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  • Legal Aid Services

    Hi,

    I'm going through hardship and I wanted to know will legal aid help in trial . I mean preparing for trial and representing for me in trial?

    Regards

    SSHAN

  • #2
    Yes, if you qualify.

    Only way to find out is if you call Legal Aid.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Kinso View Post
      Yes, if you qualify.

      Only way to find out is if you call Legal Aid.
      Key words. "IF YOU QUALIFY". Most people do not.

      Comment


      • #4
        In order to qualify your income has to be far below the poverty line or $0. In addition you can have NO assets. If the matrimonial home sells and that money is sitting in trust and you are unable to access it because your ex argues it’s all his, you will not qualify for legal aid. Even if the money is sitting in trust for several years and you and the children are living under a bridge and fishing in the Don River for food, you still won’t qualify for legal aid. Legal
        Aid covers teen mothers whose kids are taken away and have never worked a day in their lives and don’t have a pot to piss in.

        Comment


        • #5
          I know of a certain ex who did not work, but owned 2 properties (one home and one rental income not declared), only declared spousal and was able to obtain Legal Aid to file in court with a ridiculous set of motions... Some people are cheats.

          Comment


          • #6
            On that note, if someone lied to legal aid and moved a $750k asset to hide it to gain legal aid, how would that play out?

            Comment


            • #7
              Don’t they put liens against property you have? My mom had legal aid and they put a lien against our house. That was also 20 years ago so there is that.

              Comment


              • #8
                I own a shit property worth about $10k, mentioned it to LAO but they shrugged and said it wouldn't affect anything, no lien, etc.

                Comment


                • #9
                  But what are the issues, if anyone defrauded LAO, if for a serious amount of money for a free lawyer while hiding assets?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Donald Duck View Post
                    But what are the issues, if anyone defrauded LAO, if for a serious amount of money for a free lawyer while hiding assets?
                    Happens more than it should.

                    What generally happens is that the certificate is pulled and based on the contracts I have seen they pay the lawyer's fees and legal aid back everything. In the case of fraud they could face fraud charges as well. Not that I have seen it ever go that far.

                    I have seen LAO pull back the cert and put the person on the hook for the total value of the bill that has been covered. Read the LAO contracts closely.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      It's rare (but not impossible) for LAO to go after an individual. Since lawyers have reporting obligations to LAO it's more likely they'll go after a lawyer who isn't fulfilling that requirement.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Wow!

                        If someone did that the other side could probably leverage that information at one point, just saying.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          So if a LAO client ran up a bill for a substantial amount, then LAO would just walk away from the fraud even knowing that the client was a millionaire, as an example?


                          How about if the lawyer knew that the client was doing that ( hiding substantial assets)?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Donald Duck View Post
                            So if a LAO client ran up a bill for a substantial amount, then LAO would just walk away from the fraud even knowing that the client was a millionaire, as an example?


                            How about if the lawyer knew that the client was doing that ( hiding substantial assets)?
                            Form 13 in Ontario.

                            Form 13 and 13.1 are sworn affidavits. A lawyer could leverage their client's affidavit sworn to truth to get themselves out of it. A lawyer only knows what a client tells them. If they lie to the lawyer about their financial status... How is a lawyer to know?

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Makes total sense!

                              Must be so tough to be a lawyer in family court where emotions are so high and lies are so common place.

                              Comment

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