3. Find out if your legal problem is covered

LAO may give you a certificate to cover some or all your lawyer's fees if any of these apply:

• you've been charged with a crime and you're likely to go to jail if you're found guilty
• you're between 12 and 17 years old and have been charged with a crime under the Youth Criminal Justice Act

If you do not qualify for a certificate, you may be able to get help from duty counsel when you're in court.

You may get a certificate for decision-making responsibility, parenting time, support, and child protection issues.

Decision-making responsibility and parenting time used to be called custody and access.

When deciding if a person qualifies for a certificate for their family law problems, LAO looks at things like:

• how complex the case is, for example, how many legal issues are involved
• if the person paying support is self-employed
• if the person applying for a certificate cannot read or write
• family violence

If you have experienced domestic violence and need advice on a family law issue, you could get a certificate for 2 hours of free legal advice. Anyone can get this certificate. You do not need to have a low income. Call Legal Aid Ontario at 1-800-668-8258 to apply.

If you're not eligible for a certificate, you may be able to get help from other LAO services, like duty counsel, advice counsel, or a Family Law Service Centre.

You may get a certificate for your immigration problems. For example, LAO might be able help a person who:

• is applying for permanent residence under humanitarian and compassionate grounds
• is detained for immigration reasons
• is appealing to the Immigration Appeal Division because there's a deportation order against them
• is at risk of being removed from Canada by Canada Border Services Agency in certain situations

If you have experienced domestic violence and need advice on an immigration law issue, you could get a certificate for 2 hours of free legal advice. Anyone can get this certificate. You do not need to have a low income. Call Legal Aid Ontario at 1-800-668-8258 to apply.

If you're not eligible for a certificate, you may be able to get help from a community legal clinic. Clinic lawyers can represent some people who qualify for legal aid services.

You may get a legal aid certificate to help with a mental health hearing or appeal.

If you've been admitted to a mental health facility or are getting treatment at a facility, talk to a patient advocate or rights advisor. They can give you information about getting legal help.

If you've been found guilty of a crime and are in jail or prison, ask to talk to someone from LAO about applying for a legal aid certificate.

You may get a certificate for a lawyer to:

• prepare your Basis of Claim form
• represent you at your refugee hearing
• prepare an appeal or an application for judicial review
• prepare a motion for a stay of removal
• represent you at a cessation or vacation hearing
• help you prepare for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA)
• help you write a danger opinion

If you're not eligible for a certificate, LAO also has refugee law offices in Toronto, Hamilton, and Ottawa. Lawyers at these offices can represent some people who qualify for legal aid services.