Common Questions

Aboriginal justice

AISH Benefits Administration Program

Can everyone who receives AISH participate in the AISH Benefits Administration Program?

Can I get money by going to the Office of the Public Trustee or by telephoning them?

If I have questions about the Trust Agreement whom should I contact?

The AISH Benefits Administration Program is a voluntary program. What does that mean?

What is a Primary Contact Person and what is an Alternate Primary Contact Person?

What is a Program Contact Person?

What is a Trust Agreement?

What is an Instruction Form/Budget?

What is the AISH Benefits Administration Program?

What will the Office of the Public Trustee take care of for me?

Where do I get a Trust Agreement form?

Who is responsible for filling out the Income Tax return for someone who is enrolled in the AISH Benefits Administration Program?

Why would I want to be a part of the AISH Benefits Administration Program?

Appointments / document authentication

How can I become a Commissioner for Oaths?

How can I have my official documents legalized in Alberta?

Child Support Recalculation Program

Can RP cancel or increase my child support arrears?

Can RP recalculate if parents are self-employed?

How do I register for the Child Support Recalculation Program?

How much child support should I be paying/receiving each month?

How much will RP charge to recalculate my child support?

How will I know if my court order is eligible for recalculation?

Once parents are registered with RP, what legal obligations do they have?

What if a parent fails to provide the Child Support Recalculation Program with updated income information?

What if I don’t agree with RP’s decision?

What if I don’t want RP to recalculate my child support order?

What if I have a child support agreement instead of an order?

What if my income hasn’t changed?

What types of child support will RP recalculate?

What will RP send me when they do a recalculation?

What will the recalculated child support amount be based on?

When, and how often, will recalculations be done?

Where can I get more information about RP?

Why is this recalculation service being provided?

Civil matters

I don't have a lawyer. Where do I find information on how to represent myself?

Where can I find information about the Student At Law Program at Alberta Justice?

Where can I find more information about the Alberta Justice and Attorney General legal team?

Courts

How can I change my court date?

I don't have a lawyer. Where do I find information on how to represent myself?

I have received a jury summons. Why?

Is my employer responsible for compensating me on time missed to attend jury duty?

What happens if I can't attend for jury duty or if I think I'm not eligible to serve as a juror?

What is the difference between Provincial Court and Court of Queen's Bench?

What will happen if I am chosen for a jury?

Where are the courts located?

Where do I get the forms for my court case?

Criminal prosecutions

Do Crown prosecutors "plea bargain?"

How are statistics on criminal events recorded, and where can I find them?

How does the Crown prosecutor decide to proceed with a case?

How does the Crown prosecutor determine what position to take on a sentencing?

I don't have a lawyer. Where do I find information on how to represent myself?

What are dangerous offender and long-term offender procedures? When are they used?

What is the Crown prosecutor's role?

When would a young person receive an adult sentence?

Where can I find information about the Student At Law Program at Alberta Justice?

You've been charged with a crime, now what?

Education & learning

Does the department have any bursaries for Aboriginal post-secondary students?

What are some educational opportunities in the field of Aboriginal justice in Alberta?

Employment

Join our legal team: Are you up for the challenge?

Families

How do I know if the Alberta Family Law Act impacts me?

How does support for an adult child work under the Alberta Family Law Act?

How does the Alberta Family Law Act address the needs of adult interdependent partners?

How does the Alberta Family Law Act affect how much child support is paid or received?

How is grandparent contact dealt with under Alberta's Family Law Act?

How do the courts establish parenting responsibilities under Alberta's Family Law Act?

Under the Alberta Family Law Act, what is meant by the "best interests of the child?"

What are parenting orders and contact orders under the Alberta Family Law Act?

What are the main issues addressed by Alberta’s Family Law Act?

Financial property protection & administration

Does a trusteeship order cancel a Will made by the dependent adult before the date of the trusteeship order?

Does the Public Trustee charge an administration fee for managing a dependent adult’s estate?

Applying for guardianship and trusteeship is confusing and expensive. How does the AGTA address these concerns?

Can a dependent adult prepare a Will?

Can funds be spent on behalf of the minor?

Does the Public Trustee charge a fee for managing a minor's trust?

How are complaints about private guardians, trustees, or co-decision-makers handled under the AGTA?

How are the deceased’s personal items handled?

How can people with mental disabilities be assisted with managing their finances?

How does the AGTA address abuse of persons with disabilities?

How does the AGTA respond to the concerns of Albertans?

How does the Public Trustee become appointed as trustee?

How does the Public Trustee manage an estate?

How does the Public Trustee manage monies received for a minor?

How is guardianship different from trusteeship?

How is the Assessment of Capacity different under the AGTA?

How will the AGTA affect me if I am currently a Guardian or Trustee?

If the Public Trustee holds property for a minor, may funds be expended for the minor's benefit?

Is a trustee accountable?

It may help you to know...

May the deceased's assets be distributed in the form they are found?

Other helpful information

The Public Trustee can serve you better if you...

What are the responsibilities of the alternate trustee?

What steps are involved in administering an estate?

What authority does a trustee have?

What changes are there to trusteeship?

What happens if a minor dies before receiving the funds?

What happens if the trustee is temporarily absent or dies?

What happens when a dependent adult client dies?

What happens when the dependent adult dies?

What is the AGTA based on?

What is the AGTA?

What is the difference between a trustee and a guardian?

What is trusteeship?

When does the Public Trustee become the personal representative?

When does the Public Trustee get involved?

When does the Public Trustee look after a minor's property?

When does the Public Trustee’s authority end?

When is a minor entitled to receive the money from the trust account?

Where can I find information about the Student At Law Program at Alberta Justice?

Where can I find more information about the Alberta Justice and Attorney General legal team?

Where may further information be obtained?

Who can act as trustee?

Who is considered a minor?

Who is the Public Trustee?

Why is the new Act needed?

Why does a deceased person’s estate need a personal representative?

Fines Enforcement

After I’ve paid my fine, how can I get my registry services back?

Can I make installment payments on my fines / tickets?

Can I make installment payments on my fines?

Can I make other arrangements in order to have the garnishee lifted?

Can I make other arrangements so you don’t garnishee my wages?

Can I pay my fines using a credit card or debit card?

Can someone I designate call Fines Enforcement to inquire about my fine or forfeiture?

Can you take my Child Tax Benefit?

How can I find out how many overdue fines / tickets I have?

How do I get a copy of my fine, ticket or bail forfeiture order?

How do I get my motor vehicle registry services reinstated?

I am currently on AISH and/or Social Assistance. Does this make a difference in terms of paying these fines / tickets?

I was imprisoned and I thought my fines were taken care of at the same time?

If I begin making payments, can I get my registry services back now?

If I pay by cheque, who do I make it payable to?

Is Fines Enforcement a collection agency?

The person responsible for this overdue fine or forfeiture has passed away. What happens now?

This fine or forfeiture is several years old. Why are you still taking collection action against me?

What are my options for paying these overdue fines / tickets / forfeitures?

What if I have a cheque returned for insufficient funds?

What is the victim fine surcharge on my fine? Can this debt also be cleared through time served in a correctional centre or through community service?

When I renewed my registration or license recently, this fine did not show up?

Where can I pay my fines?

Why are you garnisheeing my wages and/or bank account?

Why are you taking my income tax refund or GST rebate?

You’ve taken my income tax refund / GST rebate. When will I have my registry services reinstated?

You’ve taken my income tax refund. Can I get motor vehicle registry services now?

Law & legislation

How are Alberta's laws passed?

How can I change a law?

How do I find laws?

What is a constitutional challenge to a law?

What laws apply to me?

When do I change my clocks this year?

Legal assistance

How can I make a complaint about a lawyer?

How do I find a lawyer?

I can't afford a lawyer. What are my options?

I don't have a lawyer. Where do I find information on how to represent myself?

What are contingency fees?

Maintenance Enforcement Program

How can I give anonymous information about a debtor?

I have a motor vehicle restriction on my file. How do I get this removed?

A wage support deduction notice has been issued. How soon will I get my money?

Can the Maintenance Enforcement Program collect maintenance payments or arrears from the debtor's new spouse?

How can I get help to enforce my order for access or time with a child?

How do I forward funds to MEP?

How do I get a court order for maintenance?

How do I get more Calculation of Payment Worksheets?

How soon can I expect a reply? MEP's response times.

How will I know when MEP has money for me?

I am not receiving access to my children. Can I withhold child support payments?

If there is a licence restriction in place against the debtor, why is the debtor still driving?

The debtor is not paying me my court-ordered child support. Why should the debtor be allowed to see our children?

What happens to my support order if the creditor remarries?

What if I am required to pay a specified amount each month and the employee barely earns that amount?

What if the employee has no earnings for the pay period?

What if the employee is no longer employed by the company?

What is a writ?

What is the Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP)?

What should I tell my employee?

When my child turns age 18, is he/she still entitled to support?

When my order states that the payment is due on the first of each month, when will the payment be deposited in my account?

Why do I have to fill out a Statement of Finances?

Mediation/Dispute resolution

Does attending mediation mean I give up my right to go to court?

What do mediators do?

What if parties don't reach an agreement?

What is mediation?

When does mediation work best?

Who attends mediation?

Why mediate?

Will the mediator impose a decision if we cannot find one?

Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Program

Am I being charged interest?

Are there NSF charges on cheques?

Are there time deadlines?

Can I access my balance online?

Can I email MVAR?

Can I serve documents on the defendant by serving counsel for the administrator?

Do I have to sue in order for MVAC to become involved?

Does MVAR have the right to suspend my licence?

Does my client have to sue the defendant, or can MVAC settle the claim without a court action being commenced?

Does the administrator have to sign the assignment of judgment before I serve it on the defendant (under Section 5(4))?

How do I get in touch with MVAC?

I am being sued. What can MVAC do for me if I don't have my own lawyer? Are MVAC and I on the same side?

I am the uninsured driver. Do I have to pay MVAC back?

I am the victim of a hit-and-run driver. What do I do?

I can't locate the defendant to serve him with a Statement of Claim. Can I get an order dispensing with service?

I have been sued, but I don't have insurance. What do I do? I have been sued, but the insurance company will not defend me. What do I do?

I just found out that there is a judgment against me consented to by Motor Vehicle Accident Claims. How did this happen? What do I do?

I just received notice MVAR will be receiving my income tax refund. Why?

I owned the vehicle, but I wasn’t involved in the accident. Why am I liable for this judgment?

I should not be held liable for this. I wasn't served with legal documents. I didn't even know I was being sued.

I understand that you can take collection action to recovery this debt. What does that mean?

I want my driver’s licence back and I’m willing to make payment arrangements. Who do I write to or call?

I want to make a claim. What does MVAC cover?

I was acquitted of the traffic violation, so why do I have a judgment against me?

I was the uninsured at-fault driver. Do I have to pay MVAR?

I would like to make a payment in person. Where do I go?

I'm trying to sell my serial numbered vehicle. What do I do to get MVAR's writ off of my serial numbered vehicle.

I'm trying to sell or refinance my home. What do I do to get MVAR’s writ off my property?

My medicare and insurance only cover a portion of my medical costs. Can the medical benefits from MVAC pay for the rest of these expenses?

Someone else was convicted of an offence with respect to the accident. Why am I also liable?

The administrator has agreed to a settlement. How does the plaintiff get paid?

What are my options if I cannot make a payment?

What can MVAR do if I do not make payment arrangements?

What does MVAC not cover?

What if I go bankrupt?

What if I'm out of the country?

What is an Assignment of Wages? Can I do an Assignment?

What is the Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Program (MVAC)?

What medical benefits can I request?

Who do I sue?

Why do I need to fill out an income and expense report?

Why has my driver's licence been suspended? How can I get my driving privileges back?

Would you accept a lump sum payment covering most of the debt and forgive the rest?

Safe Communities

Can a police officer act without a Court Order to restrain property?

Can any illegal activity give rise to restraint and forfeiture?

How do I make a claim?

I am a victim. How do I get compensation?

I'm worried that my property can be taken even if I haven't done anything wrong. Can this happen?

I'm worried that rumor or anonymous complaints could result in someone's property being taken and forfeited. How thorough and reliable is the process?

There's a criminal making our neighbourhood miserable. Their house, or car, is involved in criminal activity. Can I call you directly?

What do I have to prove?

What happens with restrained and forfeited property?

What if I don't show up, or what if I fail to file an affidavit, or fail to answer a question at the examination on affidavit, or at the hearing?

What if I have my property restrained? Will I be waiting a long time for a decision?

What is a restraint of property?

What is civil forfeiture?

What kind of hearing will be held?

When can a court order forfeiture?

Who benefits from forfeiture?

Sudden death investigations

How can I obtain a copy of the written report resulting from a public fatality inquiry?

Is an autopsy required in an investigation?

What cases go before the fatality review board?

What does an investigation into a sudden death cost?

What happens at a public fatality inquiry?

What happens during an investigation?

What statistics are available regarding sudden death investigations in Alberta?

What tissues can be donated after death?

Who calls a public fatality inquiry?

Who conducts the investigation?

Why are investigations into deaths necessary?

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