Financial eligibility scale for free legal aid is increased by 17.75%

GREATER NUMBER OF WORKERS, STUDENTS AND PENSIONERS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO FREE LEGAL AID

MONTRÉAL, Jan. 5, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ -

What:  Free legal aid services available to more people

For example:           

• Pensioners, students and workers
• A single person who works at minimum wage, 35 hours per week
• A family of two adults and two children with a gross income below $ 31,885

As of :        January 1^st 2016

There is more:

Low-cost and flat rate legal services are available to more people.

The contributory legal aid provides access to the same quality services, regardless of the time required or costs incurred to properly conduct the legal issues to a term.

For whom:

• A single person whose annual income ranges from $ 19,202 and $ 26,818 would be eligible for legal aid (with a maximum contribution from $ 100 to $ 800) for instance.
• A family of two adults and two children whose annual income ranges from $ 31,485 and $ 43,975 is eligible for legal aid (with a maximum contribution from $ 100 to $ 800) for instance.

The details :

The financial eligibility scale for legal aid is substantially increased as of January 1^st 2016. The scale for free legal aid is increased by 17.75% and the maximum threshold of contributory legal aid is increased by 1.93 %.

As of January 1^st 2016, the thresholds of the scale of financial eligibility for free legal aid correspond to the minimum wage at 35 hours per week. Thereafter, it will be maintained at that level by an indexation clause.

The financial eligibility scale for free legal aid will facilitate access to justice for workers, students and pensioners with modest income.

For example, a single mother with a dependent child earning a gross annual income of $ 23 400, had to pay a sum of $ 300 to be eligible for legal aid to bring a motion for custody child support. As of 1^st January 2016, that person will be eligible to free legal aid.

From now on, seniors who are single or couples of seniors earning solely old age pension and guaranteed income supplement for low-income seniors will be eligible to free legal aid.

Yearly, the CCJM processes approximately 80, 000 legal aid applications. During the past year, thereabouts 60 000 applications were granted. Half of the latter applications gave rise to legal services provided by some 110 lawyers employed by the CCJM. The other half were assumed by private lawyers accepting legal aid mandates.

The CCJM offers its services throughout 11 Legal Aid Offices deployed as follows: 6 civil law offices on the territory of Montreal, a criminal and penal law office, a youth law office, an immigration law office, a health law office and multispectral laws office in Laval.

The determination of eligibility for legal aid is a complex process involving several elements and taking into account certain deductions. It is strongly advised to contact your local legal aid office to find out if one qualifies or not.

For further information: Me Isabelle Allard (514 864-6644 poste 235)

SOURCE Commission des services juridiques

Me Isabelle Allard, 514 864-6644 poste 235