A $2-million funding increase for the Legal Services Society is kick-starting justice transformation projects aimed at improving access and efficiency in criminal and family law matters.

The new funding enables the Legal Services Society to develop and implement pilot projects focused on increasing access to justice and exploring services that promote early resolution of disputes.  This is consistent with government’s broader justice system reform.

The overarching objectives of the pilots are to:

• Provide British Columbians with timely access to justice services such as legal advice and information.
• Support early resolution and out-of-court solutions.
• Increase access to collaborative resolution models, such as mediation.

The projects include new and expanded models for criminal duty counsel and are being developed in accordance with recommendations made to government by the Legal Services Society in its 2012 report, “Making Justice Work.” Plans are also under development for a Parents’ Legal Centre for child protection cases, as well as expanded duty counsel and family legal advice at the Victoria Justice Access Centre. In addition, the hours of service offered by family lawyers through the telephone Family LawLINE are being extended.

Once implemented, the projects will be evaluated to see if the new services have been successful in improving justice timeliness and accessibility for low-income British Columbians.

With the $2 million increase, the B.C. government is providing a total of $74.5 million in funding to the Legal Services Society in 2014-15.

Quotes:

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Suzanne Anton -

“British Columbians and their families often come into contact with the justice system during challenging times in their lives. I believe these projects will provide them with quicker resolutions to their legal problems, and outcomes that are better and longer-lasting.”

Legal Services Society board chair, Tom Christensen -

“We welcome and appreciate this opportunity to work with the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice to better serve people trying to deal with their family law or criminal law challenges. Such collaboration and innovation is critical to improving British Columbian’s access to justice.”

Quick Facts:

• The $2-million increase is a commitment made in the minister’s mandate letter in 2013.
• The Legal Services Society’s website contains plain language legal information for the public on family, criminal, Aboriginal, immigration, and civil law matters. The society also has a separate website devoted to helping people resolve family law problems.
• B.C. invests approximately $30 million annually in access to justice services, such as family mediation at Family Justice Centres, Justice Access Centres and the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program.

Learn More:

You can find information about legal aid services on the Legal Services Society website at: www.legalaid.bc.ca or at www.familylaw.lss.bc.ca

Information about family justice services is available online at: www.justicebc.ca/en/fam/index.html

Media Contacts:

Lori DeLuca
Ministry of Justice
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 953-3196

Jacqueline Wood
Legal Services Society
604 601-6220

BACKGROUNDER

LSS Justice Transformation Projects supported by $2-million funding lift

1. Test an expanded criminal duty counsel model - This test model will support early resolution in less complex criminal cases by having qualified clients supported throughout their case by the same duty counsel. This project is a white paper commitment.

The B.C. government’s white papers on justice reform commit to a number of innovative justice system reforms, including those that promote early resolution and give British Columbians alternatives to resolving legal issues in court.

You can find out more about the white paper reforms here: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2013/02/justice-system-modernization-continues.html

2. Implement expanded family duty counsel at the Victoria Justice Access Centre (JAC) - A full-time lawyer and administrative assistant will co-ordinate duty counsel and legal advice services in Victoria. This service model is currently available at Vancouver’s JAC.

3. Expand the Family LawLINE - Family lawyers provide legal advice to clients across the province over the phone. This service expansion will include increased hours, enhanced use of technology, and will allow clients greater continuity of service and a higher level of advice than is currently available.

4. Test a Parents’ Legal Centre model for child protection cases - Counsel will provide services to parents including prior to the removal of children from the family home, advice on plans proposed by child protection workers and help parents even where children are removed until the conclusion of the presentation hearing.

Media Contacts:

Lori DeLuca
Ministry of Justice
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 953-3196

Jacqueline Wood
Legal Services Society
604 601-6220