9,075
edits
Difference between revisions of "Duty Counsel"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
no edit summary
Drew Jackson (talk | contribs) |
Drew Jackson (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
Duty counsel are lawyers paid by the [[Legal Services Society]] (LSS) to help people with lower incomes with their criminal, family, and immigration law problems. You may qualify for help from duty counsel even if you don't qualify for a legal aid lawyer. Duty counsel services include the following. | Duty counsel are lawyers paid by the [[Legal Services Society]] (LSS) to help people with lower incomes with their criminal, family, and immigration law problems. You may qualify for help from duty counsel even if you don't qualify for a legal aid lawyer. Duty counsel services include the following. | ||
== Advice | == Advice counsel telephone service == | ||
If you know someone in <span class="noglossary">custody</span> at a police lock-up who is awaiting a bail hearing, he or she can get legal advice over the phone during the evenings and on weekends and holidays. The [http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap/service/1046 Advice | If you know someone in <span class="noglossary">custody</span> at a police lock-up who is awaiting a bail hearing, he or she can get legal advice over the phone during the evenings and on weekends and holidays. The [http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap/service/1046 Advice counsel telephone service] is available by calling 1-888-595-5677 (call no charge). | ||
== Brydges Line | == Brydges Line telephone service== | ||
If you are arrested, detained, or under active investigation by the police or another law enforcement agency for a criminal offence, and you are not yet charged, you can call 1-866-458-5500 to speak to a lawyer. [http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap/service/1047 Brydges Line | If you are arrested, detained, or under active investigation by the police or another law enforcement agency for a criminal offence, and you are not yet charged, you can call 1-866-458-5500 to speak to a lawyer. [http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap/service/1047 Brydges Line telephone service] is a province-wide toll-free telephone service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. | ||
== Criminal | == Criminal duty counsel (Provincial Court) == | ||
If you can't get a legal aid lawyer and you're charged with a crime, you may be able to get help from duty counsel in Provincial Court. Duty counsel are lawyers who provide legal services to accused people both in and out of <span class="noglossary">custody</span>. Duty counsel can provide you with advice about: | If you can't get a legal aid lawyer and you're charged with a crime, you may be able to get help from duty counsel in Provincial Court. Duty counsel are lawyers who provide legal services to accused people both in and out of <span class="noglossary">custody</span>. Duty counsel can provide you with advice about: | ||
*the charges against you, | *the charges against you, | ||
| Line 23: | Line 23: | ||
}} | }} | ||
== Family | == Family advice lawyers == | ||
If you're a parent with a low income experiencing separation or divorce, you may be eligible for up to three hours of free legal advice from a family advice lawyer (family duty counsel who provide advice). Family advice lawyers provide advice about parenting time or contact/access, guardianship/custody, child support, property division (limited advice), tentative settlement agreements, and court procedures. | If you're a parent with a low income experiencing separation or divorce, you may be eligible for up to three hours of free legal advice from a family advice lawyer (family duty counsel who provide advice). Family advice lawyers provide advice about parenting time or contact/access, guardianship/custody, child support, property division (limited advice), tentative settlement agreements, and court procedures. | ||
| Line 35: | Line 35: | ||
These services are available by referral from a family justice counsellor or a child support officer. See the [[Family Justice Centres]] description in the [[Resource List for Legal Help for British Columbians|Resource List]] for <span class="noglossary">contact</span> information. | These services are available by referral from a family justice counsellor or a child support officer. See the [[Family Justice Centres]] description in the [[Resource List for Legal Help for British Columbians|Resource List]] for <span class="noglossary">contact</span> information. | ||
== Family | == Family duty counsel (Provincial Court) == | ||
Provincial Court duty counsel help lower income people with family law matters, including child protection issues (if the Ministry of Children and Family Development becomes involved with your family). Duty counsel can give you advice and speak on your behalf in court on simple matters. However, they won't take on your whole case and won't represent you at trial. They can also attend family case conferences at some courts. | Provincial Court duty counsel help lower income people with family law matters, including child protection issues (if the Ministry of Children and Family Development becomes involved with your family). Duty counsel can give you advice and speak on your behalf in court on simple matters. However, they won't take on your whole case and won't represent you at trial. They can also attend family case conferences at some courts. | ||
Duty counsel are available by appointment or on a drop-in basis in Nanaimo, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, Surrey, and Vancouver (although appointments are encouraged). At other locations, duty counsel services are on a drop-in basis. Bring any paperwork relating to your case. See "[http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap/service/1087 Provincial Court Family Duty Counsel]" for locations or find your local court registry in the Blue Pages of your phone book under "Government of British Columbia - Court Services." | Duty counsel are available by appointment or on a drop-in basis in Nanaimo, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, Surrey, and Vancouver (although appointments are encouraged). At other locations, duty counsel services are on a drop-in basis. Bring any paperwork relating to your case. See "[http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap/service/1087 Provincial Court Family Duty Counsel]" for locations or find your local court registry in the Blue Pages of your phone book under "Government of British Columbia - Court Services." | ||
== Family | == Family duty counsel (Supreme Court) == | ||
If you are a person with a low income experiencing separation or divorce, you may be eligible for up to three hours of free legal advice from Supreme Court family duty counsel. Duty counsel are lawyers who can provide advice about parenting time or contact/access, guardianship/custody, child support, property (limited advice), tentative settlement agreements, and court procedures. | If you are a person with a low income experiencing separation or divorce, you may be eligible for up to three hours of free legal advice from Supreme Court family duty counsel. Duty counsel are lawyers who can provide advice about parenting time or contact/access, guardianship/custody, child support, property (limited advice), tentative settlement agreements, and court procedures. | ||
| Line 49: | Line 49: | ||
Duty counsel are available by appointment or on a drop-in basis in Vancouver. At other locations, duty counsel services are available on a drop-in basis. See "[http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap/service/1086 Supreme Court Family Duty Counsel]" for locations or find your local court registry in the Blue Pages of your phone book under "Government of British Columbia - Court Services." | Duty counsel are available by appointment or on a drop-in basis in Vancouver. At other locations, duty counsel services are available on a drop-in basis. See "[http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap/service/1086 Supreme Court Family Duty Counsel]" for locations or find your local court registry in the Blue Pages of your phone book under "Government of British Columbia - Court Services." | ||
== Immigration | == Immigration duty counsel == | ||
LSS provides duty counsel for people in detention at the Canada Border Services Agency's enforcement centre in Vancouver. Duty counsel provide detainees with advice regarding procedures and their legal rights, and may appear on their behalf at detention hearings. Clients don't have to meet LSS financial eligibility requirements to receive these services. | LSS provides duty counsel for people in detention at the Canada Border Services Agency's enforcement centre in Vancouver. Duty counsel provide detainees with advice regarding procedures and their legal rights, and may appear on their behalf at detention hearings. Clients don't have to meet LSS financial eligibility requirements to receive these services. | ||
<noinclude>{{Template:Legal Help Guide Navbox|type=resources}}</noinclude> | <noinclude>{{Template:Legal Help Guide Navbox|type=resources}}</noinclude> | ||