civil courts

• Legal Civil Service


  free telephone service offers advice for civil matters (housing, family matters and debt)
• gov sets limited amount of funds each year to pay for the civil legal advice and representation
• not available for contract or tort cases (personal injury)
• to qualify must show their income and capital assets are below limits - means tested
• gross income below £2600 per month
• disposable income below £730
• disposable capital below £8000 (immigration matters limit is £3000)
• if income or capital is above the minimum level but below the upper level, required to pay contribution towards legal aid
• lord chancellor introduced criteria to decide if someone can access legal aid
• con - does not cover contract or tort law (personal injury) unfair, person with severe injuries may not defend themselves in court, already lost enough
• pro - lord chancellors criteria allowing for cases with public benefit etc to receive legal aid
• pro - means tested allows only people who deserve legal aid to receive it
• con - means tested, disposable capital includes savings, value of house etc. unfair
• con - fund is low, lacks resources
• con - not enough legal service providers have contracts to do legal aid work