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LOCATING A WILL, REAL ESTATE DOCUMENT, OR COURT DOCUMENT
If you are looking for a will, legal file or document that was prepared by a lawyer or paralegal in Waterloo Region, there are a number of places you might search. The Waterloo Region Law Association cannot provide legal advice to the public. Lawyers and paralegals are responsible for providing the Waterloo Region Law Association (WRLA) with up to date information regarding the location or transfer of their practice. As a result, the WRLA has information to the extent it has been provided to us. Please contact us to see if we have information about the transfer of a specific lawyer or paralegal's files.
WILLS OR POWER OF ATTORNEY DOCUMENTS
Submit a will search notice to the WRLA for publication in our monthly newsletter. The newsletter is
emailed to to 600+ lawyers and paralegals in Waterloo Region on the first of every month.
- AT HOME — Often wills have been found in safety deposit boxes or tucked away safely in a desk or drawer at home.
- WITH THE LAWYER OR PARALEGAL — Contact the lawyer or paralegal directly and inquire if they have retained a copy of the will, document or client file. Search the WRLA's directory for contact information or check the Law Society of Ontario's directory.
- LAW FIRM — If the lawyer or paralegal worked in a law firm and is no longer practicing, try contacting the law firm to inquire if they have retained closed files and wills.
- ESTATES DEPARTMENT OF THE SCJ — Contact the estates department in the civil office of the Superior Court of Justice in the location where the testator lived to see if the document was deposited with the court. Addresses and court information for courthouses in Ontario can be accessed on the Ministry of the Attorney General's website.
- WILLCHECK.CA — If you are an Ontario lawyer, or if you have retained a lawyer in Ontario, they may conduct a search on Willcheck.ca, an Ontario wills registry database maintained by the County of Carleton Law Association.
- NOTICECONNECT — You may submit a search request with NoticeConnect, which has created the Canada Wills Registry. Their system takes your search query and compares it against the wills that have been registered in their database. They can also assist in locating wills that have not been registered in their database. This service sends a notice to NoticeConnect's mailing list, law libraries, and other partners, asking the legal community if anyone has or knows about a particular will.
- ESTATES LAWYER — You may wish to contact a lawyer who offers services in estate law. Estate lawyers may be able to assist in the search for an original will, or otherwise advise you about a missing or lost will and how to proceed without an original will.
- Law Society of Ontario — In some cases, the Law Society of Ontario may have information about the location of wills, legal files and documents from the former practices of lawyers or paralegals. To contact the LSO call 1-800-668-7380 ext. 3366 or email at Trustee_Services@lso.ca or submit an online inquiry form. Visit their find a will webpage.
REAL ESTATE DOCUMENTS
For real estate documents (e.g., mortgage or deed), contact the Waterloo Region Land Registry Office. The land registry office maintains official records of land and property in Ontario, including title, deed and mortgage documents. Waterloo Region Land Registry Office can be reached at (519) 571-6043 or https://www.ontario.ca/page/overview-land-registry.
COURT DOCUMENTS
Looking for court documents, contact the Waterloo Region Courthouse. Many documents are filed in the context of litigation, criminal, provincial offences, and immigration matters can be requested from the courthouse.
Phone: 519-742-0872 Toll Free: 1-866-201-0168 85 Frederick Street Kitchener, ON, N2H 0A4 |
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