4. Go to your assessment hearing

You do not need a lawyer to help you at your assessment , but you can get one if you want.

Ask for special services

You must let the court know if you would like special services. For example, if you need a sign language interpreter. Or if, for example, you want to have your hearing in French. They make sure an assessment officer who speaks French gets your case. If this is not possible, there will be an interpreter at your hearing. You do not have to pay for this.

The court may also be able to help if you speak another language.

What happens at the hearing

If you have a hearing, the assessment officer will review your bill to decide if it's fair or too high. Your lawyer must prove that the bill is reasonable.

Your lawyer can use their records that show how much time they worked on your case or other evidence. You will have the chance to ask your lawyer questions about the bill and their evidence.

The assessment officer makes a decision about your bill based on things like:

the time your lawyer spent on your case
how complicated your case was
how much work the lawyer had to do
your ability to pay
what you expected to pay and how that compares to your bill

After the hearing

After the hearing, the assessment officer will make a decision. The decision and reasons will be given in a Report and Certificate of Assessment.

If the assessment officer decides that your bill is too high, it may be reduced. If the assessment officer decides your bill is fair, you must pay the full amount.

The assessment officer may also decide whether you have to pay interest or costs.

If you disagree with the assessment officer's decision, you can ask a judge to review it.

You have to fill out a Motion to Oppose Confirmation of the Report and Certificate of Assessment. You do this at the .

The motion must be given to your lawyer and the assessment officer within 15 days of getting the Certificate of Assessment.