LEGAL AID

Legal Aid: Are you eligible?

Our lawyers at Greenfield Lawyers have been appointed to the General Criminal Law Panel with the Legal Aid Commission of New South Wales. Legal Aid has strict guidelines when assigning matters to private solicitors and will generally only assign matters to panel members. As such, we will give each and every matter the effort and preparation required to achieve the best result.

In certain circumstances, the Legal Aid Commission will pay Greenfield Lawyers to conduct your criminal case. This can save you from the financial stress of a criminal prosecution.

Am I eligible?

You may be eligible for a Legal Aid grant if:

You are in custody; or
You are receiving a very low income; or
You are receiving a Government Allowance (e.g. New Start, Disability Support Pension, Single Parent Pension, Youth Allowance).

How can I apply?

We can provide you with the form and assist you in completing a Legal Aid grant. Just call for an initial consultation and one of our criminal lawyers will help you fill out the necessary forms. You will need to provide supporting documentation such as bank statements, rent receipts, pay slips, and Centrelink papers.
If you nominate our firm or one of our lawyers, we can also sign the form and forward it to the Legal Aid Commission for approval. We prefer that you consult with us prior to making the application for a grant of aid if you want us to act.

What if my partner / family member / friend is in custody?

We can arrange a prison visit to advise your loved one and assist them to complete the necessary forms. In these cases, there is no need for proof of income or bank statement.

What type of criminal cases qualify?

Legal Aid can be granted in most criminal matters, except minor driving cases where there is no risk of a custodial sentence (eg drink driving, drive whilst disqualified etc) and AVO cases. Examples of criminal cases that qualify include assault cases, fraud cases, break and enter, robbery, drug, sexual assault, terrorism, murder cases, repeat serious traffic offenders etc.

Will I have to pay anything at all?

If your criminal matter is assigned to us, you will generally be required to pay a co-contribution. This amount is usually $75 but may be more or less depending on your particular circumstances. There are no other costs.

If Legal Aid is granted, will my criminal case always be assigned to Greenfield Lawyers?

Unfortunately not. The Legal Aid Commission’s policy is to take criminal cases “in house” (i.e. give it to a lawyer employed by the Legal Aid Commission) unless a Legal Aid lawyer is unavailable or there are other circumstances which justify the assignment of your criminal case to us. We will, of course, advise you of the likelihood of your criminal matter being assigned to our criminal lawyers.

Why do we undertake Legal Aid cases?

We passionately believe that every person charged with a criminal offence has a right to competent legal representation. We have a dedicated team of criminal defence lawyers who have successfully won a number of legal aid trials. Our criminal lawyers will fight for you throughout your criminal proceedings and ensure that everything is done to give you the highest possible chance of success.

Any further questions?