Getting Legal Assistance

The staff members at the Registries of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador can provide you with general legal information and can assist you with certain matters. There are ethical limits, though, on the type of assistance they can provide. The table below outlines what staff members can do for you and what they cannot do for you.

We can	give you copies of Court forms and provide you with procedural information.	We cannot	fill out court forms or documents for you or tell you what words to put in them.
We can	provide information on how to contact Legal Aid and other services where legal information is available.	We cannot	give you legal advice. It is strongly suggested that you seek legal advice before commencing a proceeding.
We can	briefly explain and answer general questions about how the Court works, Court rules and the Court’s procedures.	We cannot	recommend the name of any lawyer to act on your behalf.
We can	check your forms and other Court papers for completeness such as signatures, compliance with the Rules and that any cited attachments are present and properly signed.	We cannot	tell you which procedure to use if there is a choice.
We can	tell you why we think that your documents do not comply with the Rules and give you an opportunity to make changes. You do not have to make the changes we suggest.	We cannot	tell you what words to use in your Court documents.
We can	give you basic information about mediation, applications or other Court hearings.	We cannot	tell you whether you have included sufficient information to get what you want.
We can	give you procedural information about how your case is being managed and the process involved in each step along the way to having your case heard by the Court.	We cannot	tell you what to say in Court or how to make your legal arguments / submissions to a Judge.
We can	answer general questions about deadlines.	We cannot	tell you what the decision of the Court will be or give you any opinion about what it might be.
We can	provide procedural information on how to get a case set down for hearing.	We cannot	calculate deadlines for you.
We can	give you information about interpreters and Court reporters.	We cannot	interpret orders made by a Judge.
We can	serve as a Commissioner of Oaths to swear/affirm any affidavits prepared by you, to be filed in the Court.	We cannot	change an order that has been made by a Judge.
We can	get a copy of a document in a Court file for you for a fee if there are no restrictions on accessing the file.	We cannot	communicate with a judge for you or allow you to communicate with a judge at any time other than at your Court hearing.
We can	give you information about your file	We cannot	find a precedent of a document for you.

The Supreme Court highly recommends speaking to a lawyer about your matter, if possible. Only a lawyer can provide legal advice about your specific case.

Court staff members cannot recommend a lawyer. There are, however, a number of organizations and services that can assist you with finding a lawyer:

1. Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador  – The Law Society maintains a directory of practicing lawyers in Newfoundland and Labrador. You can visit the Law Society website to view this list.
2. Legal Aid NL – For more information about the services provided by Legal Aid NL, see the sections below entitled “Getting Funded Legal Counsel in Family Law Matters” and “Getting Funded Legal Counsel in Criminal Law Matters”.
3. Search Engines/Yellow Pages – Lawyers advertise online and in the Yellow pages and often indicate the type of law they practice.
4. Public Legal Information Association of Newfoundland and Labrador  – this Association operates a lawyer referral service and can arrange a 30 minute meeting with a lawyer who practices in the area of law you need assistance with for $40 (tax included).
5. National Database of Professionals Assisting SRLs– This growing National Database contains the names of dozens of lawyers (as well as paralegals, and other professionals offering therapeutic support and assistance) who are willing to offer SRLs affordable assistance, primarily in the form of unbundled legal or limited scope services.  You can also view a video that promotes the database.

Getting legal advice can be expensive. There are, however, a number of options for obtaining government funded legal counsel for your family law matter.

If your case is a family matter that involves child protection, custody, access, child support, spousal support or matrimonial property, and you meet certain financial thresholds, you may be eligible for a Legal Aid Certificate. In such a case, Legal Aid NL will provide you with a lawyer without charge, or for an affordable monthly contribution to your legal fees. For more information about the application process, please visit the Legal Aid NL’s website  .

If your family matter is being heard in the St. John’s Family Division you may be able to speak with Duty Counsel  about your matter. This service is provided at no cost by Legal Aid NL.

If your matter is a family matter and you do not have sufficient funds to pay a lawyer’s retainer fee but you do have equity in matrimonial property (such as your house), the Legal Aid NL may be able to assist you in getting representation with a private lawyer by guaranteeing the first $5,000 of your lawyer’s account in lieu of a retainer from you.

If your case is a child protection matter, and you do not qualify for a Legal Aid Certificate you can bring an application to the Court (sometimes called a “Rowbotham application”) asking the Court to appoint a lawyer for you who will be paid for by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Such an application will generally only be granted where you have applied to Legal Aid NL and you have been denied a Legal Aid Certificate.

To bring such an application in a child protection matter, please complete the following application form:

Form F18.03A – Interim Application

This document will have to be filed in the Court registry where your matter is being heard. Once these documents are filed, you will have to provide notice of this application, by service, to the following persons/entities:

• Any other party including the Manager appointed under the Children, Youth and Families Act
• Attorney General of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Legal Aid NL

Getting legal advice can be expensive. There are, however, a number of options for obtaining government funded legal counsel for your criminal matter.

If your case is a criminal matter and you meet certain financial thresholds, you may be eligible for a Legal Aid Certificate. In such a case, Legal Aid NL will provide you with a lawyer without charge, or for an affordable monthly contribution to your legal fees. For more information about the application process, please visit the Legal Aid NL   .

If you do not qualify for a Legal Aid Certificate you can bring an application to the Court (sometimes called a “Rowbotham application”) asking the Court to appoint a lawyer for you who will be paid for by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Such an application will generally only be granted where you have applied to Legal Aid NL and you have been denied a Legal Aid Certificate.

To bring such an application in a criminal matter, please complete the following application form:
CR Form 11.02 Notice of Application (General)

And provide the following:

• An affidavit setting out:
• the efforts you made to retain a lawyer
• the reasons why you have been unable to retain a lawyer
• whether you have made an application to the Legal Aid Commission for legal assistance and, if so, the status of that application
• whether you were formerly represented by a lawyer and when that representation ceased
• the name of any lawyer who has indicated a willingness to represent you in the event that the order is granted and the terms on which he or she is prepared to provide representation
• any other information you think is relevant

These documents will have to be filed in the Court registry where your matter is being heard. Once these documents are filed, you will have to provide notice of this application, by service, to the following persons/entities:

• The Attorney General of Newfoundland and Labrador
• The prosecutor
• Any co-accused persons
• Legal Aid NL

If you do not have a lawyer to assist you, you may be looking for general legal information. General legal information is different than legal advice. General legal information usually helps you understand what your legal options might be, but does not indicate whether a particular option is appropriate for your specific situation. There are a number of organizations/services that may be able to provide you with general legal information:

1. The Supreme Court’s Registry – if you have a procedural question, you can contact the Court’s General Division or Family Division Registry. Court staff are limited in the information that they can provide – for more information about what Court staff can and cannot do, see the information at the top of this page.
2. The Public Legal Information Association of Newfoundland and Labrador  – this Association publishes guides and information about various areas of the law, such as family law and wills and estates. They can also help you find a lawyer and set up a 30 minute meeting with the lawyer for $40.
3. Visiting the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Library  – You can visit the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador Law Library for assistance with finding legal information. As the library is locked during business hours, please call 753-7770, before you drop in.
4. Family Justice Services  – Family Justice Services (FJS) is a division of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador. It offers services that assist families in resolving parenting and/or child support issues. It does not provide legal advice.

The Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Family Division will be offering free Family Law Information Sessions to promote access to justice and legal education to the public.

The Family Law Information Sessions offers assistance to people with or without a lawyer who wish to gain some legal information about family law proceedings at the Supreme Court of Newfoundland Labrador – Family Division.

The Family Law Information Sessions DO NOT offer legal advice.

The information sessions are approximately 2.5 hours long (offered virtually) and will consist of information on, but not limited to:

1. Free and helpful resources;
2. The steps in a family court proceeding;
3. Common issues in family law & overview of the law; and
4. Going to court.

The next sessions will be held:

Wednesday, January 11, 2023, from 6-8PM

Registration is required. Please note that your registration is not complete until it is confirmed by the Court.

To register, please email FLinfosession@supreme.court.nl.ca or call (709) 729-1381.