Free Legal Clinic Coming to Yarmouth for Self-Represented Litigants

Wednesday, June 27, 2018 (Halifax, NS) – Self-represented litigants in Yarmouth and the surrounding communities will soon have access to free legal advice on their civil matters and some family law appeals. The new service is set to begin on Friday, July 6.

The Free Legal Clinic, located in the courthouse at 164 Main St., Yarmouth, will offer private appointments with a volunteer practising lawyer at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., and 11 a.m. on the first and third Fridays of the month, excluding holidays.

Only those representing themselves on certain types of cases are eligible, specifically civil law matters before the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia or the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, and family law appeals, except for child protection matters.

The Yarmouth clinic will not deal with criminal law matters. Duty Counsel through Nova Scotia Legal Aid is available in most courthouses for assistance with criminal and family law matters that do not qualify at the clinic.

This is not a drop-in clinic. Judges, lawyers and others involved with the provincial justice system are aware of this free service and may refer you to the clinic early in the court process or at any point during your time in court. You can also schedule an appointment on your own by visiting the Court Administration Office at the Yarmouth courthouse or by calling 902-742-0580.

The Yarmouth Free Legal Clinic is modeled after those in Halifax and Sydney, which opened in 2015 and 2017, respectively. Since then, these clinics have provided hundreds of hours of assistance to self-represented litigants, mostly due to the dedication and generosity of volunteer lawyers and law firms in these communities.

For more information on the Nova Scotia Courts and our access to justice initiatives, please visit www.courts.ns.ca.

Media Contact:

Jennifer Stairs
Communications Director
Nova Scotia Judiciary
Cell: 902-221-5257
Email: stairsjl@courts.ns.ca