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Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) - Family duty counsel
Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) - Family duty counsel
Contact Information
Phone
416-979-1446
Toll-free
1-800-668-8258
TTY
416-598-8867
Toll-free TTY
TTY (teletypewriter) – Use Bell’s Relay Service: 1 800 855 0511
During the COVID-19 situation, duty counsel services are being provided by phone. Call LAO's summary advice line at 1-800-668-8258 for more information.
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
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