Legal aid

Most liberal democracies consider that it is necessary to provide some level of legal aid to persons otherwise unable to afford legal representation. To not do so would deprive such persons of access to the court system. Alternately, they would be at a disadvantage in situations in which the state or a wealthy individual took them to court. This would violate the principles of equality before the law and due process under the rule of law. Some people use the label of "judicare" for legal aid, in an apparent attempt to analogize legal aid to the Medicare health care programs in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.

External links

• Scottish Legal Aid Board - Very full information site of the Scottish Legal Aid Board, addressed to lawyers and to members of the public, as to legal aid in Scotland
• Legal Services Commission - Legal Aid in England and Wales
• Pine Tree Legal Assistance - General reference site for legal aid throughout the world
• Legal Aid Program in Canada - From the Department of Justice of Canada website