5. Get help
Question and answer
What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?You can talk to a lawyer who can tell you how you may be able to protect you and your children.
If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer for everything, some lawyers provide “unbundled” or “limited scope” services. This means you pay them to help you with only certain things, like getting a or drafting a court document.
If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer at all, you might be able to find legal help in other places. You can also find emotional, safety planning, and housing help when leaving an abusive relationship.
Free legal help
If you have experienced and need legal help right away, you might be able to get 2 hours of free advice from a lawyer. This service is offered through some women's shelters, community legal clinics, and Family Law Service Centres. Or you can call Legal Aid Ontario toll-free at 1-800-668-8258 to find out more.
If you have experienced sexual abuse and live in Toronto, Ottawa, or Thunder Bay, you might be able to get 4 hours of free advice from a lawyer. You have to complete a voucher request form. Or you can call the Independent Legal Advice for Sexual Assault Survivors Pilot Program at 1-855-226-3904 to find out more.
Other help
Staff from the Victim Witness Assistance Program (VWAP) can help you in criminal court. The VWAP worker explains the criminal court process and helps you find community services and resources to help you.
The Ontario government has a Victim Services Directory that helps people who have experienced abuse find programs and services in their communities. You can also talk to an information and referral counsellor by calling the Victim Support Line at 1-888-579-2888.
A Family Court Support Worker can help you in family court. They are trained to support people who have experienced domestic violence. Their services are free of charge and are available in every family court jurisdiction in Ontario.