Wills & Estates - State Courts
Wills and estates disputes include how an estate is managed after someone dies, and disputes about gifts made while a person was alive.
LawRight provides assistance with some wills & estates matters at the State Courts through our Court and Tribunal services.
When we may be able to help
- Your dispute is about a gift made during life (an inter vivos gift); however, this depends on how complex your matter is and our capacity.
If this is your situation, click here to read more about our Court and Tribunal services and how they may be able to help.
When we can’t help
- Most other wills and estates disputes, including;
- Probate claims
- Family provision claims
- Challenging wills
If this is your situation, see below for resources and other places that may be able help.
More resources
Please see the following for further information:
- SCLS General Law Information Toolkit – Wills and Estates – Suncoast Community Legal Service
- Wills and Estates – Queensland Law Handbook Online
Other places that may be able to help
Your local community legal centre may be able to help. You can visit Find a CLC to find the service closest to you.
Property Dispute - State Courts
LawRight provides assistance with some property disputes at the State Courts through our Court and Tribunal services.
When we may be able to help
- You are involved in or want to start a District Court or Supreme Court case about a property
If this is your situation, click here to read more about our Court and Tribunal services and how they may be able to help.
When we can’t help
- You are involved in a Magistrates Court case about a property
- You want to start a Magistrates Court case about a property
- You have a tenancy dispute in QCAT
If this is your situation, see below for resources and other places that may be able help.
Other places that may be able help
Your local community legal centre may be able to help. You can visit Find a CLC to find the service closest to you.
If you have a residential tenancy dispute, QSTARS provides specialist advice to tenants.
Personal Injury
Personal injury is about getting compensation if you were injured (i.e. a physical or psychological injury) because someone else was careless or did something wrong.
LawRight provides assistance with some personal injury matters at the State Courts through our Courts and Tribunal team.
When we may be able to help
- You are a defendant in a personal injury claim in the District or Supreme Court
- You have received a part 1 or 2 Notice of Claim or a contribution notice under the Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002, but court proceedings have not started yet
If this is your situation, click here to read more about our Court and Tribunal services and how they may be able to help.
When we can’t help
- You want to start a personal injury claim
- You are the plaintiff in a personal injury action and your court case is already underway
If this is your situation, see below for resources and other places that may be able help.
More resources
Please see the following for further information:
- Suncoast Personal Injury Toolkit
- Personal injuries – LawRight
- Personal injury – Legal Aid Queensland
Other places that may be able to help
If a matter has strong prospects of success, you may be able to obtain assistance on a speculative (or no win, no fee) basis. There are several well-known law firms who you may like to contact to request assistance on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis – refer to You and the Law (find a solicitor).
Judicial Review - State Courts
Judicial review in State Courts is asking the Supreme Court to check if a government decision was made lawfully.
LawRight provides assistance with some judicial reviews at the State Courts through our Court and Tribunal services.
When we may be able to help
- You have any judicial review matter, bar the below
When we can only give limited help
- You are reviewing the Parole Board’s failure to make a parole decision within the legal time limit: LawRight can provide a self-help toolkit.
If these match your situation, click here to read more about our Court and Tribunal services and how they may be able to help.
When we can’t help
- You are reviewing any other decisions made by the Parole Board
- You are reviewing decisions made under Commonwealth legislation
If this is your situation, see below for resources and other places that may be able help.
Other places that may be able to help
Prisoners Legal Service may be able to help with judicial review of Parole Board decisions: Home – Prisoners’ Legal Service
Defamation
Defamation is when someone says or publishes something about you that harms your reputation. It usually involves a false statement being shared with others in a way that causes real damage.
LawRight provides assistance with some defamation matters at the State Courts through our Court and Tribunal services.
When we may be able to help
- You are being sued you for defamation
- You have been sent you a Concerns Notice under the Defamation Act 2005 saying someone intends to sue you for defamation
- You are a plaintiff without a lawyer and your court case is already underway; however help is very limited and depends on our capacity.
If this is your situation, click here to read more about our Court and Tribunal services and how they may be able to help.
When we can’t help
- You want to sue someone else for defamation
If this is your situation, see below for resources and other places that may be able help.
More resources
Please see the following for further information:
Other places that may be able to help
You can contact QLS for a list of private lawyers who may be able to assist you. Use their Find a solicitor tool on their website to find an appropriate a lawyer here.
Debt Dispute - State Courts
LawRight provides assistance with some debt disputes at the State Courts through our Courts and Tribunal team.
When we may be able to help
- You are involved in a District Court or Supreme Court case about a debt
- You want to start a District Court or Supreme Court case about a debt (i.e. the amount of the debt is more than $150,000)
If this is your situation, click here to read more about our Court and Tribunal services and how they may be able to help.
When we can’t help
- You are involved in a Magistrates Court or QCAT case about a debt
- You want to start a court case about a debt that is less than $150,000
- You want to enforce a QCAT or Magistrates Court order that requires someone to pay you
If this is your situation, see below for resources and other places that may be able help.
More resources
Please see the following for further information:
- About money disputes | Queensland Courts
- Does someone owe you money? A guide to help you claim a minor debt of $25,000 or less
- Going to the Tribunal or Court for Debt Disputes – Queensland Law Handbook Online
- Enforcing Judgments Toolkit – LawRight
Other places that may be able to help
Your local community legal centre may be able to help you. You should visit Find a CLC to find the service closest to you.
Contract Dispute - State Courts
LawRight provides assistance with some contract disputes at the State Courts through our Court and Tribunal services.
When we may be able to help
- You are involved in or want to start a District Court or Supreme Court case about a contract
If this is your situation, click here to read more about our Court and Tribunal services and how they may be able to help.
When we can’t help
- You are involved in or want to start a Magistrates Court case about a contract
If this is your situation, see below for resources and other places that may be able help.
Other places that may be able help
Your local community legal centre may be able to help. You can visit Find a CLC to find the service closest to you.
Appealing a Decision - State Courts
Appeals in State Courts are when a higher court checks whether an earlier decision had a legal error.
When we may be able to help
- You are involved in or want to start a civil appeal in the District Court or Court of Appeal, including appeals from the Magistrates Court and the QCAT Appeal Tribunal
If this is your situation, click here to read more about our Court and Tribunal services and how they may be able to help.
When we can’t help
- You are appealling against a decision made under the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012
- You are appealling against a decision made under the Justices Act 1886
- You are appealling a criminal law matter
- You are appealling a family law matter
If this is your situation, see below for resources and other places that may be able help.
Other places that may be able to help
Your local community legal centres may be able to help you. You should visit Find a CLC to find the service closest to you.
Women’s Legal Service Queensland is a community legal centre offering free legal assistance to women; they offer some assistance with specific appeal types.
Legal Aid may be able to assist with appeals for criminal and family law matters.
Other QCAT Matters
There are some QCAT matters that LawRight does not have expertise or capacity to assist with.
When we may be able to help
- You have a QCAT administrative review that is outside our usual area; and
- You are particularly vulnerable (for example, the review matter is about a licensing requirement for work)
This is dependent on capacity and expertise and determined on a case-by-case basis.
If this is your situation, click here to read more about our Court and Tribunal services and how they may be able to help.
When we can’t help
- Tenancy
- Building disputes
- Minor civil disputes
- Retail shop leases
- Neighbourhood trees or fences
- Racing or liquor
- Body corporate
- Manufactured homes or retirement villages
- Legal costs agreements
If this is your situation, see below for resources and other places that may be able help.
Other places that may be able to help
For minor civil and neighbourhood disputes, your local community legal centre may be able to help. You can find your local centre here: Find a CLC.
If you have a retail shop lease or small business dispute you may be able to get advice through the Bond Law Clinic.
If you have a tenancy dispute, you may wish to contact QSTARS – a free independent advice and referral service for Queensland renters.
Appeals - QCAT
Appeals or reopenings in QCAT let a matter be reheard or reconsidered under QCAT’s rules.
LawRight provides assistance with some appeals at QCAT through our Courts and Tribunal team.
When we may be able to help
- You are appealing or seeking to reopen a matter that is otherwise within LawRight QCAT’s office scope i.e.
- Discrimination
- Adult Guardianship, Administration or Power or Attorney
- Reviewing a decision made by Blue Card, Child Safety, Disability Services, Victim’s Assist or SPER
- Right to information
- Information Privacy
- Occupational regulation for health practitioners
Due to capacity constraints, LawRight prioritises matters where we provided assistance in the original proceeding that led to the decision subject to appeal.
If this is your situation, click here to read more about our Courts & Tribunal service and how they may be able to help.
When we can’t help
- If the appeal or reopening is for a matter not listed above.
If this is your situation, see below for resources and other places that may be able help.
More resources
Please see the following for further information:
- Appealing a QCAT decision | Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal
- Appealing a QCAT decision – LawRight