Case Management Offices (CMO) Out-of-Custody Docket Protocol

UPDATED September 1, 2021

If you are an adult charged with a criminal offence and have a first court appearance coming up, it is important that you speak with a duty counsel lawyer before the day of your appearance. Duty counsel can assist you with brief legal advice and help guide you through the necessary next steps to deal with your charges.  

Call Legal Aid Alberta at 1-866-845-3425 up to 14 days before your court appearance to request early appearance assistance from a duty counsel lawyer.  

Visit Legal Aid Alberta’s website for information about early appearance assistance.

If you do not have a lawyer and are scheduled at the Case Management Offices (CMO)

As of July 15, 2021, self-represented litigants and counsel will continue to address CMO matters by remote appearance. For Alberta court locations with a CMO service, counsel and self-represented litigants are required to address their matters by remote appearance only. There will be no in-person attendance permitted at CMO locations.  

For court locations that do not have a CMO service there will be no in-person attendance permitted without prior approval of the court.  

Self-represented litigants (people without a lawyer)  

If you are trying to contact a duty counsel lawyer up to 14 days before your first appearance – call Legal Aid Alberta at 1-866-845-3425 and press “3” to complete your application.  Once your application is complete, your contact information will be provided to duty counsel who will call you back and provide the following assistance:  

  • Preliminary legal advice; 
  • Information regarding how to apply for legal aid if needed; 
  • Information about how to obtain disclosure from the Crown Prosecution Service; 
  • Obtain a position on sentence from the relevant Crown Prosecution Service should the matter be resolved by way of a guilty plea; 
  • Appear on behalf of the self-represented litigant for the scheduled court appearance. 

For more information and how to call us on other matters, visit: www.legalaid.ab.ca/contact  

If your court date is today…

You have until 11 a.m. on your day of court to check in with Duty Counsel through Legal Aid Alberta’s main line at 1-866-845-3425. 

If it is the day of your court appearance at CMO and before 11 a.m. call Legal Aid Alberta at 1-866-845-3425 and press “3”. LAA will take your application and connect you to a duty counsel lawyer to help you with your remote appearance.  

This is not an instant connection to Duty Counsel. After pressing “3” and completing your application, we will give your contact information to Duty Counsel and they will call you.  You must stay by your phone so Duty Counsel can get in touch with you.

If it is the day of your court appearance at CMO and after 11 a.m. you must contact the CMO desk or courthouse directly.  

Provincial Court Contact List for CMO Appearances