We give free legal advice and can help you at court. Legal Aid NSW can help you with: • Family law • Criminal law • Debts – a loan or money you owe • Things you buy – like a car • Losing your home • Renting • Discrimination or being harassed • Domestic violence • Child welfare, care and protection matters • Centrelink benefits How to apply for legal aid Services for children and parents Child support If you need a lawyer to represent you, you need to apply for a grant of legal aid. You must fill in an application form and pass the means and merit tests. Parents in child support matters If you need legal help about child support call our Child Support Service on 9633 9916 or 1800 451 784 (if out of Sydney area). You can get the application form from: • Legal Aid offices (numbers on the back) • duty lawyers at local courts; and • the internet www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au Children and young people The application form will ask about your income and what you own. A grant of legal aid is not always free. You may be asked to pay for: • some or all of your legal costs at the start • and/or end or your case; and • the other party’s costs, if you lose your case. • Mental health and guardianship • Victims compensation Special services • Standing up for your rights People with mental health problems Where we are If you or your mob has a legal problem because of mental health (or mental illness) you can call the Mental Health Advocacy Service on 9745 4277. We have 22 offices across metropolitan and regional areas in NSW. Check on the back on this brochure for your area. dyhlp11Aboriginal.indd 1 People in gaol You or your mob can contact the Prisoners Legal Service about prison or criminal law matters on 9219 5888 (no money to call, reverse the charges). Call our Child Support Service on 9633 9916 or 1800 451 784 (outside of Sydney metropolitan area). Our lawyers appear for Aboriginal young people in criminal cases in the Children’s Court. See the duty lawyers at Bidura (Glebe), Campbelltown and Parramatta Children’s Courts. In other courts see the duty lawyer at the court. Veterans and their dependants If you or your mob has legal problems because you are a veteran you can call the Veterans’ Advocacy Service on 9219 5148. They can tell you about your rights and entitlements. Criminal matters Any Aboriginal young person who needs urgent legal help can call the Legal Aid Youth Hotline on 1800 10 18 10. It is open during the week from 9.00am to midnight. On Friday to Sunday and public holidays, it is open 24 hours. If you are going to the Local Court about a criminal matter, talk to a duty lawyer who may be their everyday. Human Services Community Services NSW care and protection matters The duty lawyer may not be able to assist you to finalise your case on the first day. You may need to adjourn your case. Our lawyers represent Aboriginal children and parents in care and protection matters if Family and Community Services NSW takes a case to the Children’s Court. Talk to the duty lawyer at the Children’s Courts. If it is your first time, be at the Local Court by 9.00am to talk to our duty lawyers. If your case has been adjourned or you are pleading “not guilty” you should contact a Legal Aid office well before your hearing. Legal Aid may also help you in criminal matters before the District Court, Supreme Court or the Court of Criminal Appeal. Our lawyers can help if you are on remand (imprisoned and waiting for your matter to come before the court) and want to apply for bail to the Supreme Court. 21/07/11 1:18 PM Legal Aid NSW offices Call LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529 for help over the phone, or your nearest Legal Aid office to arrange a free advice interview. CENTRAL SYDNEY 323 Castlereagh St SYDNEY NSW 2000 Tel: 9219 5000 TTY: 9219 5126 Metropolitan Offices Bankstown Level 8, Civic Tower Cnr Rickard Rd & Jacobs Sts BANKSTOWN 2200 Tel: 9707 4555 Blacktown ‘Kildare Court’ Level 2 13-17 Kildare Rd BLACKTOWN 2148 Tel: 9621 4800 Burwood Level 4 74–76 Burwood Rd BURWOOD 2134 Tel: 9747 6155 Campbelltown Level 4 171–179 Queen St CAMPBELLTOWN 2560 Tel: 4628 2922 Fairfield Level 2 25 Smart St FAIRFIELD 2165 Tel: 9727 3777 Liverpool Level 4 Interdell Centre 47 Scott St LIVERPOOL 2170 Tel: 9601 1200 Manly Ground Floor39 East Esplanade MANLY 2095 Tel: 9977 1479 Lismore Level 4 29 Molesworth St LISMORE 2480 Tel: 6621 2082 Parramatta Civil & Family Law Level 5, 91 Phillip St PARRAMATTA 2150 Tel: 9891 1600 Newcastle 51–55 Bolton St NEWCASTLE 2300 Tel: 4929 5482 Nowra Level 2 55–57 Berry St NOWRA 2541 Tel: 4422 4351 Criminal Law Parramatta Justice Precinct Level 1, 160 Marsden St PARRAMATTA 2150 Orange Tel: 8688 3800 95 Byng St ORANGE 2800 Penrith Tel: 6362 8022 95 Henry St PENRITH 2750 Tamworth Tel: 4732 3077 Level 1 424–426 Peel St Sutherland TAMWORTH 2340 3–5 Stapleton Ave SUTHERLAND 2232 Tel: 6766 6322 Tel: 9521 3733 Wagga Wagga Regional Offices Best Place Morrow St Coffs Harbour WAGGA WAGGA 41 Little St 2650 COFFS HARBOUR Tel: 6921 6588 2450 Tel: 6651 7899 Wollongong 73 Church St Dubbo WOLLONGONG 64 Talbragar St 2500 DUBBO 2830 Tel: 4228 8299 Tel: 6885 4233 Gosford Level 2 37 William St GOSFORD 2250 Tel: 4324 5611 Can’t get to a Legal Aid NSW office? Who else can help you? You can get free legal information, referral and, in some cases, legal advice by telephoning LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529 9am–5pm Monday–Friday. If you live in the country, and there is no Legal Aid NSW office near you, you can call LawAccess, talk to a Registrar at your local court or see a private lawyer who does legal aid work. Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT The Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT (ALS) gives free legal advice and provides legal representation in criminal and children’s care and protection matters. Visit our website for more information: www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au Call the ALS on 1800 765 767 or visit them on their website at www.alsnswact.org.au LawAccess NSW Get free legal information and in some cases legal advice over the phone by calling 1300 888 529 or go to www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au Community Legal Centres You may get free legal advice and help from Community Legal Centres in NSW. To find a Community Legal Centre near you call 9212 7333 or go to: www.nswclc.org.au Community Justice Centres Free help if you are blewin’ with your family, friends or neighbours. To find a centre call 1800 990 777 or go to: www.cjc.nsw.gov.au If you are hearing/speech impaired, you can communicate with us by calling the National Relay Service (NRS) on 133 677. This publication is intended as a general guide to the law. It should not be relied on as legal advice and it is recommended that you talk to a lawyer about your particular situation. At the time of printing, the information shown is correct but may be subject to change. For more information contact LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529. Produced by Publications, Legal Aid NSW. For more copies call 9219 5028, email [email protected] or visit www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/pubsonline Need any legal help? Ask Legal Aid NSW Specialist services to help Aboriginal people •Help at court •Free legal advice and info •Free workshops Chamber Service Most local courts have Registrars who can give you free legal information and will help you fill out legal forms. To find out when you can see a Registrar call your local court. Indigenous Women’s Contact Line This toll-free line is taffed by Aboriginal women, and is open Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri. 1800 639 784. Private lawyers The Law Society of NSW has a list of private lawyers in your area. Call the Law Society’s Solicitor Referral Service on 9926 0300. If you can’t pay for a lawyer and have been refused legal aid you may be able to get help from the Law Society’s Pro Bono Scheme. Call them on (02) 9926 0364. Wirringa Baiya is a community legal centre for Aboriginal women, children and youth living in NSW providing free legal advice and representation relating to violence. Call on 1800 686 587 or 9569 3847. Photos: Dani Pontes Original artwork by Tanya Martin, Ngemba People, Bourke dyhlp11Aboriginal.indd 2 If any Aboriginal person is arrested in NSW, police must call the ALS 24 hour telephone custody notification line. July 2011 21/07/11 1:18 PM
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