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COVID-19: We’ve temporarily changed some of our services. Call 1‑800‑668‑8258 (toll-free) Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for help in over 300 languages.

Wait times: The wait times for our contact centre are longer than usual. The best time to call is between 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m., Monday to Friday.

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Français LAO Client Portal
Français LAO Client Portal
  • Services
    • Temporary service changes due to COVID-19
    • COVID-19 and the courts: Answers to frequently asked questions
    • Criminal legal issues
    • Domestic Violence
    • Family legal issues
    • Mental health legal issues
    • Refugee and immigration legal issues
    • All services
    • Legal clinics
    • How to apply
    • Find a lawyer
      • Finding the right legal aid lawyer
    • What do you think about our services?
  • For legal professionals
    • COVID-19: Ongoing list of supports for lawyers
    • 2019 service changes
    • Empanelment
    • Case management
    • Test case funding
    • Mentoring
    • Billing
      • Legal Aid Online
      • B3 Newsletters
      • Audit & Compliance
    • Resources
      • Aboriginal legal issues
      • Criminal lawyers
      • Family lawyers
      • Mental health lawyers
      • Refugee and immigration lawyers
    • News for lawyers
    • LAO LAW
    • Forms library
    • Contacts for lawyers
  • Corporate
    • About
    • Board of Directors
    • Executive Team
    • Board Advisory Committees
    • Our clients
    • Sidney B. Linden Award
    • French Language Services
    • Consultations
    • Open Government
    • Reports
    • Publications
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    • Social media
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • FAQ

Youth (criminal)

Important notice:
Some of our services have temporarily changed due to the COVID‑19 crisis. The information provided on this page may no longer be accurate. Please visit our COVID‑19 client or COVID-19 FAQS criminal page to learn how this may impact you.

COVID-19: Beginning March 24, you can speak to duty counsel over the phone about your criminal matter without having to qualify.

Are you between 12 and 17? Have the police charged you with a crime? You, your parents or your legal guardian can call us. If you qualify, we will help pay for a lawyer to represent you.

If you are in court and you do not have a lawyer, talk to the lawyer at the courthouse (they are called duty counsel) for help. Duty counsel can:

  • give you advice and information
  • tell you about your rights and what you have to do
  • tell you how the court process works
  • in some cases, help you with your documents
  • in some cases, be your lawyer for that day

Have a court date?

Get some practical tips through Courtprep.ca.

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Related Services

Criminal legal issues

Charged with a crime that could send you to jail? Going to court without a lawyer? Charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act?

Call us at 1-800-668-8258 Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST) for help in over 300 languages.

Current wait time: The CLSC is currently closed.

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