Ask a Legal Question Online Free in India

The three free routes, compared

Each option answers a different type of question. Mixing them up is why people feel that free legal help is useless.

• AI legal information (Kanoon-AI): best for 'what does the law say', 'which forum', 'what documents', 'draft me a notice'. Instant, available at 3 a.m., but it is general information based on statutes and public material — it has not read your file and cannot appear for you.
• NALSA / SLSA / DLSA legal aid: best for 'I need an advocate and cannot pay'. Eligibility under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 includes women, children, SC/ST persons, persons in custody, victims of trafficking or disaster, and persons below the income limit notified by the relevant authority.
• Sector helplines: National Consumer Helpline for goods and services disputes, 1930 and cybercrime.gov.in for cyber-financial fraud, 112 for emergencies, 181 in many states for women in distress.

How to write a legal question that actually gets a useful answer

Whether you are typing into Kanoon-AI or sitting in front of a legal-aid advocate, the quality of the answer tracks the quality of the facts you give. Vague sawal ka vague jawab milta hai.

• State the state or city — procedure, court fees and stamp duty vary.
• Give dates in order: when the incident happened, when you complained, when you last received a reply.
• Say what you have on paper: FIR copy, invoice, bank memo, WhatsApp chats, rent agreement.
• Say what outcome you want: refund, possession, quashing, protection order, compensation.
• Ask one question at a time. 'Kya main FIR karwa sakta hoon aur deposit bhi wapas le sakta hoon?' is two matters with two forums.

What free AI legal information can and cannot do

Kanoon-AI answers in English and Hindi and points you to the statute and the official portal. On the Free plan you get 5 questions per day and 3 document drafts per month. There is no OCR of scanned images, no guarantee that every citation is complete, and no advocate-client relationship.

Treat the output as a briefing that helps you ask better questions and arrive prepared — not as an opinion you can rely on in court.

Step-by-step

1. 1

   Write down the facts in date order

   One line per event, with dates and names. This is the single biggest time-saver in any legal conversation.

2. 2

   Identify the category

   Criminal (FIR, bail), consumer, tenancy, family, cheque bounce, cyber fraud — the forum changes completely with the category.

3. 3

   Ask the question in plain language

   Open Kanoon-AI chat, describe your facts and ask what the law says and which forum has jurisdiction. Hindi or English both work.

4. 4

   Collect the documents it lists

   Almost every remedy in India fails on missing paper, not on missing law.

5. 5

   Escalate to a human

   For anything involving arrest, custody, possession of property, or a limitation deadline, approach the District Legal Services Authority or a private advocate with your notes.

Documents you need

• A one-page timeline of events with dates
• Any written communication with the other side (letters, email, WhatsApp)
• Bills, invoices, receipts, bank statements or the agreement in question
• Copies of any complaint, FIR or acknowledgement already filed
• Photo ID of the person who will sign the complaint

Common mistakes to avoid

• Asking a general question and expecting a case-specific opinion — no free channel can give that without reading your papers.
• Ignoring limitation. Some remedies (Section 138 NI Act notice, consumer complaint) have hard statutory windows.
• Filing in the wrong forum, then losing months before the objection is taken.
• Sharing Aadhaar, full card numbers or OTPs in any online chat, including AI chat.
• Assuming an AI-generated draft can be filed unread. Always check names, dates, amounts and the section cited.

When you should see an advocate

• Anyone has been arrested, detained or summoned.
• You are about to lose possession of property or a limitation period is close to expiry.
• The amount in dispute is significant relative to your means.
• The other side has already filed a case or sent a legal notice through an advocate.

Frequently asked questions

Is free online legal advice in India valid?

Free online information is not legal advice. Only an advocate you engage — including a legal-aid advocate appointed by a Legal Services Authority — can advise on your specific case and appear for you.

How many questions can I ask Kanoon-AI for free?

The Free plan allows 5 questions per day and 3 document drafts per month. Signing in lets you save chats and drafts to your workspace.

Can I get a free lawyer in India?

Yes, if you fall within the categories under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 or the income limit notified by your State Legal Services Authority. Apply at your District Legal Services Authority, usually located in the district court complex.

Is my question confidential?

Kanoon-AI is not an advocate, so advocate-client privilege does not apply. Avoid sharing identifiers you would not want processed by an AI provider. See our Privacy Policy for how data is handled.