 |
Legal Aid Queensland helps people who have a legal problem but can't afford to pay a lawyer. We have a range of specialist services to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Print version:
|
On this page:
How can Legal Aid Queensland help me?
You can get free legal information to help you work out your legal problem by calling the Indigenous Hotline on 1300 650 143. The first person you talk to will be a client information officer (this person is not a solicitor). They will:
- listen to your problem and give you information about the law
- tell you about the services we offer
- refer you to someone either at Legal Aid Queensland or in another organisation who can help.
If your problem is more serious and you need to talk with a solicitor, the client information officer will either:
- put your call through to a solicitor
- make a time when a solicitor will call you back, or
- tell you when you can go into your closest Legal Aid Queensland office to speak with a solicitor.
You can talk with a solicitor for up to one hour about each legal issue. This might be spread over a couple of appointments. Legal advice and information is free.
Who can get help?
Anyone can contact Legal Aid to get help with a personal legal problem. Our legal information and advice services are free for all Queenslanders. If you need a lawyer to represent you, you will need to apply for legal aid.
It is important to speak to a lawyer if you have a legal problem because they can:
- provide you with legal advice
- explain your rights
- help you in court or in a tribunal
- talk to police or other people involved in your legal problem on your behalf.
Legal Aid Queensland has specialist lawyers who can help you with legal problems. We can also refer you for assistance to community legal centres, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services, family violence prevention legal services, or other community services.
Where are you located?
Legal Aid Queensland has 14 offices across the state, from Southport to Cairns. We also have a community liaison officer located in our Cairns office to help us deliver culturally appropriate services, and provide court support and community legal education for communities.
We also provide outreach services face-to-face and through video conferencing in regional and remote communities.
See our website or call us on 1300 650 143 to find out where.
What legal problems can you help me with?
We provide legal help for criminal, family and civil law problems. Some problems we can help with include:
- you’ve separated or divorced and need help working out where the children will live, how to divide your assets or child support issues
- you’ve experienced violence in your relationships
- you’re having trouble paying loans, been harassed by debt collectors or ripped-off when you bought something
- you’ve been unfairly discriminated against because of your race, age, gender identity, sexuality or family responsibilities
- you’ve been accused of breaking the law or been charged with a crime
- you or your child need help with a child protection matter.
We can’t help you with:
- commercial transactions or dealings with real estate
- personal injury
- will making/preparing powers of attorney
- taxation and superannuation
- planning and environmental law
- local government matters
- matters where you’re representing a company,
- business, club or association.
Can I get a lawyer to represent me in court?
Legal Aid Queensland may be able to provide a lawyer to represent you. This service is means and merit tested — we will look at what you earn, what you own and if your case has a good chance of success to decide if you are eligible for legal aid. We use the means and merit test to make sure we spend our limited funding on the most needy cases.
Applicants who rely on Centrelink payments for their income are usually eligible for aid, as long as what they own is within the assets test guidelines. Young people aged 17 years and under don’t have to meet the means test to be eligible for aid, but may have to meet other guidelines.
How do I apply for legal aid?
To apply for legal aid you’ll need to fill out an application form and give us some financial information.
Contact us for more information about how to apply for aid.