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Here is an alphabetical list of 60 of the best sources of legal information, assistance, advice and representation for low-income clients in British Columbia.
Contact information for government services is available through:
This guide refers to many websites for further legal information. To find a free public access computer, try visiting your local public library (Resource #48), a local Service BC office (Resource #52), a local college, university or Courthouse Library (Resource #15), if you have one. You may be able to get some assistance with finding your information from these locations also.
Access Pro Bono operates free legal clinics in a number of communities throughout BC. Clients who meet the financial means test (see website for details) can receive 30 minutes of free legal advice and sometimes additional appointments. Access Pro Bono lawyers generally do not appear in court or tribunals but they can give advice, make calls, and assist with documents.
AdminLawBC.ca describes administrative tribunals — the specialized government agencies, boards and commissions that provide resolution of disputes involving government laws and how they are applied. They can hear complaints about decisions made by government agencies related to such topics as minimum wage, Employment Insurance, safety standards, telephone service rates, or rules of conduct of doctors and other professionals. The site also features a BC Administrative Law Directory which lists information and many of the decisions of over 100 federal and provincial tribunals.
The Advocacy Access Program is a service of Disability Alliance BC (formerly BC Coalition of People with Disabilities) that provides information, assistance, advice, and occasional representation for people with disability-related issues such as welfare benefits for people with disabilities, Canada Pension Plan disability benefits, and the Registered Disability Savings Plan.
Website:Advocacy Access Publications has a number of fact sheets about disability-related money and income support issues.
Access Pro Bono Society of BC's Lawyer Referral Service provides referrals to lawyers in private practice who specialize in various areas of the law. Any member of the public may call this service to obtain the contact information of a lawyer who will provide a free half-hour legal consultation.
The Legal Services Society provides a variety of legal aid services including legal aid representation (getting a lawyer to take your case for free). See the entry below for a detailed description of legal aid representation.
In contract law, a promise made by someone about a certain state of affairs, like "the plumbing was replaced last year" or "I had a vasectomy two years ago." See "misrepresentation."
Under the old Divorce Act, the schedule of a parent's time with their children under an order or agreement, replaced with "parenting time" and "contact" in the new Divorce Act. Access usually referred to the schedule of the parent with the least amount of time with the child. See "contact," "custody" and "parenting time."
A conclusion made by a judge which decides a point of law or a fact in dispute.
In law, to formally deliver documents to a person in a manner that complies with the rules of court. Service may be ordinary (mailed or delivered to a litigant's address for service), personal (hand-delivered to a person), or substituted (performed in a way other than the rules normally require). See "address for delivery," "ordinary service," "personal service" and "substituted service."
Under the Family Law Act, a term that describes the time a person who is not a guardian of a child, including a parent who is not a guardian, has with that child. Under the Divorce Act, a term that describes the time a person who is not a married spouse has with a child. See "guardian" and "parental responsibilities."
A person licensed to practice law in a particular jurisdiction by that jurisdiction's law society. See "barrister and solicitor."
(1) In law, a court proceeding; a lawsuit; an action; a cause of action; a claim. (2) A historic decision of the court; case law. See "action," "case law, " "court proceeding," and "precedent."