Criminal Legal Aid Scheme helping more accused people

This post came out from The Straits Times (29 February 2016)

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:

1. 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

Three times more people given pro bono legal help

This post came out from The Straits Times (12 January 2016)

Thrice as many people accused of crimes were given pro bono legal help last year than in the previous year, after a scheme to provide such aid was enhanced last May. In his address at the Opening of the Legal Year yesterday, Law Society president Thio Shen Yi said lawyers from the scheme helped 1,300 poor people accused of crimes last year.

Called the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (Clas), it is run by the law society's Pro Bono Services Office and provides help to those unable to afford a lawyer. Last year, the Government pledged up to $3.5 million a year to fund the scheme. Before the scheme was enhanced, there were some 265 lawyers handling around 400 pro bono cases a year. The scheme is expected to help up to 6,00 people a year.

Thoughts:

1. Government providing some help to enable pro bono legal services for the poor who needs it. I think many people will think that legal costs are high, and thus do not get lawyers to represent them/ provide advice when they are innocent. This will be helpful, and I think it would be good if lawyers can provide such services without the Government's intervention one day... 

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Jamiyah, PA setting up online legal clinics

This post came out from The Straits Times (24 January 2015)

One of Singapore's oldest free legal clinics will set up computer facilities at two community centres to bring its service to the backyard of residents. Its iCounsel kiosks will be found at Kaki Bukit Community Centre and Eunos Commuity Club, where residents of any race, and particularly the needy and frail, can speak to the lawyers via video-conferencing.

The move is a first by the clinic's organizer, Muslim voluntary welfare organisation Jamiyah, which is partnering with the People's Association (A) for the pilot project - Singapore's first online legal clinic for the community. The service will start on Feb 24.

Those seeking advice can first register online at Jamiyah's website and submit details of the case. They can also pick one of Jamiyah's volunteer lawyers and state whether they prefer, say, a Malay or Mandarin speaking lawyer, or on who knows syariah law to handle Muslim divorce and inheritance cases. A video conferencing session will then be fixed at the community centre of their choice.

The iCounsel clincs will run every second and fourth Tuesday of a month, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Should the pilot project prove popular, the PA plans to work with Jamiyah to expand the service to more community clubs across Singapore, said the senior director of PA's membership and community partnership division Jasmine Kwok.

Meanwhile, Jamiyah's 38 year old legal clinic will continue to hold its face to face sessions at its headquarters in Geylang Lorong 12 twice a week for people who prefer to see a lawyer in person The clinic, open to any member of the public, has drawn people of various races and faiths.


Thoughts:

1. It is heartening to see voluntary welfare organisations trying their best to reach out to the needy (instead of waiting for them to come), and using technology to make things even easier for people to benefit.
2. There are also a number of people who needs legal aid, and do not know where to seek them. This move, to open to people of all races and faiths, projects a positive light on a dominantly Malay/Muslim group to see itself as part of a larger community and extend its services to them. 

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big