Getting help in the courtroom
If you qualify, and need legal help on your day of court, you can talk to our lawyers at the courthouse (they are called duty counsel). Duty counsel can:
- give you advice and information
- tell you about your rights and what you have to do
- tell you how the court process works
- in some cases, help you with your documents
- in some cases, represent you
To find the location of the duty counsel office that is either in or nearest to the courthouse where your matter is being heard, please use our Find A Duty Counsel Office tool.
Check the table below to see if you qualify for duty counsel services.
| Number of family members | The amount of money your family earns in a year |
|---|---|
| 1 | $22,720 |
| 2 | $32,131 |
| 3 | $39,352 |
| 4 | $45,440 |
| 5+ | $50,803 |
If you do not qualify for duty counsel services, speak to a legal aid worker. Legal aid workers are Legal Aid employees who can give you legal information, information about the court process, and tell you about other resources that may help.
Questions
What are duty counsel?
Duty counsel are lawyers provided by Legal Aid Ontario who can assist you on the day that you are in court. If you do not have a lawyer and you are in court, duty counsel may be able to help you by: Giving you advice about your legal rights, obligations and the court process; Helping…
Can duty counsel assist with getting an NCR assessment order?
No. There are too many serious long-term consequences that can come from an NCR assessment for duty counsel to assist with this type of matter. If either an unrepresented accused or the Crown is seeking an NCR assessment, duty counsel will not assist. An accused should have his or her own lawyer if this situation…