Help if you are in prison

Understand bail

Bail can be hard to get. We can talk to you about your chances of getting bail.

We can help you apply for bail if you:

• have not applied for bail
• have applied for bail before and did not get it. A lawyer can represent you in court for two bail applications. You may be able to apply for bail again if your situation has changed.

When you contact us, tell us you want to apply for bail.

Find legal information and resources

There are several ways to find more information and resources:

• search our legal information and read about your options at I need legal information about
• download or order free copies of our publications and resources
• contact our Law Library.

How to ask for resources from our law library

Our law librarians can send you legal resources, including:

• legislation (copies of laws and regulations)
• case law (court decisions)
• other items like law journal articles.

They are not able to provide legal advice or research legal issues for you.

Our librarians may send you a table of provisions (list of sections) and ask which sections you need.

To contact our Law Library, write to:

Ask for a lawyer

You can ask for:

• a lawyer to help with your case
• advice on other legal issues.

We often help people in prison with issues like:

• new criminal charges, bail, appeals and representation
• child protection and child contact
• visa cancellations
• family violence
• money worries and debt
• housing law.

For more information go to How to contact us if you are in prison on this page.

Make a complaint

You can complain to us about:

• our lawyers or services
• a private lawyer that we paid for
• not getting a grant of legal aid (to pay for your case).

Contact us to make a complaint. For more information, visit Complaints.

How to contact us if you are in prison

Write to us

To write to us:

1. Tell prison staff you want to write to Victoria Legal Aid. They must give you an envelope, paper, and pen if you need it. You do not need a stamp.
2. Tell us what help or information you need and which prison you are in.
3. Write ‘Legal and Confidential’ on the front of your letter.

Address the envelope to:

4. You can:

• give your letter to prison staff and they will post it
• put your letter in outgoing mail.

Phone us

You can phone us for free if you are in:

• Dame Phyllis Frost Centre
• Loddon Prison and Middleton
• Metropolitan Remand Centre
• Marngoneet Correctional Centre
• Karreenga Correctional Centre
• Ravenhall Correctional Centre.

There is a 12-minute time limit for calls. You can ask us to call you back.

To call us:

• Dial *#18 Monday to Friday, 9 am to 3 pm.
• Let us know if you need an interpreter.
• If you use the National Relay Service, ask them to contact (03) 8373 7915.

Ask us to phone you

We can phone you for free if you are in:

• Barwon Prison
• Beechworth Correctional Centre
• Fulham Correctional Centre
• Hopkins Correctional Centre
• Langi Kal Kal
• Melbourne Assessment Prison
• Tarrengower Prison
• Western Plain Correctional Centre.

To ask us to phone you:

1. Ask prison staff for a ‘Victoria Legal Aid advice referral form’.
2. Fill in the form and tell us if you need an interpreter.
3. Give the form to prison staff to send to us.

What happens next

Once we get your form, we will contact the prison and make a time to talk to you on the phone. If you use the National Relay Service, ask prison staff to contact (03) 8373 7915.

Support from other websites

The Prison Law Handbook is a practical guide from Fitzroy Legal Service for prison law in Victoria.