Social and Economic Adversity Experienced by Canadians and Everyday Legal Problems

As part of a national study on the Cost of Justice by the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice (CFCJ), over 3,000 adults in Canada were asked about their experiences with civil and family justice problems and their views on the justice system in Canada. Additionally, survey participants were asked generally if over several years they had experienced ongoing issues with debt, finding or securing good and affordable housing or with unemployment. These specific areas were canvassed as possible indicators of larger, persistent issues related to social adversity in their lives. This paper draws on findings from the Everyday Legal Problems and the Cost of Justice survey (“Cost of Justice survey”) to present an initial examination of social adversity as it relates to experiences of everyday legal problems in Canada