Free Legal Help for Family Law in Alberta: Where to Look

If money is tight and you have a family law problem, it helps to know what is actually free. Several services in Alberta cost nothing, but each one does a different job and has its own limits.

This article describes the free supports we can confirm, who they are for, and how to ask about legal aid and duty counsel.

This article covers the law of Alberta.

Free mediation through Alberta Justice

Alberta Justice Family Mediation is free. To qualify, you must be separating or divorcing and be a parent, grandparent, guardian or other person with a significant role in a child's life. There must be at least one dependent child (under 18, or 18+ and eligible for continued child support), both parents must agree to mediate, and one parent's gross income must be $60,000 or less per year.

Topics include communication, parenting plans, guardianship, child support, spousal support and some property matters. Each parent registers separately within 2 weeks of the other, and lawyers cannot register for you. Contact usually comes 2 to 3 weeks after registration. If you will discuss finances, you must exchange a Financial Disclosure Statement with the other parent.

There are special cases. If a court order prevents contact with the other parent, a copy must be provided before an appointment is scheduled, and the order may need to be checked or changed. If you have a Children's Services case worker, you may be referred to the Children's Services Mediation Program instead. The mediator meets each person individually to identify safety concerns and decides whether mediation is appropriate.

Free help with court forms and parenting applications

• Court forms information coordinators: free help finding forms, understanding when to use them and filling them out. They are in Calgary, Grande Prairie, Edmonton and Red Deer (civil, criminal and family) and Lethbridge and Medicine Hat (family only), Monday to Friday, 8:15 am to 4 pm.
• Family Court Counsellors: a free Court and Justice Services resource for self-represented people in parenting disputes. They help with forms for parenting, contact, guardianship and access-enforcement applications, but not child or spousal support applications. They cannot give legal advice and do not advocate for either side.
• Court and Justice Services: 1-855-738-4747 toll free.

A Family Court Counsellor meeting is a mandatory requirement for people with dependent children who do not have a lawyer, where the Family Justice Strategy applies. It is not required if your children live outside Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie or Red Deer, or if your only claim is for child support.

Safety, fees and other options

All ADR processes under the Family Justice Strategy include screening for family violence, and anyone with safety concerns is told to contact 211, which is available 24/7. A person who cannot complete a mandatory requirement, including for family violence concerns, can file a Request to Waive/Defer Mandatory Requirements form.

A fee waiver form exists for people who cannot afford court filing fees. It is available at alberta.ca/waive-filing-fee. The King's Bench also lists other dispute resolution services, including the Child Support Resolution Program, which is available to all parties in Calgary and Edmonton.

Legal aid and duty counsel

Whether you can get free or low-cost representation or advice depends on your situation, so it is worth asking Legal Aid Alberta or the courthouse directly. Eligibility rules, income limits and which family matters are covered change over time, so contact Legal Aid Alberta or the courthouse directly rather than relying on a general summary. A lawyer or the court clerk can also point you to the right office.

What to do next

• Check whether you meet the Family Mediation criteria, especially the income limit and the dependent child requirement.
• Register for mediation and remember the other parent must register within 2 weeks.
• Call Court and Justice Services at 1-855-738-4747 about family court counsellor support.
• Visit a court forms information coordinator if you live near one.
• Ask about the fee waiver if filing fees are a barrier.
• Contact Legal Aid Alberta to ask whether you qualify for representation or advice.

Frequently asked questions