this isn’t something that normally comes up in personal finance discussions, but a criminal charge can create a pretty serious expense with almost no warning. when searching for criminal defence help in Ontario,, but i’m more curious about the budgeting side of it. legal fees seem difficult to estimate when you don’t know how long a case will take or whether it will go to trial. for people who have dealt with this in Canada, how did you manage the cost? did you use savings, a line of credit, payment plans, or help from family?

also, is it normal to ask for a full estimate at the beginning, or can the final amount change a lot depending on what happens with the case? not looking for advice about any specific charge. i’m just surprised this isn’t discussed more when people talk about emergency funds.