Free Legal Information for Nunavut.

Is there a free legal hotline in Nunavut I can call right now?

Yes. The Legal Hotline is live for Nunavut — call our free line any hour and our AI legal assistant will give you clear legal information, not legal advice, with no income test and no limit on questions. Other real Nunavut resources can also help: the Legal Services Board of Nunavut (Maligarnit Qimirrujiit) and its regional legal aid clinics — Maliiganik Tukisiiniakvik in Iqaluit, Kivalliq Legal Services in Rankin Inlet, and the Kitikmeot Law Centre in Cambridge Bay — assist financially eligible residents with criminal, family, and civil matters, and have Inuit court workers in many communities. A paid consultation with a Nunavut-licensed lawyer is coming soon if you want one.

Why does Nunavut have only one court instead of two?

Nunavut is the only jurisdiction in Canada with a single, unified, single-level trial court. When the territory was created in 1999, instead of copying the usual two-tier model — a territorial or provincial court for minor matters and a superior court for the most serious ones — it set up the Nunavut Court of Justice to do both. The same court, and often the same judge, hears everything from a minor summary matter to a serious jury trial, a divorce, or a large civil claim, and always carries the full powers of a superior court. The model was designed to suit a small, remote, largely Inuit population spread across communities reachable only by air. Call the Legal Hotline and it will explain how this unique court applies to your situation.

I was just arrested in Nunavut. What should I do?

Stay calm, identify yourself if required, and say as little as possible beyond that — then clearly tell police you want to speak to a lawyer and stop talking. Under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms you have the right to retain and instruct counsel without delay and the right to remain silent, and police must give you a reasonable chance to contact a lawyer. The Legal Services Board of Nunavut and its regional clinics provide legal aid to people who qualify, and Inuit court workers can help you understand the process. You can also call the Legal Hotline for free information on how the criminal process works in the Nunavut Court of Justice — including bail, first appearance, and circuit court — and a paid consultation with a criminal defence lawyer is coming soon if you want one.

What's the difference between impaired driving and 'over 80' in Nunavut?

They're related criminal offences under the federal Criminal Code, and Nunavut uses 'impaired driving' or 'over 80', not 'DUI'. 'Impaired' means your ability to drive was affected by alcohol or a drug, proven by how you drove and behaved. 'Over 80' means your blood-alcohol concentration was at or above 80 mg of alcohol per 100 mL of blood (0.08) within two hours of driving, regardless of how you appeared. Separately, Nunavut's territorial traffic law imposes immediate roadside licence suspensions at a reading over 0.05 — starting at a 24-hour suspension and escalating for higher readings, refusals, and repeat occurrences — penalties that can apply before any conviction. Call the Legal Hotline for free information on how this works — a paid consultation with a lawyer to fight the charge is coming soon if you want one.

How does circuit court work, and what if my community has no courthouse?

Most Nunavut communities don't have a permanent courthouse, so the court comes to you. The Nunavut Court of Justice runs a 'circuit court': a judge, Crown and defence lawyers, a clerk, and court workers fly into a community to hold hearings, usually in a community hall or similar space, then move on to the next community. Iqaluit has the permanent Nunavut Justice Centre, but for the roughly twenty-five communities reachable only by air, circuit court is how cases are heard. Interpreters provide Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun services. This means scheduling can depend on when the circuit next visits — another reason to get information early. Call the Legal Hotline and we'll help you understand the timelines that apply to your matter.

Are court services available in Inuktitut?

Yes. The large majority of Nunavummiut are Inuit, and Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun language services are a routine and essential part of how the Nunavut Court of Justice operates, including court interpreters. The Legal Services Board's regional clinics and Inuit court workers also provide help and explanations in Inuktitut in many communities. Call the Legal Hotline for clear legal information about how the system works — that's legal information, not legal advice on your specific case — and a paid consultation with a lawyer licensed in Nunavut is coming soon if you want representation.

How long do I have to sue someone in Nunavut?

For most ordinary civil claims — such as a debt or a simple contract — Nunavut's Limitation of Actions Act sets a basic limitation period of six years from when the cause of action arose. (Nunavut inherited this Act from the Northwest Territories and continues to apply it.) Some kinds of claims have different, often shorter, deadlines, and missing the limitation period usually means you lose the right to sue entirely, so timing is critical. The Nunavut Court of Justice hears small claims up to $20,000 and larger civil disputes alike, all in the one unified court. Call the Legal Hotline for free information on how limitation periods apply to your situation — a paid consultation with a lawyer is coming soon if you need one.

What is small claims court in Nunavut, and what's the limit?

In Nunavut, small claims are heard by the Nunavut Court of Justice — there is no separate small claims court, because the territory has just one unified trial court. The small claims process is for money disputes up to $20,000; if you believe someone owes you that amount or less, you generally use the small claims procedure rather than a full civil action. It's designed to be simpler and faster than a regular lawsuit, though circuit-court scheduling in remote communities can affect timing. Call the Legal Hotline for clear legal information on how the small claims process works and whether it fits your dispute.

How is the Legal Hotline different from a lawyer or legal aid?

We're built to be a fast first step, not a law firm. When you call the Legal Hotline, our AI legal assistant gives you general legal information about Nunavut and Canadian law instantly — but it does not give legal advice on your specific case, is not a substitute for a licensed lawyer, and using it won't create a lawyer-client relationship. The Legal Services Board of Nunavut and its regional clinics offer free representation but screen by income, and access can depend on circuit-court timing in remote communities. If you decide you want a lawyer, a separate paid service — booking a consultation with someone licensed in Nunavut — is coming soon. You'll get answers fast, plus a clear path to representation when it's available.

Does the Criminal Code apply the same way across Canada?

Yes. Criminal law in Canada is federal, so the Criminal Code applies the same way in Nunavut as it does in every other province and territory — the offences and maximum penalties for things like impaired driving, assault, and theft don't change when you cross a territorial border. What is distinctive in Nunavut is how cases are administered: every charge is heard in the single, unified Nunavut Court of Justice, often through fly-in circuit court, with Inuktitut interpreters, and with territorial penalties such as roadside licence suspensions layered on top for driving offences. The Legal Hotline is trained on both the federal Criminal Code and Nunavut's territorial laws, so the information you get when you call reflects how things actually work where you are.

Can the Legal Hotline help me with an immigration or refugee matter in Nunavut?

Immigration and refugee law is federal, governed by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and decided by bodies like Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Immigration and Refugee Board — so the core rules are the same across Canada, including Nunavut. Call the Legal Hotline for clear legal information on permanent residence, work and study permits, refugee claims, detention, and removal — that's information, not legal advice on your case. The Legal Services Board of Nunavut may also be able to assist eligible residents with certain matters. If you want representation, a paid consultation with a lawyer licensed in Nunavut is coming soon.