offence?
You should ask the judge to appoint a lawyer for you if you:
- did not qualify for Legal Aid, and;
- are a youth (under 18) charged with a criminal offence.
This is your legal right under s.25(4) of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
For more information:
- Legal Resources and Information - List of resources and organizations that provide legal information and services in Ontario. By the Law Society of Ontario.
- Legal Services - Series of articles explaining the legal system in Ontario, your rights and responsibilities, and legal services available to you. By Settlement.Org.
- Services for refugee claimants - Lead Aid Ontario services for refugee claimants.
- Non-resident services - Legal Aid Ontario services for people who are not residents of Ontario.
- Contribution agreements - Explains Legal Aid Ontario contribution agreements which allow you to receive legal aid even if you have assets.