1. Talk to a lawyer
Question & Answer
How do I ask for my trial to be in French?If you want to have your in French, talk to a criminal lawyer.
The Association des juristes d’expression française (AJEFO) has a directory of French-speaking lawyers. You can search the directory by name, city, or area of law. You can also search for a lawyer who accepts legal aid certificates.
The lawyer can tell you how to make an application. The deadline for filing your application depends on what you’ve been charged with and where your trial will be held.
A lawyer will usually ask you to pay money known as a before they start working for you. If you qualify for a Legal Aid certificate, you could hire a lawyer who accepts certificates instead.
If you can’t afford a lawyer, contact Legal Aid Ontario to find out what other services you’re eligible for.
Legal Aid pays lawyers at the courthouse, known as , to give free legal advice to people who can’t afford a lawyer. Duty counsel won’t complete your application, but they can tell you how to complete the application.
