Case management

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) provides case management programs for lawyers authorized to provide criminal and family services who take on certain costly and complex cases and proceedings.

For criminal matters, LAO provides:

• Big Case Management (BCM), which may set budget limits for the most costly and complex criminal trial defences that LAO funds—criminal cases expected to cost more than $20,000 (for non homicide cases) or $30,000 (for homicide cases).

• Mid-level case management, for complex criminal cases, such as homicide, sexual assault, and offenses committed with firearms that are likely to fall above $8,000 and below the Big Case Management threshold. Some criminal matters will be streamed to mid level case management for assessment and management.

• Judge-Led Intensive Case Management Court (JICMC) certificates are time-limited and meant to help the Ontario Court of Justice as it addresses the backlog due to the COVID‑19 pandemic in case management court.

For family disputes, LAO provides family case management for:

• Child, Youth and Family Services Act matters likely to cost more than $8,000 (with the exception of supervision orders)
• Family/domestic matters likely to cost more than $12,000