Legal

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The Intellectual Disability Rights Service (IDRS) is a specialist Community Legal Centre that helps people with an intellectual disability with their legal issues.

Legal help is available to anyone in NSW with an intellectual disability. Advice can also be given to family members, carers, advocates or others who are seeking advice on behalf of a person with an intellectual disability.

Legal Advice

If you are arrested by the police, you can get legal advice from IDRS at any time.

Tell the police that you want a support person and legal advice

Ask the police to call -
1300 665 908

  • Legal advice is available free of charge, please call IDRS to make an appointment. You will need to provide a phone number for the solicitor to ring you back.
  • Advice times are between 2pm and 5pm Monday to Friday. Appointments are usually made on the hour at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm
  • Legal advice is usually provided over the phone. However, advice can be provided in person at our Sydney office if that is preferred
  • We can make other arrangements for providing legal advice to suit individual needs. You should tell us if the matter is urgent or you need an appointment at a different time.

To make an appointment with a solicitor- 02 9318 0144

If you live outside Sydney- 1800 666 611 (calls to this number are free).

If you are not sure if your situation is about a legal issue then call IDRS and we can help you work this out. If we cannot help you, we try to find the right place for you to get help.

Have a look at our list of Useful Contacts

Legal Casework

If someone has a problem with the law, they often need more than telephone advice. Our solicitors take on a limited number of cases to help people who have legal problems. You should make an appointment for legal advice first.

If you need help at a police station or at court

As well as getting legal advice, support can be organised by the Criminal Justice Support Network (CJSN.)

    You can contact CJSN on:
  • Sydney office - (02) 9318 0144
  • Hunter office in Newcastle- (02) 4926 5643
  • Illawarra / Shoalhaven office in Wollongong - (02) 4228 4040
  • All other areas of NSW - 1800 666 611

For support at police stations - 1300 665 908. This is a 24/7 service and to be used only when a client is in police custody.

Read more about the CJSN

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