- Your rights about goods, services and contracts
- Fines, bills and debt
- Centrelink disputes
- Discrimination and harassment
- Your rights at work
- Eviction, repairs, rent or mortgage difficulties
- Elder abuse and older peoples’ rights
- Help after disasters
- Care and protection of children
- Child support
- Separation and divorce
- Parenting orders and grandparents’ rights
- Domestic and family violence
- Family dispute resolution conferences and mediation
- Separate representation for children
- Getting help at court
- If you’re under 18 and in trouble with the police
- Applying for bail
- Hearings in the Local Court to decide if there is enough evidence for your case to go to trial (committals)
- Defended hearings where there is a possibility of gaol
- Court sentences and appealing decisions
Legal information and advice
We offer free legal information and can provide advice about certain legal problems. Call LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529 to talk about your legal issue. You can ask for support on the call from one of the Aboriginal Information Officers.
Ongoing help
If you need ongoing legal help from a lawyer, you can apply for a ‘grant of legal aid’. A grant of legal aid means that a lawyer who works for Legal Aid NSW, or a private lawyer who is paid by us, will represent you in your case. A private lawyer can charge you for any work they do that is not covered by a grant of legal aid.
It is best to speak to a lawyer and get legal advice before you apply for legal aid. A lawyer can help you work out the nature of your legal problem and if you may be eligible for a grant of aid. A lawyer may be able to help you apply for legal aid. A lawyer may be able to help you with your legal problem without needing to go to court.
A grant of legal aid is not free. Most people will have to pay a contribution to the legal costs of their case.
If you have to go to a Local Court about a criminal matter, you can speak to a duty lawyer. They are available at most Local Courts in NSW.
If this is your first time in court and you want to see a duty lawyer, then you should be at court by 9am. The duty lawyer may not be able to help you finalise your case on the first day. You may need to adjourn your case, which means it will be postponed to another day.
Taken into police custody?
If you have been taken into police custody you are legally entitled to speak immediately to a lawyer from the Aboriginal Legal Service.
This is called Custody Notification Service (CNS). It is a 24-hour legal advice and RU OK phone line for Aboriginal people taken into police custody.
All police stations have been supplied with the number, which can be called 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call (02) 9318 2122 during working hours for more information about this service.
We produce factsheets and brochures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
We also have podcasts, videos and other resources to help you with your legal problem.
For publications and other resources visit: www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/publications
For videos visit: www.youtube.com/LegalAidNSW
For podcasts visit: www.podbean.com/legalaidnsw
To sign up to our newsletters visit our News page
There are some things that Legal Aid NSW does not do. For example, we don’t advise or represent people at court for personal injury, taxation or business matters.
Where can I get more help?
| Organisation | Information | Contact details |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Law Service for Aboriginal Communities | Can help with money worries, discrimination, problems with the police, housing and Centrelink problems. | Phone: 1800 793 017 or (02) 9219 5057 |
| Children’s Legal Service (CLS) and Youth Hotline | CLS advises and represents children involved in criminal cases. If you are under 18 and need urgent advice, call the Youth Hotline . The hotline is open Mon – Thurs 9am – midnight, Fri – Sun and public holidays, 24 hours. | (02) 8688 3800 (CLS) 1800 10 18 10 (Youth Hotline) |
| Child Support Service | Help parents, aunties, uncles and grandparents and carers who need to get child support, or parents that need to pay it. | Phone: (02) 9633 9916 or 1800 451 784 |
| Domestic Violence Unit | A specialist domestic and family violence service made up of lawyers and social workers. | Phone: 1800 979 529 |
| Mental Health Advocacy Service | Provides free legal advice about mental health and guardianship law. | Phone: 1300 888 529 |
| Prisoners Legal Service (PLS) | PLS is a statewide specialist service of Legal Aid NSW. PLS provides advice, minor assistance and representation to prisoners. | Press 11# (Legal Aid NSW) and ask for Prisoners Legal Service. Friends and family can call (02) 9219 5000 and ask for Prisoners Legal Service. |
| Respect at Work Legal Service (RAWLS) | RAWLS provides holistic and trauma-informed legal services for people who have experienced sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace. | Phone: (02) 9072 2333 |
| Veterans’ Advocacy Service | Assists war veterans, defence force members and their dependents to obtain entitlements. | Phone: (02) 9219 5148 |