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Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission

The Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission (NTLAC) was established by an Act of Parliament. It is not attached to the government. Its role is to help people with their legal problems.

NTLAC may be able to give you legal advice on:

  • family relationships and family breakdown
  • domestic or family violence
  • civil law matters
  • immigration law
  • criminal law.

What help does Legal Aid provide?

Legal advice

For legal advice with an NTLAC lawyer an appointment is usually necessary. You will need to bring:

  • all paperwork
  • pay slips and/or Health Care Card
  • bank statements.

NTLAC can give you free legal advice if the commission hasn’t given legal advice to the other person (or persons) involved in your case or any other case. If NTLAC has given them legal advice you will be given a referral letter, so you can get independent legal advice from a private lawyer, which NTLAC pays for.

Legal representation

NTLAC may pay for a lawyer to represent you, if you are eligible. The lawyer may be a Legal Aid lawyer or a private lawyer.

Legal assistance

Legal assistance means that NTLAC will pay some or all of your reasonable legal costs.

Applications for grants of legal assistance need to pass certain tests. There are also guidelines about the areas where grants of legal assistance are made. If you need legal assistance you can ask an NTLAC lawyer or a private lawyer to help you apply.

It costs nothing to apply for legal assistance. However, legal assistance is not always free.

More detailed information is provided in the Application Guide to Legal Aid, which is included with the legal aid application form, available from NTLAC and private lawyers.

See ‘Legal assistance and representation – frequently asked questions’ (link below).

Domestic Violence Legal Service

NTLAC has a specialist Domestic Violence Legal Service as a part of its family law practice. Call (08) 8999 3000 to make an appointment.

Family dispute resolution

Family dispute resolution is about trying to sort out a legal problem before applying to a court. Family dispute resolution may not be right for every situation; for example in cases where there is domestic or family violence.

If you are eligible for legal assistance and have a family law dispute you may be able to take part in the NTLAC conferencing program to try to sort out the dispute. For more information about the program speak to your lawyer.

Education and information

NTLAC has a range of publications to help people understand their legal rights and responsibilities. The commission also offers free group workshops and seminars on a range of legal topics.

Publications

Visit your local NTLAC office to get copies of free booklets, pamphlets and posters about your legal rights and responsibilities. Some of these are also available on the NTLAC website (link below).

Interpreters

If you do not understand English, NTLAC will pay for an interpreter to translate at your appointment with your lawyer. Ask for an interpreter to be arranged when you make the appointment.

Contact

NTLAC free legal information phone line: 1800 019 343, Monday to Friday between 9 am and 4 pm.

NTLAC has offices in Alice Springs, Darwin, Katherine and Tennant Creek. See the NTLAC website for details.

More information

Legal assistance & representation – frequently asked questions (NT)

Seeing a lawyer – NT

Services that can help – NT

Related publications

How to run your family law case

Related websites

Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission (new window)