Making sure that even the poor can access justice
In many civilized countries there is a certain form of legal aid that is supposed to ensure that people are not excluded from the judiciary process simply because they happen not to have a lot of money. Some people complain that the provision of free Free Legal Documents and Contracts is not sustainable and ends up putting unreasonable pressure on the rest of the economy. In this article I look at some of the main issues that arise in the provision of free legal services especially in the context that the majority of these are supported by tax revenues that the general public contributes to.
An issue that can divide and unite opinion
Where the cost of legal services is too high and there is no provision for a free legal services department, you are likely to have a situation whereby the criminal justice system with disproportionately convict the less well of members of the community. Therefore you have a justice system where poverty is equivalent to guilt. The thinking that people will be so aggrieved by the justice system that they will try to find their own means to get legal aid is nonsense. If you are looking for food and the judge wants to commit you for a crime that you did not commit, then you are likely to plead guilty unless there is someone who is willing to provide you with free services that are legal.
By and large the legal profession has been supportive of the idea that justice has to be accessible to all regardless of income or social status. However the same legal profession has been frustrated by the government’s inability to properly manage the projects that they take up. When there is legal aid, they tend to give up on the poor and refuse to pay the fees to the lawyers. The lawyers are then forced to either abandon their client or provide their own free legal services. It must be understood that most legal houses today function as businesses and they cannot afford to be giving away free services. The government has to step up to the plate and ensure that it is providing the appropriate free legal services that the citizens deserve and demand.