Below are a few excerpts from a report by The Canadian Forum on Civil Justice titled “Everyday Legal Problems and the Cost of Justice in Canada: Overview Report”:

“Law and legal problems are part of everyday life. If you have ever been harassed at work, unfairly fired or evicted, divorced, not received support payments, disputed a will or a cell phone contract, or had your credit rating challenged, you may have already experienced one of these types of everyday legal problems. If so, you are not alone. Almost half (48.4%) of Canadians over 18 will experience at least one civil or family justice problem over any given three-year period. Even though many Canadians do not understand, feel connected to or welcomed by the justice system, essentially all of us will experience at least one everyday legal problem over the course of our lifetime.”

“An everyday legal problem is a problem arising out of the normal activities of people’s daily lives that has a legal aspect and has a potential legal solution. The problem is justiciable and could be resolved within the formal legal system, although it may be more sensibly dealt with in other ways.”

REFLECTION Have you or your clients experienced an everyday legal problem? If so, what was the issue? 


Last modified: Tuesday, 13 June 2023, 5:35 PM