Who Are Eligible For Legal Advice For Free?

In a legal incident, many people are unable to afford legal services by a lawyer in India. For such people free legal advice is rendered. However, there is some eligibility criteria for receiving such a service from expert lawyers.

Such legal advice for free comes handy to people who are under a lot of financial stress and can’t hire the services of legal insolvency professional or criminal lawyer or civil case lawyer. As mentioned before, there are few eligibility criteria that has to be fulfilled to receive the legal advice free of cost. They are described below.

Eligibility For Cost-Free Legal Advice

As listed under the Section 12 of Legal Services Authorities Act, the section of societies that fall within this mentioned bracket; are eligible for free legal advice.

1.     Anyone who belongs to a Scheduled Tribe or Scheduled Cast.

2.     An individual who has been a victim of beggar trafficking or human trafficking as described in Indian Constitution’s Article 23.

3.     A Child or a Woman.

4.     A disabled person or mentally ill person.

5.     Any person who has suffered an unfortunate trauma under circumstances out of his or her control of undeserved want, like become a victim of ethnic violence, mass disaster, caste atrocity, drought, flood, industrial disaster or earthquake.

6.     A worker of any industry.

7.     In rightful government custody, which includes being in protective home custody, within the clause (g) of 2nd Section of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. Or else, in any juvenile home because of clause (j) of 2nd Section of 1986 Juvenile Justice Act. Or being in nursing psychiatric home or psychiatric hospital under clause (g) os 2nd Section of 1987 Mental Health Act.

8.     Any individual whose annual income happens to be lower than the ceiling limit of income schedule or other higher amount of income as described under section 12 (h) of Act to avail cost-free legal aid in various states or as prescribed by the individual’s State Government in case the matter happens to be in any court other than Supreme Court. But less than INR 5 Lakh if the matter is in Supreme Court.

Frequently Asked Question

There are indeed some frequently asked questions here, related to the eligibility criteria of some individuals.

1.     Can Any Woman Irrespective Of Her Financial/Earning Status Eligible: Yes indeed, she is! All woman are entitled to the cost-free legal help irrespective of their financial condition or income level.

2.     Till Which Age A Child May Be Deemed Eligible: Only till the time a child reaches the adulthood, 18 years; he or she is eligible for cost-free legal assistance.

3.     What About Senior Citizens, Are They Eligible: Their eligibility largely depends on the Government policies of their respective state of residence.

Under some special circumstances where one or both parties in a legal commotion in the court cannot afford legal representative, the court arranges for the same free of charge. However, in such a scenario whether it is a legal insolvency professional or a property lawyer, the chances of him or her attending to the case assigned to them wholeheartedly is pretty slim. Hence, finding out the best legal adviser cost-free through the online channels should help.