What is Legal Aid?

Legal Aid is a Ministry of Justice run program that provides funding to support those needing legal assistance who cannot afford the costs associated with it. This initiative ensures all New Zealanders have access to the court system, promoting fairness and justice for everyone.

What services do Franklin Law offer?

Our Family Law team members in Pukekohe and Papakura are Legal Aid approved providers and can assist you in applying for a Legal Aid grant. If your application is successful, we will provide the necessary legal services for your case and invoice Legal Aid directly for all associated costs.

Our Family Law team can provide Legal Aid services in the following areas:

  • Care and Contact of Children;
  • Family Violence;
  • Adoption; 
  • Oranga Tamariki Act; 
  • Paternity; 
  • Protection of Personal and Property Rights; and 
  • Relationship Property proceedings (including pre proceeding negotiations).

It is important to note that Legal Aid is only available for cases that go to court. At Franklin Law, we offer Legal Aid only for family law cases.

Am I eligible?

You will usually qualify for Legal Aid if you receive a benefit from WINZ, however, depending on your circumstances you can also be eligible if you are in employment.

To assess your eligibility Legal Aid will consider the following factors:

  • How much you earn before tax;
  • The value of your assets;
  • The value of your debt; 
  • How many financially dependent children you have; and
  • If you have a partner, their finances will also be taken into consideration.

You will need to provide the above information so that Legal Aid can assess your eligibility to receive a grant to cover all, or some, of your legal costs. At Franklin Law, our lawyers in Pukekohe or Papakura can guide you through the process of applying for Legal Aid.

A Legal Aid grant is considered a loan and you may have to repay some or all of your Legal Aid grant, depending on how much you earn, what property you own, and whether you receive any money or property as a result of your case. This helps ensure that those who can afford to contribute do so, thus maintaining the sustainability of the Legal Aid program. However, repaying Legal Aid can be arranged with them directly to suit your income, for example this be via an automatic payment made weekly, fortnightly or monthly or a lump sum payment at the conclusion of your matter. All Legal Aid debt is interest free.

Franklin Law can help you with legal advice in this area

At Franklin Law, we are committed to providing accessible and affordable legal services to all.

If you need a family lawyer and believe you are eligible for Legal Aid, contact our team in Pukekohe or Papakura today for a consultation. If you are not eligible for Legal Aid, we can still assist you by making payment arrangements that suit your financial situation.

Contact Us Today

If you need help with your Legal Aid application or any other legal matter including wills and power of attorney, trust and asset planning, or litigation and mediation, reach out to either our Pukekohe or Papakura offices.

For personalised legal assistance, contact Sarah Hagenson, Senior Associate. 

You can also complete our enquiry form or explore our legal services to find out more about how we can assist you with all your legal needs, including those related to business law, commercial property law, and rural law.

The information contained in this article is necessarily of a generalised nature and is correct as at July 2024. Specific advice should be sought in relation to any particular situation.

Article written by Caitlin Drabble