How can I get a legal question answered for free?

How can I get a legal question answered for free?

Ask A Lawyer is a free offering on Lawyers.com where consumers can ask legal questions and seek answers from our extensive network of attorneys. For attorneys, it is an effective marketing tool linking you to prospective clients who may be in need of legal counsel.

What is a free lawyer called?

Someone who is extremely in-need (i.e. poor) and receives legal services as charity (these free lawyers call this kind of work ‘pro bono’) Someone who is assigned a free lawyer by the criminal courts (these free lawyers are called Public Defenders)

Is there a cap on legal aid?

The capital test is of the amount of savings, property, shares or other monies that you or your partner own. This limit is set at £8,000 for all civil legal services except any relating to an immigration matter set out in regulation 8(3), which is capped at £3,000.

How long does it take for legal aid to be approved?

The Agency will tell you and your solicitor if you are eligible for legal aid, this can take up to 4 weeks, sometimes longer. If you need legal aid urgently, your solicitor can make an emergency written application, this usually takes 2-3 days, but can take longer.

Can you get legal aid for a civil matter?

Civil cases include things like debt, family or housing problems. To get legal aid, you usually need to show you cannot afford to pay for legal costs and your problem is serious. You’ll usually have to give details and evidence of your income, benefits, savings and property, and those of your partner.

Can I call a lawyer and ask a question for free?

24-Hour Free Legal Help Hotline. If you have a pressing legal issue, call 1-800-ATTORNEY today to discuss the facts of your case with a lawyer (calls accepted 24/7).

Does legal aid have to be repaid?

If you qualify, the legal aid will be paid directly to them. You’ll need to pay some legal aid back if you keep or gain any money or property at the end of your court case.

Who is entitled to criminal legal aid?

If you are in receipt of Income Support, Income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Income-based Employment & Support Allowance, Guaranteed State Pension Credit, Universal Credit, or if you are under 18, you will automatically be entitled to Legal Aid.

Can you still get legal aid for a divorce?

Legal aid is no longer available to pay the legal costs of divorce or dissolution unless there’s been domestic abuse, violence or child abduction. However, you can apply for legal aid to pay for mediation, although this is means-tested.

What is the legal aid means test?

Means test. As with civil legal aid, where criminal legal aid is means tested, the means test looks at both. the applicant’s income and capital. The general rule is that the resources of the partner of the. individual applying for legal aid are to be included in the calculation of the financial resources of the …

What is legal aid in criminal cases?

Suspects under arrest at a police station are automatically entitled to free legal advice from a criminal defence lawyer. Legal Aid – also known as public funding – is, however, means tested and this means that some defendants may not be eligible for Legal Aid if a case goes to a Magistrates’ Court or Crown Court.

Can I cancel legal aid?

In making a decision to terminate a grant of legal aid where a legally aided person has failed to pay an initial contribution, the determining officer should be satisfied that the legally aided person: Legal Aid NSW is satisfied that it is not appropriate to reduce or waive the contribution amount.

Which types of civil cases are no longer eligible for legal funding?

Huge areas of civil law have been removed from the scope of legal aid. All family law cases that don’t involve domestic violence are no longer covered, although payments may be made to help with mediation. Immigration cases are only covered if they involve claims for asylum, human rights issues or domestic violence.

What is disposable income for Legal Aid?

Disposable income is the amount of income you have left after deductions have been made for national insurance and tax, rent, council tax, other necessary expenses and dependants’ allowances.

What is disposable income mean?

Disposable Income: An Overview Disposable income, also known as disposable personal income (DPI), is the amount of money that an individual or household has to spend or save after income taxes have been deducted.

How do I apply for exceptional case funding?

You can apply directly to the ECF team at the Legal Aid Agency. You don’t have to name a solicitor in the application. We cannot give you legal advice on the merits of your underlying case but we will consider your application and let you know if we need further information to decide your application.

What is emergency legal aid?

Getting legal aid in an emergency You can get emergency help if you need urgent representation in court, for example to keep you and your children safe from domestic abuse. Your legal adviser will apply for Emergency Legal Representation to cover any immediate action.

When did legal aid stop?

There is a misunderstanding that Legal Aid has been cancelled since April 2013 when the law changed[1]. For Family cases, legal aid is still available, either for a specific type of case or if you qualify on certain grounds. The cases where legal aid is still automatically available are: Care cases.

What is the difference between legal aid and legal help?

Legal aid will pay towards the rates or fixed fees of a solicitor for your case. Legal Help – a solicitor can advise you and negotiate with the other party but cannot represent at court. Family Mediation – a solicitor can help with negotiating with the other party through mediation.

Where does legal aid money come from?

The money comes from the Community Legal Services Fund (CLS) and is administered by the Legal Aid Agency. You may be entitled to legal aid just to speak to a solicitor and to have a solicitor write letters on your behalf, this is known as Legal Help.

What is meant by legal aid?

Legal aid. Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people otherwise unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial.

What is the purpose of legal aid?

Our main objective is to improve access to justice for the most disadvantaged people in our society, responding to their legal and non-legal needs. We aim to provide legal assistance that can help people break the cycle of disadvantage.

Why do we need legal aid?

Legal aid is a welfare provision by the state to people who could otherwise not afford counsel from the legal system. Legal aid also helps to ensure that welfare provisions are enforced by providing people entitled to welfare provisions, such as social housing, with access to legal advice and the courts.