What is legal aid? 

• Legal aid is funding from the government (Ministry of Justice) to pay for legal fees for people who cannot afford a lawyer. It is available for most family matters (excluding applications for a divorce).
• Legal aid is a loan not a grant. You may have to pay some or all of your legal aid back either in installments (weekly, fortnightly, monthly) or in a lump sum.

Can I get legal aid?

This depends on your circumstances. If you are on a benefit, or on a low to moderate income while working, you will normally qualify for legal aid. Other factors are:

• The amount of money you earn before tax
• The number of children you have in your care
• Whether you are married, in a civil union or de facto relationship. Your partner’s finances will also be taken into account.
• The value of your assets (possessions)
• The value of your debts (money you owe)

We will help you fill out the Family Legal Aid application to make the process as stress free as possible. Once this is done we send it to the Ministry of Justice for a full assessment.

For more information on legal aid, visit the Ministry of Justice website www.justice.govt.nz/