Welcome to the Central Alberta Community Legal Clinic

The Central Alberta Community Legal Clinic (CACLC) offers free legal advice to those who do not qualify for Legal Aid and who cannot afford a lawyer.

If your legal and financial situation fit our guidelines, we will schedule an appointment in one of our convenient evening or afternoon clinics to obtain free legal advice. If you qualify for the Follow Up Program, services could include document preparation and representation in court.

If you need legal advice on:

• Separation
• Divorce
• Common Law
• Maintenance
• Custody and Access
• Small Claims
• Debt
• Non-domestic common assault
• Theft
• Landlord/tenant matters
• Wills*
• Guardianship/Trusteeship
• Summary Criminal Offences

Clinic Program:

Volunteer lawyers donate their professional time to meet with you to provide advice and direction to resolve your legal issue. You must fill out an intake form in person or by phone to ensure you qualify for service before an appointment is booked.

Click here for an Intake Form

Evening clinics are held every Tuesday and Wednesday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 pm by appointment only. We do not have enough volunteer Criminal Lawyers currently to meet demand and can only offer very limited help in this area of law. Additional Family Law clinics are held every other Thursday from 1:30 to 3:30pm. Call our Intake Worker to see if you qualify and book an appointment.

Tips to get the most from your appointment:

• Appointments are 30 minutes in length
• Organize and bring any important papers including court document and letters
• Make a short list of the questions you needs answers to
• Clients are asked to make child care arrangements and not to bring their children to the clinic
• Clients who do not show up for their appointments will be charged a $20 administration fee to re-book.

Follow Up Program

After attending the Clinic Program, it may be determined that you qualify for additional services in the Follow Up Program with the Staff Lawyer. Additional guidelines for this service apply and you may be required to provide additional information.

Filing fees, disbursements and other costs are not covered by the CACLC.

Loaves and Fishes Project

In October 2008, the CACLC took over coordinating the Loaves and Fishes Project from the group of volunteer lawyers who have been providing pro bono services through the People's Place Homeless Shelter for over 8 years. A lawyer attends the Loaves and Fishes evening meal service every second Monday to provide free legal information and advice to those in need. No appointment is necessary and service is on a first come, first served basis.

Court Prep Program

The Court Prep Program is a partnership between the CACLC and Women's Outreach to enable self represented litigants to gain familiarity with court procedures and process. The program takes participants on a tour of a courtroom and provides information on protocol. Participants gain familiarity with the court system and the experience reduces anxiety when dealing with court matters on their own behalf. To register call (403) 347-2480 or visit www.womensoutreach.ca/cpp.html for more information.

For other legal services through Women's Outreach: www.womensoutreach.ca/legal.html

Access to Justice Project

The CACLC in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association - Red Deer Office, is looking at ways to improve the way that mental health clients interact with the justice system. The project hopes to bring together a number of stakeholders to develop a better understanding of mental health issues, thereby improving the outcomes for mental health clients when they interact with the justice system.