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LAO Client Portal
  • Legal Help
    • Apply for legal aid
      • What is legal aid?
      • Do I qualify for legal aid?
      • Apply now
      • Client Portal
    • Our services
      • About our services
      • Family legal issues
      • Criminal legal issues
      • Refugee and immigration legal issues
      • Domestic violence legal issues
      • Mental health legal issues
      • Youth legal issues
      • Getting help at court (duty counsel)
      • Services in French
    • column-break
    • Find help
      • Find a lawyer
      • Find a legal clinic
      • Find a duty counsel office
      • Find a legal aid office
      • Speak to a representative
    • column-break
    • FAQ
      • Frequently asked questions
    • Other
      • Languages
      • What do you think about our services?
      • Contact
  • For Legal Professionals
    • For roster lawyers
      • Legal Aid Online
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      • Contacts for lawyers
      • Forms library
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      • Audit and compliance
      • LAO LAW
      • Case management
      • Roster resources
      • Test case funding
    • column-break
    • Working with legal aid
      • Join legal aid roster
      • Minimum experience requirements
      • Careers
    • LASA 2020
      • Legal Aid Services Act 2020 policies
      • LASA 2020 process updates for lawyers
    • column-break
    • Duty counsel
      • Service guides
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Decision-making responsibility/parenting time/contact/support

If you qualify, and you do not have a final court order, we can help you and your ex decide:

  • decision-making responsibility (formerly custody): who can make major decisions (for example, school, health care, religion, etc.) about how to care for and raise your child
  • residence: where your child will live
  • parenting time/contact (formerly access): how your child spends time with the person they do not live with and how you and your ex share holidays/special days
  • support: how much money the parent who does not live with the children pays to the other parent

If you qualify, you will be provided with a certificate, which is a voucher that guarantees a lawyer who accepts legal aid work will be paid a certain amount of hours to work with you. If more hours are needed, your lawyer may contact us to demonstrate that a discretionary increase in hours should be granted. If it is not granted, you may be responsible for paying for the hours that are not covered on your certificate.

Changing your final court orders for decision-making responsibility/residence/parenting time/contact/support

You can get help from a Family Law Information Centre at the courthouse if you have a final court order and you want to ask the court to change it. You must qualify for this service.

If there is a legal aid lawyer (called advice lawyers) available, you can get 20 minutes of free general advice. The advice lawyer may also give you a referral to a family law service centre. Visit advice lawyer services to check if you qualify.

If you do not qualify for legal aid services and you do not have a lawyer, visit our Making a motion to change without a lawyer page for more information.


How do I apply for legal aid?


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