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Family Law Resources in Ontario
Legal resources, information, and referral services for service
providers and
Some communities have a special family court called the Family Court of the Superior Court of Justice (Family Court), also called the unified Family Court. All types of family law matters can be dealt with in this Family Court. If you do not have a unified Family Court in your area, you can take family law matters to the Ontario Court of Justice or to the Superior Court of Justice, depending on what family law issues you are dealing with.
This online guide provides an overview of all courts in Ontario, including those that deal with family law matters, web site: Court Locations For information on court locations and the services they provide, contact the Ministry of the Attorney General, web site:
You can apply to have certain court fees waived if you cannot pay them because of financial circumstances. The fee waiver applies to most fees in family law cases that are not appeals. See the following web site for more information and Fee Waiver Request forms, web site: Court forms for family law matters can be downloaded and printed from the following web site:
Duty Counsel Duty counsel lawyers are available in courthouses to help low-income
people who do not have a lawyer with them in the courtroom. You
may have to show that you cannot afford to pay for a lawyer.
Duty counsel can provide advice, request adjournments, and assist
in settling issues. To find out more about
All Ontario courts that deal with family law matters provide information and referral through Family Law Information Centre (FLIC) services. FLIC services include free information and help on issues related to separation and divorce and other family law matters. They also include information about court procedures, how to get a lawyer, services available in the community for families and children, and alternatives to going to court, such as family mediation. Advice lawyers from Legal Aid Ontario are also available at FLICs at certain hours. For information on FLIC services in your area, visit the web site:
Family mediation services are available at all unified Family Court locations. For more information contact your local Family Law Information Centre (see page 1) or visit the following web site:
Free parent information sessions are available at all unified
Family Court locations in Ontario for parents who are separating
or considering separation. Community Legal Clinics Community legal clinics provide legal services to low-income people in areas such as housing, employment insurance, income support, immigration, human rights, and workers’ compensation. Some clinics also provide assistance with wills, powers of attorney, and education law. To find the community legal clinic nearest you, visit the Legal Aid Ontario web site or call Legal Aid Ontario. Law
Office of Russell I Alexander, Family Lawyers
Law Society of Upper Canada Offers information on finding and working with a lawyer, web site:
Legal Aid Ontario can provide authorization for a two-hour consultation with a family law lawyer through a form called “Advice Lawyer Family Violence Authorization”. Community legal clinics, student legal aid societies, and women’s shelters should have these forms to give to abused women. Contact the women’s shelter in your community or call Legal Aid Ontario for the phone number and location of the legal clinic or student legal aid society nearest you.
Office of the Children’s Lawyer Provides court-appointed legal representation for children up to 18 years of age, call:
Advocacy Centre for the Elderly Provides legal advice and information to low-income seniors 60 years of age and older on issues such as elder abuse, home care, nursing homes and homes for the aged, and powers of attorney; phone and web site:
Provides legal information to people with disabilities, and some representation in precedent-setting cases involving disability issues. ARCH has an accessible library of materials on disability-related issues that is open to the public; phone and web site:
Provides support, treatment, and education for people with mental health and addiction problems and their families. Publications on youth and addiction, and information on drug and alcohol policies in Ontario schools are available through their web site:
Provides
clear language legal education and information materials for
low-income and disadvantaged people in Ontario. CLEO’s
materials address issues in many areas of law, including family,
domestic violence, social assistance, housing, and immigration
and refugee law. Most materials are also available in
CLEONet An online collection of public legal education resources for community workers.
The Department of Justice web site listed below has information on the laws of Canada, public legal education and information, and resources and publications for the general public. You can also call the Family Law Information Line for information on the Federal Child Support Guidelines and the Divorce Act, and to order Department of Justice Canada publications related to family law and family violence.
Helps ensure that court-ordered child and spousal support payments are made on a regular basis.
Visit the web site below for guides to family law procedures in Ontario courts, including information on making an application for an uncontested divorce. This web site also has information on child protection court cases, child support, supervised access, and other family law topics.
Helps protect the interests of mentally incapable adults. Provides information on powers of attorney and living wills, and on decision-making about financial and health care issues. Also distributes power of attorney kits.
A not-for-profit association promoting family mediation as a dispute resolution process for separating couples and for families in conflict.
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to top> Assaulted Women’s Helpline This province-wide crisis hotline offers crisis counseling, emotional support, safety planning, and referrals to shelters and legal resources. Operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Services are available in many languages.
Free counseling, and legal and interpreter services for women who are survivors of violence.
Administers compensation payments to people who are victims of violent crime in Ontario.
Victims of domestic violence can get authorization for a free two-hour appointment with a lawyer as part of Legal Aid Ontario’s services.
Provides information on violence and violence prevention, and referrals for women and children experiencing violence.
Counselors provide information and referral to victims of crime in Ontario, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Automated information is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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Advice, representation, and referrals for children and young people under 18 years of age.
National Youth in Care Network Offers a variety of programs and information for youth in care and in the justice system.
For separated families who need a setting where court-ordered supervised visits with children can take place. Call for the location and telephone number of the supervised access centre in your community.
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to top> Change of Name, and Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates, Ministry of Consumer and Business Services
Publications on various family law topics, including information on wills and divorce.
Confidential peer counseling and referral for farm families, operating Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
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to top> Child Protection Court Cases
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to top> “Resources” has been extracted and edited from “Family Law Resources in Ontario” by CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario /Éducation juridique communautaire Ontario) with funding from: Legal Aid Ontario and the Department of Justice Canada. The publications produced by CLEO are part of a series on family
law and contain general information only. It is not a substitute
for getting legal advice about your particular situation.
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