Legal process

The procedures for taking a dispute to court or other legal agency.

"Settlement Smarts" for self-represented litigants: How to use settlement processes knowledgeably and effectively

This 20 page outline takes you through purpose and structure, how to prepare, consequences (what to do if you get an agreement and what if you do not), and is packed with practical tips on how to think about settlement strategy from mediators, judges and lawyers – and other SRLs.

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A Practical Guide to Elder Abuse and Neglect Law in Canada

Published by Canadian Centre for Elder Law, this comprehensive resource includes snapshots of the law in each of the thirteen provinces and territories, a comparative table that allows for quick reference, a set of guiding principles for working with vulnerable adults, and sections that discuss mandatory report ing of abuse and neglect, rules around confidentiality of personal and health information, and the relationship between mental capacity and elder abuse. The guide also contains a lengthy list of resource agencies. This PDF (71 pages, 2010) is available for free download.

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A Successful Day in Court: How to Present or Defend Your Civil Claim

An instructional video from the Canadian Bar Association Alberta branch demonstrates the basics of procedure in civil court for non-lawyers. It is about 25 minutes in length, and uses common types of courtroom disputes to explain the kinds of evidence you may need for your case as well as how to organize and present that evidence to the judge.

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Alberta Courts - Court and Justice Services (CJS)

Court and Justice Services (CJS) provides administrative support to all the courts within the province, including electronic legal information services through Alberta Law Libraries.

CJS offer: legal information services for the public on court procedures and legal services options; assistance with locating and filling out court forms; referrals to other community legal services, as well as dispute resolution services for child support, family and child medication, conflict intervention, family mediation, and civil mediation. 

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Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta

The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta ) is the only association of certified translators, court interpreters, and conference interpreters in the province of Alberta. The Association was founded in 1979 and is the only member for Alberta of the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC). Through the CTTIC, the Association is affiliated with the International Federation of Translators (FIT). The primary aim of ATIA is to meet the needs of clients by ensuring, through its standards and certification procedures, that their interests are protected, and by facilitating their contacts with professional translators and interpreters.

 

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Bearpaw Legal Education and Resource Centre - Free Workshops

BearPaw Legal Education & Resource Centre (BLERC) provides free workshops on request. A workshop facilitator will travel to your community. Topics include: Going to Court, Kids and the Law, Aboriginal Fishing and Hunting Rights, the ABCs of the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act and more.

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Complaints about Lawyers (Law Society of Alberta)

The Law Society of Alberta provides a process to resolve complaints regarding a lawyer’s ethical conduct. This service is available to clients, judges, lawyers, financial institutions, business creditors, the general public and through internal referrals by the Executive Director of the Law Society of Alberta. The complaints process is initiated when a lawyer’s actions may have breached the Code of Professional Conduct that governs how lawyers are to conduct themselves in their practice. Visit this website to read Complaint and Inquiry Guidelines.

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Divorce and Separation (Alberta)

These links are provided by the Government of Alberta and are intended for those who are considering or are going through divorce. There are links related to: Mediation; Finding a Lawyer; Finding Your Own Legal Information; Filing for Divorce; Ordering a Divorce Certificate; Changing Your Name; Changing Your Address; Child Support; Government Financial Assistance Programs; Custody and Access; Counselling and Assistance; and Family Violence Help and Prevention Resources.

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Federation of Law Societies of Canada

The Federation of Law Societies of Canada (FLSC) is the national coordinating body of the Canada’s 14 law societies mandated to regulate Canada’s 95,000 lawyers and Quebec’s 3,500 notaries.  Each law society governs the legal profession within their respective province or territory and, as such, is reponsible for dealing with complaints from the public about the profession. The Federation is the voice of Canada’s law societies on a wide range of issues critical to the protection of the public and the rule of law, including solicitor-client privilege, the importance of an independent and impartial judiciary, and the role of the legal profession in the administration of justice.

 

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Legal Research - Online Learning Modules

Learn the importance of developing a good search strategy in order to quickly and effectively answer legal questions. This web page is the starting point for the University of Ottawa learning modules about legal research. Topics include: searching using keywords and Boolean logic, secondary sources, legal journals, case law, using CanLII, federal legislation, and legal citations.
University of Ottawa.

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National Self Represented Litigants Project (NSRLP)

The National Self-Represented Litigants Project (NSRLP) is committed to advancing understanding of the challenges and hard choices facing the very large numbers of Canadians who come to court without counsel. The Project works to promote dialogue and collaboration among all those affected by the self-represented litigant phenomenon, both justice system professionals and litigants themselves. They publish resources designed specifically for SRLs, as well as research reports that examine the implications for the justice system.

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Provincial Court Clerks - Criminal Division

The Provincial Court Court Criminal Clerks are able to assist in providing information for Provincial Court Criminal matters regarding jfudicial procedures, court appearance, trial dates, adkournments, outstanding warrants, summonses, subpeonas, witness fees, and payment of fines. They do not provide legal advice or handle traffic matters.

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Resources for Self Represented Litigants - Supreme Court of Canada

This portal provides information and instructions on what is expected of you when you bring your own application for leave to appeal or when you have been named as a respondent on an application for leave to appeal. An application for leave to appeal is a document by which a party requests leave to be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada in an appeal from a judgment of a court of appeal. Visit this website for more information and instructions.

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The Criminal Complaint Process

This online tutorial created by the Legal Resource Centre explains on what it’s like in a criminal courtroom. There are often many people in a courtroom. Knowing who is who, what each person’s role is, and what is expected of you as a witness should help you understand what is going on around you.

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You've been charged with a crime: What you need to know (Alberta)

This online publication is provided by the Government of Alberta and is divided into sections including: You’ve been charged… now what?; Duty Counsel; If you don’t have a lawyer; How do you get a lawyer?; Legal Aid; Other Services; Where will the trial be?; Pleading guilty; Getting ready for trial when you have pled not guilty; What happens in court?; and Sentencing.

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