It’s Complicated …

Nov 11, 2010

By Susan Irwin, Executive Director / Lawyer, Rural Legal Services

It’s a complicated world and getting more complicated every day. Not a new or terribly profound statement, but it’s a reality that can have an enormous impact on the quality of life for many people.

Increasingly government institutions and businesses rely on automated message systems and web sites to provide information so that we can, in theory, handle our own questions or problems without further assistance. Such reliance presumes a degree of functional literacy that not everybody has. Not everyone has a telephone, can clearly hear what is being said over that telephone, has a computer and a web connection, can see the screen, or can comprehend the instructions set out on a web page or printed in “helpful” packages of detailed forms.

When the challenges presented by technology collide with a further lack of legal literacy, things can quickly go from bad to worse. Unfortunately, a lot of people simply do not know their rights or understand their responsibilities in many areas of the law, or do not have the ability to find, comprehend or use printed or electronic information to help them recognize and deal with legal problems. Even if they are able to obtain the information, some people do not know how to apply it to their situation. Having access to legal information but not knowing how to act on it is not really an effective solution to a problem.

As well, people who have not joined the technological revolution aren’t going to “Google” their legal problem; they seek assistance wherever they feel they can get it: friends, neighbours, family members, or caregivers. Unfortunately, the guidance received from these sources may not always be the best, especially as many people, even when seeking assistance, are not prepared to divulge all the personal information that would be necessary for a proper answer. They may also turn to the police for help and expect answers on all types of legal problems that are often well beyond the areas of usual police expertise.

Of course, even people who do “Google” their legal problems can find themselves with some interesting answers. It’s surprising how many people just keep going until they find the answer they want, and how hard it can be to explain that the law in Ontario may not be the same as the law in Utah, or even Alberta!

So if you are looking for help with a legal problem you might want to talk to a lawyer at Rural Legal Services. We can help you:

identify whether or not you have a “legal” problem,

identify the legal issues,

discuss whether you need a lawyer and how to go about finding one, and

identify whether there are other services, such as government ministries or agencies, that may be able to provide further assistance.

This personal information service is available without charge to all residents of northern Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Counties. However, as our services are funded by Legal Aid Ontario, we can only take the next step and accept your case if you meet Legal Aid Ontario’s financial eligibility criteria.

That being said, Legal Aid Ontario is also embracing technology as a more “cost effective” way of delivering services. We are not sure what this will mean for Rural Legal Services - it’s complicated! For now though, we are pleased to be able to offer a personal service to our community. You can still come to our offices and see a real person to talk to about your legal problem. We may even have an answer or two and we’ll try to keep them as uncomplicated as possible!

Legalese is a column of general information and opinion on legal topics by the lawyers of Rural Legal Services, Box 359, Sharbot Lake, ON, K0H2P0, 613-279-3252, or 1-888-777-8916. This column is not intended to provide legal advice. You should contact a lawyer to determine your legal rights and obligations.