Ottawa concentrates its courts at the Ottawa Courthouse, 161 Elgin Street, downtown: the Ontario Court of Justice (criminal first appearances, bail and most criminal trials) and the Superior Court of Justice (serious criminal trials, divorces, family matters, civil litigation and small claims) share the building. As the national capital, Ottawa also hosts the federal courts — the Supreme Court of Canada on Wellington Street, and the Federal Court and Tax Court for immigration, federal and tax matters — though everyday legal problems stay at Elgin Street. Free supports include duty counsel on the criminal and family lists, Legal Aid Ontario certificates, community legal clinics across the city in both official languages, and the right of anyone detained by police to free duty counsel by phone at any hour.
Criminal Law in Ottawa
Ottawa criminal charges start at the Ontario Court of Justice at 161 Elgin Street — 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, in English or French.
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 Ottawa
Ottawa family matters — divorce, parenting, support, property — run through the Superior Court's family court at Elgin Street. National rules govern divorce (1 year's separation) and parenting (decision-making responsibility and parenting time on the child's best interests); Ontario's equalization regime divides marital property, with its 2-years-from-divorce / 6-from-separation deadline. Public servants add a distinctly Ottawa wrinkle: federal pensions are frequently the largest asset on the table.
Mandatory information programs and on-site mediation soften the process. The free line explains the clocks 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 Ottawa
Ottawa impaired charges are heard at the Ontario Court of Justice on Elgin Street. 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 adds the immediate roadside layer: a 90-day administrative suspension and 7-day impoundment on a fail or refusal, and 7-day suspensions for warn-range readings since 1 January 2026. One local trap: the Gatineau side of the river is Quebec, with its own regime — where you were stopped decides whose rules apply.
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 Ottawa
Ottawa employment splits by employer: most private-sector workers fall under Ontario's ESA plus common-law reasonable notice, while the city's enormous federal workforce — public service, and federally regulated employers — runs under different regimes, including the Canada Labour Code's unjust-dismissal remedy with reinstatement powers for non-managers, on short deadlines. Which regime you are in changes both strategy and clocks.
Before signing any package or grievance decision, get the regime identified. The free line does that in minutes, any hour; a C$295 consultation with a Canadian employment lawyer is bookable right on the call. Speak to a lawyer about a employment law matter → Ottawa Courts
Where your matter is heard depends on the offence and its seriousness. The courts that serve Ottawa are:
Ottawa Courthouse
161 Elgin Street, downtown. Both trial courts under one roof — the Ontario Court of Justice for criminal first appearances, bail and most trials, and the Superior Court of Justice for serious crime, family matters, civil litigation and small claims up to $50,000.
Supreme Court of Canada
301 Wellington Street. The country's final court of appeal — cases arrive by leave from the provincial courts of appeal; everyday Ottawa matters are never filed here.
Federal Court & Tax Court of Canada
The federal trial courts, headquartered in Ottawa — immigration judicial reviews, federal-government litigation and tax appeals, distinct from the provincial courts at Elgin Street.
What to Do Right Now
1
Check any charge sheet, summons or court letter for the court named and the date — Elgin Street houses two courts with separate lists, and federal matters run in different buildings entirely.
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.
Ottawa Legal Questions
Which court will my Ottawa matter be in?
Almost all everyday matters — criminal, family, civil, small claims — are at the Ottawa Courthouse, 161 Elgin Street; your paperwork names the court (Ontario Court of Justice or Superior Court) and room. Federal matters are the exception — immigration judicial reviews at the Federal Court, tax appeals at the Tax Court — and the Supreme Court on Wellington Street hears only appeals it grants leave for.
Can I get free legal help in Ottawa?
Yes — several kinds, in both official languages. Legal Hotline's information line is free, 24/7, on 1-855-529-1555. Duty counsel helps at criminal and family lists; Legal Aid Ontario funds representation for those who qualify; Ottawa's community legal clinics advise by neighbourhood and specialty; and anyone detained by police can speak to free duty counsel by phone at any hour.
How do I get an Ottawa 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 an Ottawa 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. Ottawa lawyers who want consultation-ready clients can register through our For Lawyers page.