Tenancy Advice

CAAFLU provides culturally appropriate legal and support services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have experienced or are experiencing domestic and family violence or sexual assault.

• legal advice and representation
• advocacy
• information
• referrals
• support

DCLS is a free, confidential service. We assist disadvantaged members of the community to protect their legal rights. We work towards a community where everyone has access to legal advice and support. We seek to challenge unjust laws and procedures, and to ensure that people are aware of their legal rights.

General Legal Service

The General Legal Service provides free legal information, advice and representation on most areas of law, including:

• Discrimination
• Social Security/Centrelink
• Employment
• Credit and debt
• Consumer issues and complaints

What to do if you have a legal issue?

Please contact us on 08 8982 1111 to access free legal information or to make a telephone appointment with one of our community lawyers. Appointments are available most weekdays except public holidays.

FREE After-Hours Legal Advice Sessions

Our free after hours advice sessions are held as below, at different locations around Darwin. They are designed to provide one-off initial advice on a range of legal issues. You can talk confidentially about your legal problem with a lawyer, who will give you advice, suggest possible actions, and in some cases may help you to write a letter or prepare other simple documents.

Darwin – every Tuesday by telephone or in person

Walk ins or appointment welcome – call 08 8982 1111 to book an appointment

Darwin – every Thursday in person – no appointment required
5.30 – 7.30pm
Darwin Darwin Community Legal Service Office
Level 2, Winlow House, 75 Woods Street (corner of Lindsay Street) Darwin City

Casuarina – 2nd Saturday of each month – no appointment required. Please call 08 8982 1111 to confirm the date of the next session
10.00 – 11.45am
Casuarina Library – Bradshaw Terrace

Palmerston – 4th Monday of each month – no appointment required. Please call 08 8982 1111 to confirm the date of the next session
6.00 – 7.30pm
Palmerston Library – Goyder Square

We provide free and confidential legal information, referral to other helpful services and legal advice appointments for most legal problems in the NT.

Call the Legal Aid Helpline on 1800 019 343. The Helpline operator will talk about what type of problem you need help with and connect you to the correct office at Legal Aid to make an appointment. We provide legal advice over the phone, or in person if that is preferred.

Your nearest Legal Aid office runs legal advice clinics in family law, criminal law and civil law matters.

Ongoing legal representation is available to people who qualify for a grant of legal aid. We require you to meet a financial means test and your legal problem must be something we are funded to provide representation for.

Take your first step towards a solution and call the Legal Aid Helpline on 1800 019 343

We provide free and confidential legal information, referral to other helpful services and legal advice appointments for most legal problems in the NT.

Call the Legal Aid Helpline on 1800 019 343. The Helpline operator will talk about what type of problem you need help with and connect you to the correct office at Legal Aid to make an appointment. We provide legal advice over the phone, or in person if that is preferred.

Your nearest Legal Aid office runs legal advice clinics in family law, criminal law and civil law matters.

Ongoing legal representation is available to people who qualify for a grant of legal aid. We require you to meet a financial means test and your legal problem must be something we are funded to provide representation for.

Take your first step towards a solution and call the Legal Aid Helpline on 1800 019 343

TEWLS provides free civil and family law services, including legal information and referral, advice, casework and representation services, community legal education, and advocacy to women in the Top End.

TEWLS is able to provide free legal advice and legal information and referral services to all women and people identifying as women in the Greater Darwin region. Women wishing to access our services are able to seek free legal help in person at the TEWLS office or at our various clinic locations, as well as over the phone.

How we can help

TEWLS provides holistic and culturally appropriate legal and related non-legal services.

For more information about how TEWLS can help you, please see How We Can Help.

Legal advice and representation

TEWLS is able to provide free legal advice to all women and people identifying as women in the Greater Darwin region, including legal information and referral services. TEWLS also provides casework and representation services on a case-by-case basis.

For more information about TEWLS’ provision of legal advice and representation services, please see Legal Advice & Representation.

Areas of Law

TEWLS provides legal services in most areas of civil and family law, including:

• Family Law, including separation, parenting, property and divorce
• Domestic and Family Violence
• Debts
• Tenancy and Housing
• Complaints
• Compensation, including victims of crime compensation
• Superannuation and Estates
• Employment Law

For more information about the areas of law that we are able to assist with, please see Areas of Law.

Where can I meet with TEWLS?

TEWLS provides legal services in-house at our Darwin office, as well as at various outreach and clinic locations.

For more information about where you can meet with TEWLS, please see Clinic Locations.

Community Legal Education

TEWLS has a strong commitment to community legal education – we believe that by empowering women with knowledge and information about the legal system, women and the community at large will be able to better access the legal system.

For more information about TEWLS’ Community Legal Education programs and how you can contact TEWLS to discuss legal education workshops and/or campaigns, please see Community Legal Education.

Not in the Northern Territory?

If you are in a state or territory other than the Northern Territory, or need a different community legal centre, please see the National Association of Community Legal Centres website for information about a community legal centre, including women’s legal service, in your local area.