When Should I Get a Lawyer?

You should try to get legal advice as soon as possible if you are dealing with a child protection matter. You can contact Legal Aid, hire a lawyer, ask for a court-appointed lawyer in a court proceeding or contact an organization that provides free ("pro bono") legal services. Your First Nation or Métis Nation-Saskatchewan may also be able to help.

If you have been contacted about a child protection concern with respect to your child, it is a good idea to try to get some legal advice as soon as you can. The child protection system is large and complicated. There are many laws and processes involved and it can be difficult to advocate (stand up for) yourself in the process. A lawyer can hep you do that. A lawyer can:

• help you understand the law and your rights and responsibilities as well as the rights of your child
• advocate for you with the Ministry or FNCFS Agency and in court
• help you to understand any agreement suggested and negotiate terms that make sense to keep your child safe
• receive information from the Ministry or Agency and discuss it with you
• help you with mediation or arrange for mediation

Where to get legal advice

You can reach out to Legal Aid or another lawyer. You can apply for a lawyer from Legal Aid by:

• calling 1.800.667.3764
• sending a message through https://legalaid.sk.ca/contact/
• going in person to your nearest Legal Aid office (only possible in certain locations)

If you are receiving income support from the government or from your First Nation, you will qualify for Legal Aid. If you are working but you do not earn a lot, you will also qualify. Legal Aid looks at how much you make, how much your partner makes and how many children you have to figure out if you qualify. Legal Aid may have other restrictions on when they provide advice and representation in child protection cases.

If you do not qualify for Legal Aid, there are other things you can do...

• You can speak to your First Nation or other Indigenous governing body about whether they can help with legal advice or information. A First Nation, Tribal Council, Métis Nation-Saskatchewan or other Indigenous governing body may have staff who can help, especially if you are facing a court hearing. Aboriginal Family Law Court Workers attend child protection matters in Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, North Battleford, Fort Qu'Appelle and Yorkton and can be reached by calling 1.800.514.5666.
• You can hire a lawyer. You can look in the phone book or online for lawyers in your community. The Law Society (lawsociety.sk.ca) has a directory of lawyers you can search and you can call them at 1.833.733.0133 if you need help searching their directory.
• If you are facing a court hearing, you can contact the courthouse (Court of King's Bench in Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert; Provincial Court everywhere else) to ask how to apply for Court-appointed Counsel where the court appoints a lawyer to represent you free of charge. This is especially important and required in serious cases involving applications for long-term and permanent orders.
• You can apply for a pro bono (free) lawyer from Pro Bono Law Saskatchewan at pblsask.ca.