Support — spousal
Who can help
If you've tried to resolve your family law problem but need some help, some of the services below may help you work out an agreement or apply for court orders. Use these links to find the best service to meet your needs.
Specially trained people who can help you
Aboriginal community legal workers
Legal Services Society (Legal Aid) staff in Duncan and Nanaimo who provide legal information and some legal advice
Collaborative family lawyers
Specially trained lawyers who work in teams with separating spouses
Community partners
Service providers throughout BC who provide legal information and referrals to services such as legal aid
Family advice lawyers
Lawyers paid by Legal Aid to provide brief legal advice services
Family duty counsel (family lawyers)
Lawyers at the courthouses paid by Legal Aid to help people with low incomes deal with family law problems
Family justice counsellors
Family Justice Centre staff specially trained to help people find solutions to family law problems (they are accredited mediators)
Legal information outreach workers
Legal Aid staff members who provide legal information
Mediators
People specially trained to help couples work together to resolve conflicts
Native courtworkers — Family/Youth advocates
People who help Aboriginal families go through the family court process
Unbundled legal services
Find a lawyer who you can pay to take part of your case while you handle the rest yourself
Programs or services that can help you
Family Maintenance Enforcement Program
Provincial government program that collects and tracks child or spousal support orders and agreements
Free (pro bono) legal clinics
Free legal advice clinics for people who can't afford a lawyer but can't get legal aid
Justice Access Centre (Vancouver, Victoria, and Nanaimo)
Government-funded offices that provide family and civil law information, advice, and services
Online resources
Dial-A-Law
Online and telephone scripts about the law
Telephone services
Dial-A-Law
Online and telephone scripts about the law
Family LawLINE
Telephone advice line staffed by lawyers paid by Legal Aid
Lawyer Referral Service
Telephone service that provides the name of an eligible lawyer in BC you can have a brief meeting with for a small cost
More information
Legal advice
Describes what is considered legal advice and why you might want to get some, even if you can't afford to hire a lawyer for your whole case
Legal Aid
Describes legal aid and how/when to apply for a legal aid referral to a lawyer