It’s something many lawyers complain about – being ambushed by friends and family with legal problems and expecting an instant answer. Blogging lawyers also face this dilemma from their general readership.
Both are likely to suggest that the person come to their office for a more in-depth consultation. That, and the legal problem thrown in your face is blocking the view on the gorgeous beach.
Now there’s an online site that you can divert these people to for legal advice, or to be more precise, legal information. AdviceScene is staffed by qualified lawyers and judges (yes, judges) who answer questions from the general public.
Although they are careful to refer people to lawyers when necessary as well, they can give the public a few tips on legal principles and how the system works.
As law students we have a similar challenge of not wanting to provide legal advice, and also behave overly cautious in not misrepresenting ourselves as lawyers. Nancy Kinney, founder of AdviceScene, reached out to us and we were more than happy to refer the many inquiries we get over to some qualified professionals.
But lawyers should be eager to join a project like this as well. The site is a great way for lawyers to showcase their talent and build on their client base, especially during these uncertain times. In addition to the free profile on the forum, lawyers can be listed in the site’s directory.
It’s still a young project, but one that can succeed if Canadian lawyers are interested in helping to empower the general public with legal information.
Just save your Q&A until you get back from your office, and not on the beach, or you’ll defeat the whole purpose.
Update
Terry Romaniuk, a Public Legal Education Staff Lawyer with Alberta Law Line, a sub division of Legal Aid Alberta, brought to my attention that they have been offering 4 hours of free legal advice to all qualified Albertans since 2004.
They also have have 3 former members of Alberta’s judiciary on their 27 member staff.
Cross-posted from Slaw
I bought a condo last week. My accepted offer to purchase is locked in after tomorrow’s close of business. I discover that the condo board has a lawsuit pending, which was filed a month ago for $2 million. There are 195 condo units in the building. Am I, as a new owner on August 31, liable for a portion of the lawsuit should it be successful? The condo board of directors does NOT have liability insurance.
Law is Cool: Fellini, as indicated in the post, we are not positioned to provide legal advice or legal information for specific cases on this site, but please do check out AdviceScene.
I have problem with one of the colleges in canada, I came here for a business course, the programm coordinator is very racist and harassing me a lot with partiality and humiliation, but I do not have tangible evidences against him, becasue none of that actions are not recorded in any form,other than my grade list and comparable grade list with another student of the same calibre, but I have many other students to give evidences.
Is there any way I can handle this and take it to a right judge otherthan college authorities??? please answer as soon as possible.
Law is Cool: As indicated in the post, we are not positioned to provide legal advice or legal information for specific cases on this site, but please do check out AdviceScene.
I am an American, my husband is Canadian. I am only avisutir in Canada and I can’t work. He has a criminal record. I don’t know if we have better chances investing in pardons and waivers for him or in a visa for me. I don’t know what I should apply for. I want to be able to work and all that, but I don’t wan to live in Canada permenantly.
i overstayed on my bussiness visa and then applied to have it converted to student visa…which was approved and then after taking a couple of courses in college i went back to india & now i am not being approved for student visa in india to return to usa….i am now applying for canadian visa…my question is if i get my canadian visa..can i get a visa to enter usa ona permenant or temporary basis…thanks
My daughter woke up one morning with her legs very swollen and bruised. We brought her into the hospital because we were concerned. She has been getting her legs stuck between the crib bars for a while now and bruising them. The doctors then said it was child abuse and called the childrens aid on me and took my children. I know that nobody would ever hurt my baby I don’t leave her with anyone besides me my b/f and he loves her to death. This has been going on since April 2009 and we can’t seem to get anywhere with it. They kicked my b/f out of my childrens lives and he hasn’t seen them since April just becasue he is not their biological father even though he raised them to be his own. My childrens real father was very abusive with me and I got court papers sayign that I have full custody adn that he cannot seem them unless supervised with my permission. Now the CAS got him involved in my childrens lives again when I was trying to protect them by keeping him away. The childrens aid said that either my boyfriend or I am going to get charged with child abuse. That cannot happen becasue we never hurt her. We are 100% positive that it was from her crib we seen her with her legs wedged between the bars. They say that she has fractures that were caused by a twisting motion. Which makes up believe more it was from the crib becasue we would have to try and twist her legs a little bit to loosen them up and also sometimes she would have her legs stuck and she would flip right over onto her back. My question is can they actually do this? None of this is fair. My 3 year old son also has cancer he got diagnosed with leukemia last year so we are going through enough stress already we don’t need this now. All we were doing was trying to protect our daughter by bringing her into the hospital and then it all gets turned around on us like we are bad people. We should not be guilty until proven innocent. We are innocent and we will do whatever it takes to fight for our children back!!
Thank you for taking your time in reading this
Law is Cool: It sounds like you’re asking for legal advice for a personal legal problem. We are not positioned to provide legal advice or legal information for specific cases on this site, but please do check out AdviceScene.
If you have any photos or videos of your daughter playing in the crib in the manner you are describing, it might be helpful. We would strongly recommend seeing a lawyer in your jurisdiction for further assistance.
Where can I find info.on homeowners rights and responsibilities re.tree encroachment.
I have a situation where my husband made his girlfriend pregnant, bought a house with her, and left me with nothing. I have since taken him for child support for our 5 kids as he was not paying any, he put his mercedez in his fathers name so that I could not take him to court for it. Am I entitled to anything that he has done?? he may have also put the house under his girlfriend’s name only. What can i do in a situation like this? need help
My mother was incapable of making decisions in 2005 when my brother passed. She had been diagnosed with alzhermer’s. My sister , who was my Mother’s assigned Power of Attorney told my Mom to remove my brother’s name off of her life insurance and put her name as the beneficary. After thinking on this she decided to also add my younger brother’s name so it wouldn’t look suspicious by only having her name.
My question is >> can the Power of Attorney legally be able to put her name on the insurance as the beneficary? I need to know with the next three days as there is a limitation on the time for contesting this.
My parents’ condo Board election system is “1 vote per unit for each seat”. I think this is not fair because it only takes 51% of the units to control the whole Board. Even there is a candidate who has 49% of votes still cannot be on the Board. How to change it to “1 vote per unit no matter how many seat there is”? Please help. I think the Board and the property management could be corrupted.
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My company asks me to switch from my current Dept. to another Dept. I see more growth in my current Dept. where I am working for more than 10 years. It will be the same salary & same benefits but more work & travel will be required in new position.
My total working years in the company is more than 12 years. I have a family of 5 & I am the only one who is working…..Please advice what are the legal options I have if I have to quit??
I became the legal guardian of 2 girls of my friend a year ago because they are both 17 and wanted to come to study in Canada. The paper was done at the law office. Now that they both turn 18 and how do I need to terminate the gardianship. I have heard people say that the guardianship stop automatically when the minor turn 18, which consider as legally adult. Please advise.
Unfair! I purchased a new car on the weekend, I traded my 2008 for a 2010. The dealership approved my credit and let me leave with the new car. 4 days later they said they needed a co-signer or 10,000 down. Why did they let me leave with the new car and what can I do?
my boyfriend of 4 yrs has just recently had a child with his best friend – she had declined us paying her child support and wants us to purchase items for the child such as diapers, wipes, formula, etc. what options do we have to prevent her from asking for back pay as this is a verbal agreement.
Lawrence Gridin: As law students, we are prohibited from giving you legal advice. As the article suggests, you are welcome to visit advicescene.ca for assistance. Alternatively we recommend that you contact a local lawyer who specializes in family law.
Just want to know what the law is regarding my 16 year old daughter.
How old does a child have to be to be able to be left alone overnight and how many days can they be left alone?
Also, at what age can a child be asked to leave the parental home?
thanks
I got arrested back in sept 2007 for drinking and driving,and i went to court,and they told me that i would get back my licence if i go through the program backontrack.So i have till this sept 2010 to get it back.Now i called backontrack,cause i have the money to do it.But they said that it would take up to 6 months to complete this program,that it is to late to get my licence back,and that i would have to do the driving test again.I want to know that if i have up to this sept to finish the program,but they are saying now that even if i pay right now,that i would have to do the driving test again,i just want to know if this is true,and if it is,why didn’t they said that in the court papers that i got,they said i have till sept 2010,but after that i would have to do the driving test again.So do i have to do the driving test again,if i pay before sept 2010,or are they wrong,and i get back my licence without doing the driving test.Thanks.
The situation is very difficult and hard to explain.
My friend got married to a girl and moved to Canada couple of years ago.After a while they both decided that can not live together anymore and wanted to get divorced. At the end of 2009 they got divorced in their country(when they got married). At that time the girl lost her job and my friend wanted to help and let her stay in their apartment until she find a job and be able to take care of herself. Couple months later he dies in a car accident(he was a truck driver). Canadian Government doesn’t have the information about the divorce yet.Now my friend’s ex wife is the only one authorized to deal with the insurance company and all the stuff around him. His parents live in his country and do not know anything. She does not give them any information and nobody knows how much money did my friend have in his bank accounts.
My question is: “Can my friend’s parents do something to inform themselves about the insurance and can they receive something from the insurance company?”
Thank you for the answer.
Hi,we sold some material to one company a year ago. They sent us a check .Check got lost somehow in papers and we found out now.I called the people who gave us the check,and asked for new one,but they refused.They told me that this is not their foult we didn’t cash the check and they will not issue the new one.
My 14 year old son Came home today after being pulled out of his Cooking
> class @ 2:30 pm and interrogated for about 2hours about a so called
> Written bomb threat to his school Which was written on a outside school
> Wall !!. There is no proof of his involvement in any way except for his
> being at a after school function when the offence occurred. He was
> interrogated by the 2 vice-principals and 3 other people without our
> knowledge and or involvement in the proceedings. Also when he did not
> arrive at home at the usual time or for at least about 1 hour later. My
> “Ex” wife phoned the school and was advised by the secretary that he was
> not being held in detention by any of his teachers. We were Frantic for
> about 1 hour until we Found out what was going on. He was pulled into this
> so called problem by some teacher who compared his handwriting and said it
> was “Close” to the offensive hand writing. To end this My Son came hone
> Terrified and in tears about his ordeal. Please What recour!
> se Do we have. Were his rights infringed upon? Dan Crockett
I was just curious if anyone knew what the laws were on recieving child support while payor was in a B.C correctional facilty due to assaulting the mother? Would it be retroactive? Thanks
My grandmother is a high functioning paranoid schitzophrenic. We have no medical proof of this as, as the patient ages the hallucinations go away and she has been able to hide it due to technology. (In the past she used to phone the prime minister’s officer everyday, now she writes editorials and blogs online everyday) She’s had her present doctor for about 20 years and her last episode was about 30 years ago. She believes she is cured and no longer takes medication. In order to get the records from 1973 from the hospital archives, she has to sign herself, which she would never do. Schitzophenia is never ever mentioned. Now here is my question: She has medical control over my grandfather’s care. She has been hiding his condition for 3 years. He has undiagnosed Alzheimer’s and is getting no treatment for it at all. My mother doesn’t know what to do. They are presently living in my mother’s home and she and I are their caregivers. My grandfather has deteriorated to the stage where he mistakes the sink for the toilet. Any advice on what we can do to protect a husband from his wife, who appears to the outside world perfectly sane and together, yet at home, hidden is living in her own little world?
Desperately worried about grandfather!
A young couple borrowed $20,000 from a private lender 2 years ago. Documentation was signed, a lien was put on their vehicle and a payment plan was established. In 2 years they haven’t even paid the interest. The lender wants her money. She has tried calling, email and letter sending and the they completely ignore. Letter sending is basically impossible, they move so often. It isn’t as if they don’t have the money to pay it, they both are being paid a fairly good wage. What steps does the lender have to take for legal action to get the money back?
My friend was seen on camera stealing 3 meals of chicken,he got fired for breach of company policy,he shortly went to the doctor,told her he was going through a hard year with several issues,she diognosed him with clinicly depression,will he get his job back,or will he be convicted..
I need to end my lease early because of a bad breakup with my boyfriend. I filled out and sent a N9 form and sent to my landlord to end my tenancy. They are NOT willing to work with me on assigning my portion of the lease….I have advertised the home and had applicants…they declined both just because they didn’t want to assign. They have made me an offer to end the lease in Jan 2011 but want me to be responsible for “reasonable” costs for renting the home. They are unwilling to give me an outline of what they think is reasonable….what do I do? All I want is to be done with this….I have tried everything to work with the landlord but they just will not compromise….Please help
I have a client who had purhcased a puppy and has been unhappy.
I have made numerous attempets to please this lady, and have even made a settlement
through the bbb.
Problem?
She continues to post on forums, and other places on line about her distaste for my kennel and uses a public form to make untrue staements that are ovbiously one sided.
What do I need to do to collect enough evidence to collect some sort of damages in court?
She put’s my kennel name over the internet and advises people to look else where for a puppy by providing future puppy owners with wrong information.
I had sexual relations with a married woman on two seperate occations with a one year span between over two years. I had a working relationship with this person but was not in this situation when the incident occured. For one reason or another she told her partner about this and he has since then contacted me and has been contacting my house. He is demanding me to write a letter and send it to him via mail stating the dates & particulars of the situation or he will take me to court. My question is does he have grounds to take me to court if so what is the penalties so to speak. i have since been open with my partner about the incident and have worked through it. Should I write him a statement or am I being railroaded?
Thank you
I am the mother of two children. Me and my ex husband do not have a divorce yet. We have a custody order that is joint custody with day to day care with me and reasonable access to the father. Our maintenance is a verbal agreement. He is not always reliable to that. As for having a part in the kids lives he will bounce in and out. I am in school right now to get a better job and will be done in about a years time. I was wondering what my legal rights were if I wanted to move 3 hours away form where I live to have better access to more job opportunities.
I just need someone to review my disclaimer located at my website. The blog is an extension of my website and everything is being hosted with a canadian hosting company. I have written a disclaimer with the help of a lot of articles and now I just want to make sure that it’s enough. I’m from outside of the canada.
thanks in advanced
We lease land where our manufactured home is on and now the land owners are telling us we have to move it since their daughter wants to build a home on the site. How much notice do they need to give us and do we have to pay pad rent in the meantime?
I was riding the TTC the other day and I had terrible gas. I was on the subway for about ten minutes and must have passed gas about 5 or 6 times. The farts smelled quite offensive. After the first 5 minutes the woman next to me informed that according to Canada’s criminal code it is against the law to offend a public place with a bad smell. I was wondering if this is really true since I frequently have fowl smelling farts. She also told me that I could be liable to 2 years in jail.
I received a photo radar ticket in the mail recently, and in the picture there is the right hand side of a truck on the left hand side of the picture. Does this give me grounds to fight the ticket?
I recently gave my two weeks notice at my job. Before I did so I received a notice informing me of the amount of my bonus for 2010. It was signed by both owners of the company. The company paid me half my bonus, but are now claiming that they do not have to pay me the second half because I quit. Since the bonus was work the previous year and work already done and I have a signed notice informing me of the amount it appears to me like they are legally bound to pay the bonus in full. Am I correct?
I recently got scammed on craigsllist., a woman sold me 2 tickets for Adele and said she mail them After I paid herr online. Whitch i did. I piad her 125 for 2. she never mailed me the tickets.Can i sue her from my money back and inconvieance? I already tried E amil her and no reply back.
A financial organization sold me a RESP, Registered Educational Saving Plans, for my child 4 years ago. I was told that this is like a saving account for my child, and when my kid wants to go to university, he can use the money with government grant at that time. I doubled my monthly contributions 2 years ago after my youngest child born.
About a month ago, I found out that other financial companies are offering a better return in their RESP, and I thought I just transfer the fund to another company with a higher return RESP, but when I call to make the transfer, I was told that I have to pay $1335.80 because the company was counting on me to keep the money in their account for 17 years, and now I am transferring earlier. So, I have to pay the fine. They call the fine “Enrolment Fee†and it is in a fine print in the document that I sign, and I did not read, and the sales rep did not disclose anything. When I called to complain, I was just told that well you sign it, and you will lose if you transfer. I found out that this is not a first time that the company is ripping off people legally, and they using a loop whole in the system. doing that. http://www.vaninvestor.com/You/RESP/OSC_cracksdown_resp.htm
I even contact the senior management, and again tey told me that it does not matter what the sales representative told you verbally because you signed the conract, we will charge you the cancellation fee. My question is I signed the contact on a false pretence, and the sales rep misled me and my wife. does the agreement still valid, even when the company’s representative liad to us. my other question is I called the senior manager a lier and competent, and the lawyer’s company e-mailed me and said they will sue me for calling the manager a lier and incompetent because it is an abusive language. can they do that, or they are trying to scare me?
Thank you very much
jack from Toronto
Hello, I am inquiring about Pensions. My husband was part og a local Union for several years and paid into them as well as the employers. When he stopped being part of the union these companies went in and took back all of their contributions and left what my husband paid in forcing him to lock that in until he is 55. It is not a very large amount and we have been trying to understand why they could take their money all out but we are not able to use this money at all to use as a down payment on a house.
Did they have the right to do this? Is there any way we can get the small amount he has unlocked?
Kim
My daughter and son went to visit their father. His latest girlfriend owns a jewellery store. The girlfriend’s son told my daughter that she could pick out some jewellery and keep it. He said he asked his mother’s permission. So, my daughter (13 years old) picked out some items. The girlfriend then discovered that these items were missing from her store. My daughter gave everything back and told her that her son said it was ok. The girlfriend says she is going to charge my daughter with theft and that she believes her son’s word over my daughters. What do I do? Can she be charged with theft for a misunderstanding?
I received 1st degree burns due to a laser hair removal treatment at a cosmetic medical clinic which may cause scarring and discoloration in burned area. Do I have any recourse?
My husband and I are getting divorced. I am buying his share of the house off of him, I would like to incorperate my share of his pension into the buyout. Can I accept this and then sign that I have no right to his pension?
ive rented a basement suite in calgary. after a few months molds are appearing everywhere i talk to the landlord that we are leaving because he cannot fix the suite the smells terrible and we leave immediately in that month and he said that he will give back our deposit .but when we leave. he told me that he will not give the deposit because we leave the house without finishing the contract and that’s the payment of it?the question is do i have the right to get the deposit and is there any government sector that can help us i rented the place for 975cad.and that a lot for a low income like me thanks
If I am an owner of a condominium in Alberta, and I am not on the board of directors, can I get the list of condominium owners of my building? I want to use this information to gather all owners and have a vote to remove our property management company. There has been no communication and other owners are leaving notes on the PM door. It is getting ridiculous and after many attempts to contact the Board and Property Management company, I still don’t have any replies.
my mothers will says “to my daughter pay $5000for her own use absolutely,it being my request that she apply the same payments on her residence loans…..im not sure what the second part of that means
I live in Calgary and i am Caucasian and having a VERY hard time finding work in the oil and gas industry even though i am fully certified, experienced and qualified for all of the jobs that i have applied to in the past. People that i know who have zero qualifications for the same jobs are getting hired. I have a very asian sound last name of LEE, whereas the people that i know getting hired with no qualifications have don’t have asian sounding names. In the past i have applied to the same jobs over and over again without success, until i meet the manager, then i get hired. I know that racism exists even in “equal opportunity” companies and even more so in private companies will always be here and is incredibly hard to prove otherwise.
I am wondering if there is any legal recourse if i used my grandfathers name of REID instead of Lee on my resumes, but sign all employment documents with my legal real name? I don’t really wan to go the route of a legal name change. I appreciate any feed back thanks.
The basement of the house I rent was flooded.The landlords insurance company hired a clean up company to do the clean up.The cleaning crew turned off the switch that powers my deep freeze.(we were relocated to a hotel for 2 weeks by the Red Cross)When I got home everything in the freezer was rotten. Who do I go after to replace the contents?
Two people have different opinions of the following two questions. Would you please answer them for me.
1 Does the suspect in a murder trial have any say in the selection of jurors?
2 Would any relatives be allowed to sit in on this?
Many thanks
My bank took out a substantial amount of money out of my bank account
they invested it in a higher interest rate type account.
They never asked my consent or offered the service to me.
They just did it.
I only knew it happened when i noticed the money was no longer in my account.
How can a bank act this way .
They choose the amount and boom did it .
I am so upset over the event .. I just dont know what recourses are available to me .
Can i seek compensation for this fraudulent act ?
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Once my Membership has been terminated with a Co-op housing in alberta and I have left the premise, am I responsible for any housing charges after that date?
“If I get a conditional or absolute discharge from a charge of “Mischief under 5000″, will I get a criminal record and how does this affect my application for citizenship?”