Legal aid
It is often necessary to use a legal counsel to handle legal matters. Usually, parties pay for the legal assistance they need themselves. If they cannot afford the assistance they need, it can be party or fully paid with public funds.
Legal aid for court hearings is provided by public legal aid attorneys, attorneys-at-law and licenced legal counsels. In other legal matters, legal aid is provided by the state public legal aid attorneys working at legal aid offices.
Among others, legal aid can be granted for handling the following matters:
- Divorce and custody of children
- Testaments and distribution of inheritance
- Debt-related matters
- Matters related to employment contracts
- Matters related to leasing an apartment
- Deeds of sale and annulments of sales
- Assisting a suspect of an offence or a victim of an offence, restraining orders
- Complaints on matters related to social assistance, taking a child into care, and Kela’s reimbursements
The applicant’s income, expenses and assets affect whether legal aid is granted or not. In some criminal matters the victim or the defendant may be granted legal aid regardless of their income.
Legal aid is not granted if the case is of minor importance or if granting the aid would clearly be meaningless. If a party has a legal expenses insurance policy, they are not eligible for legal aid.