Civil/ Legal Aid-what is available?

Civil/Family Legal Aid

If you have a legal problem but can’t afford a lawyer, you may be able to get one through Civil/Family legal aid. Legal aid covers all your lawyer’s costs.  In my view everyone has a right to justice. To get legal aid, you also  need to pass the prospects of success test- so if your claim or defence is not strong, it may be declined.

Civil/Family legal aid is available for many types of private disputes and other non-criminal problems that will, or might, go to court:

Suing someone, being sued or appearing in the District or High Court over a civil matter, such as:

• • recovering a debt
  • breach of contract (for example, hire purchase)
  • bankruptcy or insolvency

Matters dealt with by some tribunals and specialist courts, such as:

• • Employment Relations Authority
  • Environment Court
  • Human Rights Review Tribunal
  • Legal Aid Review Panel
  • Maori Land Court
  • Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal
  • Refugee Status Appeal Authority
  • Social Security Appeal Authority
  • Taxation Review Tribunal
  • Tenancy Tribunal
  • Waitangi Tribunal

Civil/Family legal aid isn’t available for

• problems that would not go to court
• divorce itself (”dissolution of marriage”)
• Disputes Tribunal
• immigration matters (except for refugee matters)
• companies or groups of people (except in some cases such as Waitangi Tribunal)
• reviews by Work and Income (but legal aid is available for an appeal of the review decision to the Social Security Appeal Authority)
• problems with schools, universities and other educational institutions

See the other blog entries  of Jeremy on legal aid for more information or the Legal Services Agency website- www.lsa.govt.nz

Jeremy and his team have substantial legal aid expertise- on family and civil work.  Jeremy is an experienced  legal aid lawyer  for 12 years and  a past advisor for the Legal Services Agency.   Contact him on 09 263 6953 0r 0800 486 267 or email him on jeremy@jeremysutton.co.nz