A person who is arrested or being questioned by the police or other authority is entitled to speak to a lawyer before being questioned or being required to produce a breath sample, blood sample, or DNA sample. The Legal Aid Commission has lawyers on duty 24 hours a day – seven days a week to speak with such persons and to provide advice.
If you are in this situation, and you do need to speak to a lawyer, you should inform the officer of this. During regular business hours the officer will contact the nearest Legal Aid Office or the Provincial Director’s Office. After business hours and on week-ends the officer will call 1-800-563-9911, which connects to the lawyer on duty. Except in the most serious criminal charges, the lawyer will not be able to come to see you. The lawyer will speak with you on the phone.