Legal Aid BC Can Help You

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Help people

What is legal aid?

Information

Advice

  • Duty counsel (lawyers) provide family, child protection, immigration, or criminal law advice, and can help at some court appearances
  • Family LawLINE provides free family and child protection advice over the phone from a family lawyer. Call 604-408-2172 (Greater Vancouver) or 1-866-577-2525 (elsewhere in BC) 

Representation

What help can I get?

It depends on your legal problem and your income.

Family and child protection law matters

  • Help for people representing themselves at court
  • Legal advice or representation for matters including separation and divorce, parenting time and contact with children, parental responsibilities, financial support, and other family law and child protection problems
  • Advice, representation, and support at Parents Legal Centres
  • Legal representation and support from the Family Law Centres if you’re experiencing family violence

Criminal law matters

  • Advice and assistance from duty counsel (lawyers) virtually or in person at the courthouse
  • Advice and representation from duty counsel for bail hearings
  • Representation at your court hearing or trial
  • Access to a 24-hour phone line for people arrested, detained, or under investigation

Prison law and mental health issues

Immigration and refugee matters

  • Help with refugee claims and non-refugee applications for people at risk of persecution, torture, or serious undue harm or mistreatment if returned to their country of origin
  • Access to our immigration phone line

How can I get help?

Contact us to find out which services you qualify for. To get some services, your legal problem must be covered under legal aid rules and you must meet financial guidelines.

To get some services, your legal problem must be covered under legal aid rules and you must meet financial guidelines. Contact your local legal aid location to find out which services you qualify for.

Services in many languages

  • Help from an interpreter (or translator if needed) when you apply for legal aid or when you talk to a lawyer