Programs and services across Ontario - Child support

If you get a legal aid certificate, this means that LAO pays a lawyer to work for you. To get a certificate you must show that you have a low income by giving information about your income, property, and savings.

And, your legal issue must be one that LAO covers. You may get a certificate for some legal issues about:

• domestic violence
• family law
• criminal law
• immigration law
• refugee law

The Law Society of Ontario has on online Law Society Referral Service that gives you the name of a lawyer or licensed paralegal who will give free legal advice for up to 30 minutes in any area of law.

If you can’t wait for a legal representative to call you back, or if you don’t have a call-back number, email lsrs@lso.ca. Or, if you’re in crisis or in custody, call 1-855-947-5255 or 416-947-5255, Monday to Friday, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Family duty counsel give free legal advice to people who don’t have a lawyer on the day of their hearing and who have a low income. Family duty counsel are paid for by LAO and are at every family law court.

They can't represent you at a trial, but they can:

• give legal advice and information about the court process
• help work out an agreement
• review and help prepare court documents
• help in the courtroom for certain things like asking for your case to be postponed, and at child protection hearings and hearings related to child and spousal support
• help in hearings before a trial for issues like custody, access, child protection, or support, when the issues are not complicated
• make referrals to other sources of help, such as mediation or finding your own lawyer

There are centres in some family law courts that help people who have a low income. The legal professionals at the centres give information, and help with custody, access, child support, and domestic violence. They can’t represent you in court, but they can help with court documents, support orders, and procedural motions.

Check the list of centres to see where they are and when they are open.

LAO may pay for up to 6 hours with a family law mediator for parents who have a low income. Mediators help families sort out custody, access, parenting plans, travel plans, communication between parents, and child support. Mediation is a voluntary process that all parties must agree to use, to try and resolve their issues without going to court. 

If your income isn’t low enough to use this service, LAO can connect you to other mediators where the fee you pay is based on your income.