The legal aid service is similar in both the English and Welsh and Scottish jurisdictions. Both operate around the premise of providing a high level of legal guidance no matter the circumstances that surround the case – everyone deserves a fair hearing and to be properly represented in all instances.
Within the Civil legal division of legal aid, you can expect to be given funded access to solicitors, lawyers, and advice agencies. The advice agencies may be in the form of the English and Welsh or Scottish legal aid organisations themselves or an independent third party. Both organisations have partnerships with the courts, National and Local Criminal Justice boards, Youth Offending Teams, the prisons, local authorities, local GPs and women’s refuges, and the National Offender Management Service. These partnerships are in place to ensure that those in need of legal assistance are directed to the legal aid service. The Community Legal Advice helpline offers free advice to anyone calling for help – this help line can also be used to set up further appointments with the legal aid service or to put you in contact with local solicitors or legal advice agencies.
The Criminal legal division of both the English and Welsh and the Scottish legal aid organisations funds Duty Solicitors to give twenty-four hour assistance at police stations and magistrates’ courts. The Public Defender Service funds criminal defence solicitors. The Criminal Defence Service Direct is a phone line operated by the legal aid organisations which allows those in police custody to phone for advice around the clock (advice is given for non-indictable offences only).
Within the Civil legal division of legal aid, you can expect to be given funded access to solicitors, lawyers, and advice agencies. The advice agencies may be in the form of the English and Welsh or Scottish legal aid organisations themselves or an independent third party. Both organisations have partnerships with the courts, National and Local Criminal Justice boards, Youth Offending Teams, the prisons, local authorities, local GPs and women’s refuges, and the National Offender Management Service. These partnerships are in place to ensure that those in need of legal assistance are directed to the legal aid service. The Community Legal Advice helpline offers free advice to anyone calling for help – this help line can also be used to set up further appointments with the legal aid service or to put you in contact with local solicitors or legal advice agencies.
The Criminal legal division of both the English and Welsh and the Scottish legal aid organisations funds Duty Solicitors to give twenty-four hour assistance at police stations and magistrates’ courts. The Public Defender Service funds criminal defence solicitors. The Criminal Defence Service Direct is a phone line operated by the legal aid organisations which allows those in police custody to phone for advice around the clock (advice is given for non-indictable offences only).