More accused people who cannot afford lawyers are receiving help after the Government stepped in to fund a legal aid programme. This year, the Law Society hopes to expand coverage for more offences under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (Clas), which is run by the society's Pro Bono Services Office.
The latest statistics from the Ministry of Law shoe that 2,433 people were helped under the enhanced scheme last year - more than five times the people who received help in 2014. Of these, 1,109 received basic legal advice while 1,324 were given legal help such as written mitigation pleas or full legal representation for those claiming trial. Before the official launch of the enhanced scheme last year, if offered only full representation in court.
In May last year, the Government pledged up to $3.5million a year for the scheme, to help cover operational costs, token fees for volunteer lawyers and other disbursements. In the past, the State steered clear of providing criminal legal aid as it would have meant using public funds to both prosecute and defend the same accused individuals.
Under the programme, lawyers are hired by the Law Society or seconded by their law firms to undertake criminal legal aid work full time.
Thoughts:
- Need to look deeper, what is the difference between a civil law suit and a criminal law suit?
Thoughts anyone?
Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big
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