Approved legal aid application counts refer to full service applications only. An approved application for full service refers to an application for legal assistance which is granted as described in a certificate, referral, or any other authorization denoting that the applicant is entitled to legal aid services.

In Prince Edward Island in 2004/2005, all approved applications for civil matters were counted as full service applications.

In New Brunswick in 2004/2005, many members of the private bar refused to take legal aid cases.

Ontario has 79 legal aid clinics that are independent, non-profit organizations funded by the legal aid plan. Staff lawyers and community legal workers at these clinics provide legal aid services primarily in “other” civil matters, particularly in the area of poverty law which includes, social assistance/income maintenance, landlord and tenant, workers’ compensation, criminal injuries compensation, and refugee and immigration matters. In 2008/2009, these clinics accounted for 91% of total approved civil legal aid applications assigned to staff lawyers and 100% of “other” approved civil legal aid applications assigned to staff lawyers.

In 2005/2006, Manitoba began to issue one legal aid certificate per matter. This lead to an increase in the count for total, approved and refused legal aid applications. In 2006/2007, the use of certificate equivalents initiated by staff was discontinued, resulting in a decrease in the count for total and approved applications and an increase in refused applications.

No distinction is made between summary and full service applications in Yukon Territory. All applications are counted as full service applications. Data for Yukon Territory include duty counsel counts. In 2004/2005, Yukon Territory opened a poverty law clinic, resulting in an increase in applications under civil matters "other".

Presumed eligibility counts are not included in the data for the Northwest Territories. Territorial offences are included with criminal matters.