Hamilton's John Sopinka Courthouse at 45 Main Street East — the restored 1930s post office named for the late Supreme Court of Canada justice from Hamilton — is the city's hub for both the Superior Court of Justice (serious criminal trials, family matters, divorces and civil litigation) and the Ontario Court of Justice (criminal first appearances, bail and most criminal trials). Small claims up to $50,000 and family matters run through the Superior Court's lists in the same precinct. Tenancy disputes go to the Landlord and Tenant Board rather than the courts. Free supports include duty counsel on the criminal and family lists, Legal Aid Ontario certificates, the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic, and the right of anyone detained by police to free duty counsel by phone at any hour.
Criminal Law in Hamilton
Hamilton criminal charges start at the Ontario Court of Justice in the John Sopinka Courthouse — first appearance, bail, most trials — with the most serious matters before the Superior Court in the same building. The law is national: one Criminal Code, the s 515 bail ladder, and Charter rights to silence and free duty counsel by phone from the moment of detention.
Duty counsel staffs the daily lists, Legal Aid Ontario funds defence for those who qualify, and diversion resolves eligible minor charges without a record. Before any police interview and before any plea, get legal information first — the free line explains the process, the penalties and the exits, any hour. Speak to a lawyer about a criminal law matter → Family Law in Hamilton
Hamilton family matters — divorce, parenting, support, property — run through the Superior Court's family court at the Sopinka Courthouse. National rules govern divorce (1 year's separation) and parenting (best interests); Ontario's equalization regime divides marital property, with the 2-years-from-divorce / 6-from-separation deadline that quietly bars late claims. Mandatory information programs and mediation services soften the process.
The free line explains which clocks are running in your situation and can book a family consultation (C$295, nothing added) on the call. Speak to a lawyer about a family law matter → Impaired Driving & Traffic in Hamilton
Hamilton impaired charges are heard at the Ontario Court of Justice in the Sopinka Courthouse. The law is federal — 80 mg per 100 mL within 2 hours, minimum $1,000 fine and 1-year prohibition on a first offence — and Ontario stacks the roadside layer: an immediate 90-day suspension and 7-day impoundment on a fail or refusal, with warn-range readings drawing 7-day suspensions since 1 January 2026.
For commuters on the QEW and the Linc, the licence is usually the real stake. The free line explains where your reading lands and the interlock route back, before you decide anything. Speak to a lawyer about a impaired driving & traffic matter → Employment Law in Hamilton
Hamilton's industrial and health-sector economy produces classic Ontario employment disputes: ESA minimums (up to 8 weeks' notice plus statutory severance for qualifying long-service employees at large-payroll employers — a threshold Hamilton's big employers routinely meet) versus common-law reasonable notice measured in months. Unionised workplaces run through grievance arbitration instead — which door you are in decides everything.
Don't sign a package the day it lands. The free line explains your rules and the 2-year clock any hour; a C$295 severance-review consultation is bookable right on the call. Speak to a lawyer about a employment law matter → Hamilton Courts
Where your matter is heard depends on the offence and its seriousness. The courts that serve Hamilton are:
John Sopinka Courthouse
45 Main Street East. Hamilton's principal courthouse — the Superior Court of Justice for serious criminal trials, family and civil matters, and the Ontario Court of Justice for criminal first appearances, bail and most trials.
Small Claims Court (Hamilton)
Money disputes up to $50,000 under the simplified procedure — part of the Superior Court of Justice, sitting in the Hamilton court precinct.
Landlord and Tenant Board
Ontario's tenancy tribunal — Hamilton eviction, rent and repair disputes are decided here (largely by video hearing), not in the courts.
What to Do Right Now
1
Check any charge sheet, bail paper, summons or notice for the court and date — Superior Court and Ontario Court of Justice matters share the Sopinka building but run separate lists.
2
Write down what happened while it is fresh — dates, times, what was said, any documents — and keep everything in one folder.
3
Do not guess your plea, contact complainants, or discuss the matter on social media. Decisions made in the first days are the hardest to undo.
4
Call 1-855-529-1555 free, any hour, for plain-English legal information about your situation — and if you want a lawyer, book a C$295 one-hour consultation (the total, nothing added) right on the call.
Hamilton Legal Questions
Which court will my Hamilton matter be in?
Almost certainly the John Sopinka Courthouse at 45 Main Street East — the question is which court inside. Criminal first appearances, bail and most trials sit with the Ontario Court of Justice; serious criminal trials, family, civil and small claims (up to $50,000) with the Superior Court of Justice. Tenancy disputes go to the Landlord and Tenant Board instead. Your paperwork names the court and room.
Can I get free legal help in Hamilton?
Yes — several kinds. Legal Hotline's information line is free, 24/7, on 1-855-529-1555. Duty counsel helps at first appearances and family lists; Legal Aid Ontario funds representation for those who qualify; the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic advises on housing, benefits and more; and anyone detained by police can speak to free duty counsel by phone at any hour.
How do I get a Hamilton lawyer quickly?
Call 1-855-529-1555, free, any hour. You get immediate legal information about your situation, and if you want a lawyer, a one-hour consultation with a Canadian lawyer (C$295 — the total, nothing added) can be booked right on the call — no separate forms, no waiting for business hours.
Are you a Hamilton law firm?
No. Legal Hotline is not a law firm — the free line provides general legal information, not legal advice, and calling creates no lawyer-client relationship. When you want advice, we connect you with a Canadian lawyer for a fixed-price consultation. Hamilton lawyers who want consultation-ready clients can register through our For Lawyers page.