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Vancouver Lawyers

Need a lawyer in Vancouver right now — or just an answer at 11pm? Legal Hotline's free line answers 24/7 on 1-855-529-1555 with plain-English legal information on BC and federal law, and if you want a lawyer, a one-hour consultation (C$295 — the total, nothing added) can be booked right on the call. Vancouver splits its courts by level across two addresses — criminal at Main Street, the higher courts at Robson Square.

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Vancouver's criminal courthouse is the Provincial Court at 222 Main Street on the Downtown Eastside — first appearances, bail and most criminal trials. The Law Courts at 800 Smithe Street, part of the Robson Square complex, house the Supreme Court of British Columbia (serious criminal trials, family and big civil matters) and the BC Court of Appeal. Small money disputes mostly never reach a courtroom: claims up to $5,000 go through the online Civil Resolution Tribunal, with Provincial Court small claims taking $5,001 to $35,000. Tenancy disputes run through the Residential Tenancy Branch, not the courts. Free supports include duty counsel at 222 Main Street, Legal Aid BC for those who qualify, Access Pro Bono clinics, and the province's free telephone advice for people detained by police at any hour.

Criminal Law in Vancouver

Vancouver criminal charges start at the Provincial Court at 222 Main Street — one of the busiest criminal courthouses in the country — with the most serious matters tried at the Supreme Court on Smithe Street. The law is national: the Criminal Code, the s 515 bail ladder, and your Charter rights to silence and to free counsel by phone the moment you are detained.

Duty counsel staffs 222 Main Street's lists, Legal Aid BC funds defence for those who qualify, and diversion and alternative measures exist for eligible minor charges. 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 Vancouver

Vancouver family matters split by court: divorce, family property and protection orders under the Family Law Act at the Supreme Court on Smithe Street; parenting and support matters can also run in the Provincial Court. BC's signature rule: couples who have lived together 2 years share family property like married spouses — the growth during the relationship divides equally — which changes everything for Vancouver's many unmarried couples, and comes with a 2-year post-separation claim deadline.

Family violence protections run through both courts (protection orders) and police. The free line explains BC's regime for 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 Vancouver

BC handles most drinking-and-driving at the roadside, not the courtroom: the Immediate Roadside Prohibition regime issues 90-day driving prohibitions and 30-day vehicle impoundments on a fail reading, with short review windows — most BC impaired matters never become criminal charges. The criminal route (80 mg per 100 mL, minimum $1,000 fine, 1-year prohibition) is reserved for the serious end: crashes, injuries, repeat offenders and refusals.

The clocks here are brutal — IRP reviews are applied for within days, not weeks. If you are holding a prohibition notice, call the free line today and get the sequence explained before the window closes. Speak to a lawyer about a impaired driving & traffic matter →

Employment Law in Vancouver

Vancouver employment runs on BC's Employment Standards Act floor plus the common law's reasonable notice — months of full compensation for dismissed employees, far beyond the statutory minimums, unless a valid contract says otherwise. Human rights complaints (discrimination, harassment on protected grounds) run to the BC Human Rights Tribunal on its own filing window; WorkSafeBC covers workplace injury including psychological injury.

Don't sign a severance release on the day it lands. The free line explains BC's rules and the claim clocks any hour; a C$295 severance-review consultation is bookable right on the call. Speak to a lawyer about a employment law matter →

Vancouver Courts

Where your matter is heard depends on the offence and its seriousness. The courts that serve Vancouver are:

Provincial Court of BC (222 Main Street)

222 Main Street. Vancouver's criminal courthouse — first appearances, bail hearings and most criminal trials, plus small claims matters from $5,001 to $35,000 and family duties under provincial law.

The Law Courts (800 Smithe Street)

800 Smithe Street, Robson Square. Home of the Supreme Court of British Columbia — serious criminal trials, divorces, family property and major civil claims — and the BC Court of Appeal.

Civil Resolution Tribunal & Residential Tenancy Branch

BC's online tribunals — the CRT decides most disputes up to $5,000 (and most strata matters) entirely online, while the Residential Tenancy Branch handles all landlord-tenant disputes.

What to Do Right Now

Check any charge sheet, bail paper, summons or notice for the venue named — criminal matters at 222 Main Street, Supreme Court matters at 800 Smithe Street — and the date.

Write down what happened while it is fresh — dates, times, what was said, any readings or documents — and keep everything in one folder.

Do not guess your plea, contact complainants, or discuss the matter on social media. For tenancy and small disputes, note the short online dispute windows.

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.

Vancouver Legal Questions

Which court will my Vancouver matter be in?

Criminal charges start at the Provincial Court, 222 Main Street; serious criminal trials, divorces, family property and major civil claims sit at the Supreme Court in the Law Courts, 800 Smithe Street; appeals at the Court of Appeal in the same complex. Money disputes up to $5,000 go through the online Civil Resolution Tribunal, $5,001 to $35,000 to Provincial Court small claims, and tenancy matters to the Residential Tenancy Branch. Your documents name the venue.

Can I get free legal help in Vancouver?

Yes — several kinds. Legal Hotline's information line is free, 24/7, on 1-855-529-1555. Duty counsel helps at 222 Main Street first appearances; Legal Aid BC funds representation for those who qualify; Access Pro Bono runs free clinics; anyone detained by police can speak to a free lawyer by phone at any hour; and the CRT and RTB processes are built to run without lawyers.

How do I get a Vancouver 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 Vancouver 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. Vancouver lawyers who want consultation-ready clients can register through our For Lawyers page.

Need a lawyer in Vancouver now?

Call the free hotline any time. Tell us what's happened and we'll connect you with a lawyer for your Vancouver matter — fast.