Legal Information for the Public and Self-Represented Litigants
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Manitoba Law Library offers legal information and guidance on how to conduct legal research to members of the public and those representing themselves in court proceedings.
Please note: Library staff are not licensed legal professionals and cannot offer legal advice.
Looking for advice?
Law Society of Manitoba Lawyer Lookup
Search for practicing lawyers and articling students in Manitoba by name, law firm, or location. If a lawyer has a discipline history or notice related to their practising status (i.e. an active restriction or suspension), you will find those details listed in the search results under the lawyer’s practice history.
Manitoba Bar Association Find-a-Lawyer Directory
Search for lawyers in Manitoba by name, law firm, location, language, or area(s) of practice.
Legal Aid Manitoba
Legal Aid Manitoba (LAM) works to ensure that eligible Manitobans have access to justice, including those who are disadvantaged and facing a well-resourced individual or entity in court—from women fleeing abusive relationships to immigrants facing deportation to same-sex families fighting for inclusion.
Community Legal Education Association (CLEA) Law Phone-In and Lawyer Referral Program
Funded by the Law Society of Manitoba and The Manitoba Law Foundation, the Law Phone-In & Lawyer Referral Program provides:
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- legal information and advice from the two staff lawyers at Law Phone-in,
- referrals to law-related agencies, if appropriate,
- in appropriate situations, based on the judgment of the staff lawyer, a separate referral to a lawyer on the Lawyer Referral Panel, if you are considering hiring a lawyer for your legal matter. The first interview with that lawyer is free (up to a half -hour). The consultation will involve determining your needs, and discussing legal options and fees.
Legal Help Centre
Legal Help Centre (LHC) offers drop-in clinics for self-represented people seeking legal assistance and advice who meet certain financial eligibility requirements.
Law Library Hub
Run by the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law and hosted by Manitoba Law Library, the Law Library Hub is a free, appointment-based legal clinic. Under the supervision of practicing lawyers, law students provide legal information in the areas of civil and family law for those who require help. The Law Library Hub runs between September and April.
U of M Community Law Centre
The University of Manitoba Community Law Centre has been part of LAM since 1972. The office primarily handles summary conviction offences. In addition, it may provide assistance for Highway Traffic Act offences, small claims cases that involve consumer problems and individual disputes with Manitoba Public Insurance.
L. Kerry Vickar Business Law Clinic
Provides free legal assistance to entrepreneurs, small businesses, start-ups, innovators and family businesses, non-profits, charities, artists, art, culture, and community organizations who do not have a lawyer and cannot afford legal assistance. The law clinic is operated by law students of the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba. All Information and services by law students are supervised by experienced lawyers.
See the Manitoba Legal Information Directory for additional resources.
Legal Information for Self-Represented Litigants (SRLs)
SRL-Specific Resources
Canadian Judicial Council – Guides for Self-Represented Litigants
These handbooks make it simple for self-represented litigants to access information for each province and territory in both official languages on how to prepare for a hearing, the applicable rules and law, where to find free or lower cost legal help and related resource agencies, among many other things.
The Handbooks do not provide legal advice and are not a substitute for the advice that a lawyer may provide. The Handbooks provide general information only.
Civil Law Handbook for Self-Represented Litigants
This Handbook is intended as a reference for self-represented civil litigants appearing in Canadian courts. While this Handbook cannot anticipate all of the possible situations that may arise, it provides a starting point that will assist and guide litigants.
Criminal Law Handbook for Self-Represented Accused
This Handbook is intended as a reference for self-represented litigants (SRLs) who are accused of committing a crime and are required to appear in a Canadian criminal court (with emphasis on superior court). While this Handbook cannot anticipate all of the possible situations that may arise, it is intended to provide you, the SRL accused, with a starting point to assist and guide you.
Family Law Handbook for Self-Represented Litigants
This Handbook is intended as a reference for self-represented family litigants appearing in Canadian courts. While this Handbook cannot anticipate all of the possible situations that may arise, and it is difficult to keep up with changes in the rules and practices of each relevant Court (see Section 17: Resources), it provides a starting point that will assist and guide litigants.
National Self-Represented Litigants Project
The NSRLP works to promote dialogue and collaboration among all those affected by the self-represented litigant phenomenon, both justice system professionals and litigants themselves.
We regularly publish resources designed specifically for SRLs, as well as research reports that examine the implications for the justice system.
Video: Artificial Intelligence and Access to Justice: Pros and Cons for Self-Represented Litigants
November 14, 2025 webinar
Presents a discussion on the rising use of artificial intelligence (AI) by self-represented litigants (SRLs) in the Canadian justice system, including what SRLs should be aware of and how they might navigate the use of AI.
Topics include:
- SRLs’ increasing use of AI tools, which tools they’re using, and for what purposes;
- what AI is, what it is not, and how it works;
- the gap between AI tools accessible by lawyers, and those available to the public;
- the dangers of AI that SRLs must be aware of;
- what the courts are seeing, and how they’re responding; and
- recommendations on how to use AI responsibly.
Introductory Legal Texts
Every Canadian’s Guide to the Law
Linda Silver Dranoff
Available through Winnipeg Public Library.
This indispensable reference guide, first published in 1997 and now in its fourth edition (2011), has been fully updated to reflect current, important changes in Canadian law. Every Canadian’s Guide to the Law unfolds in a clear, accessible “cradle-to-grave” format, addressing issues from fetal rights to human rights, from teen sexuality to marriage and divorce, from workplace issues to will and estate issues. Linda Silver Dranoff provides insight into the process of law and how it responds tochanging social values, revealing how laws evolve over time and pointing to future trends.
Canadian Law: An Introduction
Neil Boyd
Available through Winnipeg Public Library.
Canadian Law: An Introduction is a core text for the Introduction to Canadian Law courses found in universities and colleges. It is written for students who do not want to become legal professionals but still need an understanding of the law. These students will pursue careers in criminology or other legal jobs such as customs officers, law clerks, etc. The text combines the basic building blocks of Canada’s public law system with broad social analysis of the legal order of Canada.
The CanLii Criminal Law eBook
“The CanLII Criminal Law Ebook is written by a team of 67 writers who include leading litigators and experts in criminal law. This project would not have been possible if it were not their time, energy, and expertise.
This first edition consists of 10 parts broken down into 88 chapters, each focusing on different areas of criminal law: Detention and Arrest, Search and Seizure, Statements, Information and Indictments, Bail, Disclosure, Trial Procedure, Defences, Sentencing, and Appeals. Each chapter contains references and links to relevant cases and content.”
Court Forms & Rules
Laws & Court Decisions
CanLII – online access to court judgments from the Supreme Court of Canada, federal courts, and all provincial and territorial courts, as well as decisions from many tribunals.
Jurisource – jurisource.ca est le seul site internet au monde à offrir gratuitement des milliers de ressources juridiques et terminologiques en français pour les professionnels œuvrant dans les provinces et territoires de common law.
Manitoba Laws – Online source of current provincial acts, regulations, and court rules.
Additional Resources
Manitoba Legal Information Directory
Winnipeg Public Library – Legal Info Guide
Find where to get legal help, learn about the court system, look up legislation, and find advocacy organizations.
Legal Information for Incarcerated Manitobans (LIIM)
This initiative provides resources and information for those that have been incarcerated and are looking for assistance dealing with criminal, family, employment and other law issues.