Duty counsel
Criminal Duty Counsel
Speak to duty counsel at the courthouse where you’re charged. Duty counsel are lawyers who give free legal advice. When they’re available, they can give you brief, summary advice about the charges against you, court procedures, and your legal rights. Duty counsel can also speak on your behalf the first time you appear in court, but they can’t act as your permanent lawyer. Call Legal Aid BC at 604-408-2172 (Greater Vancouver) or 1-866-577-2525 (elsewhere in BC) or your local courthouse to find out when duty counsel will be there. See the Provincial Court of BC website for links to courthouse locations.
Family Duty Counsel
Duty counsel for both Provincial and Supreme Courts help people with their family court matters. Services might vary in different court locations. Call your nearest legal aid location or your local court registry to find out how to contact family duty counsel near you.
Other legal advice services
Contact a lawyer in private practice
Find out if the lawyer is willing to help and what it will cost. Even if you pay for just two meetings to get basic advice about your case, it could be worth the cost.