Free legal information and advice

Legal information can help you understand family law issues like separation, divorce, parenting, and child support.

Community Legal Education Ontario

CLEO’s Steps to Justice website has step-by-step information that can help you work through family law issues. The site also has practical tools like forms and checklists, and links to legal and social services where you can get help. Visit stepstojustice.ca.

CLEO also has a series of family law publications available online and in print. To order these publications or view them online, visit family.cleo.on.ca.

CLEO has other resources to help with the family law court process:

Steps in a Family Law Case has 3 interactive flowcharts that help you understand and work through the family law court process. Visit familycourt.cleo.on.ca.
Family Law Guided Pathways are a series of online interviews that help you fill out family court forms. Visit stepstojustice.ca/guided-pathways.

Family Law Information Centres

There are Family Law Information Centres (FLICs) in every Ontario family court. All FLICs have free pamphlets on family law. Many also have staff called Information and Referral Coordinators, who can give general information and refer you to other services. To find a FLIC in your area, find your local courthouse at ontario.ca/page/family-law-information-centres.

Legal Aid Ontario

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) has a phone line that you can call to get up to 20 minutes of free general legal advice and information in different languages. Call 1-800-668-8258.

Ontario Legal Information Centre

The Ontario Legal Information Centre offers 30 minutes of free advice in English or French. You can speak with a lawyer over the telephone or meet in person at their Ottawa office. Call 1-844-343-7462 or visit legalinfocentre.ca.

Law Society Referral Service

The Law Society of Ontario (LSO) has a service that gives you the name of a lawyer in your area that you can speak with for up to 30 minutes for free. You can ask for a lawyer who speaks your language. Visit findlegalhelp.ca or call their crisis line at 416-947-5255 or 1-855-947-5255, if you cannot use their online service.

Ontario government website

The Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General has guides and information on many family law issues. Visit ontario.ca/document/guide-procedures-family-court.

Ontario court websites

Ontario’s family courts have information about their court process. Go to the Ontario Court of Justice website at ontariocourts.ca/ocj and search for Representing Yourself at Your Family Law Trial – A Guide. Go to the Superior Court of Justice website at ontariocourts.ca/scj and search for A Guide to Process for Cases at the Superior Court of Justice.

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