What online resources are available for legal information in BC?
In BC, there are a range of websites that provide legal help information. The list below provides trusted online legal information from JES, as well as other BC organizations.
Legal Help Websites by Justice Education Society of BC
- Legal Help BC (opens in a new tab): An online resource that features FAQs on a range of topics. Also includes access to Ask JES, which provides free answers to legal questions.
- Family Law in BC (opens in a new tab): Dedicated to family law issues such as divorce, separation, parenting, and child support. Includes practical tools like a separation agreement builder and a series of guides to help British Columbians move through separation and divorce processes.
- SmallClaimsBC.ca (opens in a new tab): Explains the Small Claims Court process in BC, including how to start a claim, respond to one, and resolve disputes involving money or property.
- SupremeCourtBC.ca (opens in a new tab): Provides step-by-step guidance, forms, and resources for people representing themselves in civil or family cases in the BC Supreme Court. Also includes information related to criminal law cases heard by the court.
- CourtofAppealBC.ca (opens in a new tab): Offers information on the appeal process in BC’s highest court, including timelines, rules, forms, and tips for self-represented litigants.
- AdminLawBC.ca (opens in a new tab): Helps people understand their rights when dealing with government agencies and tribunals, including how to make complaints, prepare for hearings and appeal decisions.
- RentingItRight.ca (opens in a new tab): An online course for tenants that explains rental rights and responsibilities in BC, including leases, repairs, and dispute resolution.
- HowToSeparate.ca (opens in a new tab): Guides to help separating couples through legal, financial, and parenting issues, with interactive tools and plain-language resources. Sections include: Working it Out, Separating Finances and Going to Court.
- LegalRightsForYouth.ca (opens in a new tab): Explains legal rights and responsibilities for young people in BC, covering topics like work, school, family, police, and housing.
- LawLessons.ca (opens in a new tab): Provide legal lessons plans for teachers that are aligned with BC's social studies curriculum. The site also enables schools and community groups to book court visits.
More Legal Help Websites
- Clicklaw (opens in a new tab): A central portal that links to many legal information sources in BC. Includes plain-language legal content and a directory of legal help services across the province.
- People’s Law School (opens in a new tab): Offers plain-language information on many legal topics such as housing, employment, consumer law, wills, and debt. Materials are designed for people with little legal background. Includes Beagle+, an AI legal help chat service.
- Legal Aid BC (opens in a new tab): Explains legal aid services available to people with low income. Publishes eligibility information, as well as legal help resources.
- BC Courts (opens in a new tab): Official website of the BC courts. Provides court forms, procedures, schedules, and rules of court for the BC Provincial Court, BC Supreme Court and BC Court of Appeal. The BC Provincial Court (opens in a new tab) has a dedicated site with a range of helpful information.
- BC Government Justice Services (opens in a new tab): Contains official guides, legislation, and information about justice programs and services offered by the BC provincial government.
Ask JES can provide additional information about these resources, as well as respond to YOUR legal questions.
Others found these helpful...
- Ask a Human / Ask AI (opens in a new tab)
LegalHelpBC provides free legal help, responding to inquiries by Legal Navigators (Ask a Human) or the JES AI chatbot (Ask AI).
- LegalAid.bc.ca (opens in a new tab)
Provides free lawyers to income qualified clients for specific legal issues.
- AccessProbono.ca (opens in a new tab)
Provides free lawyers to income qualified clients for specific legal issues.
- PovNET (opens in a new tab)
Provides a directory of BC poverty and family law advocates and pro bono lawyers working on issues like housing, income, employment, immigration, etc.
- Clicklaw (opens in a new tab)
An online hub for legal information from a range of BC publishers covering a broad range of legal issues. Law librarians respond to thousands of legal questions each year.
- Peoples Law School (opens in a new tab)
The PLS website provides a range of legal help information, especially for consumer law, debt, wills, etc.
