No, you do not need a lawyer to go to court. You can represent yourself. However, if you are uncertain about your legal rights, you should consider speaking to a lawyer. You can contact the Lawyer Referral Service for a free 30-minute consultation with a lawyer. Depending on your income and what your legal issue is, you may qualify to get a free lawyer through Legal Aid BC. Generally, Legal Aid lawyers are available for criminal matters and family law matters that involve violence.
See the Representing Yourself section of this website to learn more about how to move your case forward, without a lawyer.
If you have legal questions, the Ask JES service available on this website provides free answers to legal questions. You can call, chat live or text your question using the information in the green column on the right. Ask JES does not provide legal advice, but it does provide information and referrals to help you understand your rights and options on a range of legal issues.
