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Home > Legal Topic > Tribunals and Courts > Small Claims Court > Where can I get legal help and information about my Small Claims issue?
Where can I get legal help and information about my Small Claims issue?
1. Find a lawyer or paralegal
2. Get help from Pro Bono Ontario
3. Call JusticeNet
4. Call a community legal clinic
Tribunals and Courts - Small Claims Court
How can I sue in Small Claims Court?
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Getting legal help: A Directory of Community Legal Clinics in Ontario
CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario / Éducation juridique communautaire Ontario)
Small Claims Court: Guide to Getting Ready for Court
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You don't have to hire a lawyer or paralegal when you go to Small Claims Court. But a lawyer or paralegal can help you understand your legal rights and responsibilities, and the options you have.
Lawyers can give legal advice. This means they can explain what the law says and how it applies to your situation. They can also help you find out more about:
your legal options
the result you're likely to get
how strong your claim is
the evidence you will need
how long it might take to get a result
the rights the other side has
Make sure you talk to a lawyer with experience in the legal area you need help with. Some lawyers only deal with specific areas of law.
A paralegal is another kind of legal professional that can give legal advice about Small Claims Court. A paralegal can work for a lawyer and be supervised by them. Or, they can work for themselves.
Depending on your legal problem, hiring a paralegal can cost less than a lawyer. But a paralegal is not allowed to work in all the legal areas that a lawyer can.
For example, both lawyers and paralegals can represent you in Small Claims Court. However, only a lawyer can represent you in Superior Court, or the Court of Appeal.
Rules for Lawyers and Paralegals
The Law Society of Ontario regulates lawyers and paralegals in Ontario. This means they:
have rules about who can become a lawyer or paralegal
have rules about how lawyers and paralegals must behave professionally
deal with complaints about lawyers and paralegals
NEXT STEP - 1. Find a lawyer or paralegal SEE NEXT STEPS
Here are some ways to find a lawyer or paralegal:
Law Society Referral Service
The Law Society of Ontario also has an online Law Society Referral Service. This service can help you find a lawyer or paralegal in your area who can give you a free advice for up to 30 minutes.
You can also use the Law Society's online request form to get the name of a lawyer or paralegal in your area.
The Law Society of Ontario has a Directory of all lawyers and paralegals licensed to practise law in Ontario. You can search the directory by name, address or postal code, language, or area of law. You can also search by whether services are offered in French or whether unbundled services are offered.
The Association of French-Speaking Jurists of Ontario
The Association des juristes d'expression française (AJEFO) has a directory of French-speaking lawyers. You can search the directory by name, city, or area of law.
Lawyer and Paralegal Directory
If you earn a low income, you may be able to get legal help from Pro Bono Ontario.
Duty counsel
Pro Bono Ontario provides lawyers known as duty counsel at Small Claims Courts in Toronto and Ottawa. If you're at Small Claims Court in Ottawa or Toronto and don't have a lawyer, look for the duty counsel office or ask to see duty counsel. Duty counsel can give immediate legal help to low-income people who appear in court without a lawyer. Sometimes, duty counsel also represent people in court.
Duty counsel lawyers provide free legal help. But you may first have to show that you can't afford your own lawyer. And, there are limits to what they can help you with. For example, they can't help you with your entire case, even if they are able to represent you or help you on your court day.
Legal advice line
Pro Bono Ontario has a legal advice hotline at 1-855-255-7256. You can get up to 30 minutes of free legal advice and help about Small Claims Court. The hotline is usually available from Monday to Friday between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., and between 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Pro Bono Ontario
JusticeNet is a not-for-profit organization that helps people access legal services when their income is too high to qualify for legal aid but too low to afford legal fees. If your net family income is less than $59,000, they will refer you to a directory of lawyers and paralegals who provide help at reduced rates depending on income.
You must register and pay a $25 fee to use the website. This fee may be returned to you if you do not find a professional to work with.
Contact JusticeNet
JusticeNet
If you can't afford a lawyer, you may also be able to get help from a community legal clinic.
Community legal clinics provide information, advice, and representation on various legal issues. Not all legal clinics help with all legal problems, but staff may be able to refer you to someone who can help.
To qualify for community legal clinic services:
your legal issue must be one the clinic handles,
you must live in the area the clinic serves, and
your income and assets cannot be above a certain level.
To find out if you qualify, contact your local legal clinic. Most legal clinics provide brief advice, or "summary advice", without asking about your financial situation.
You can find a legal clinic by entering your postal code into the Legal Aid Ontario search box.
Find a Community Legal Clinic
Legal Aid Ontario
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