What happens if I already have a legal aid certificate and I’m facing new criminal charges?

If you have a new criminal charge while you already have a legal aid certificate, you can either have those charges added to your existing certificate or have the new charge covered under a separate certificate. Your lawyer can request a new certificate for you, if you still qualify.

A separate certificate is required for the new criminal charges in the following cases:

• If a trial date has been scheduled for the new charges
• If you have been given separate trial dates for the existing and new charges
• If the charges are proceeding in different jurisdictions
• For other reasons, at the lawyer’s discretion