Victoria Legal Aid

All Victorians can apply for legal assistance if they meet the means and merits test of Victoria Legal Aid (VLA). VLA’s online handbook for lawyers sets out guidelines for assistance, how apply for a grant of legal aid, and the guidelines and conditions of receiving a grant. It also explains the payment structure for private lawyers who perform legal aid work.
Where an applicant is over 65 years of age, the family home is exempt from the means test.
Where a person is likely to lose their principal place of residence they may gain a grant of legal assistance through use of VLA’s civil law guideline. There are also guidelines for guardianship and administration matters.
Grants of legal assistance are limited in civil matters. VLA’s ‘special circumstance’ guideline may give greater scope for grants of assistance for older clients. (See [link to URL http://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/handbook ] VLA Handbook.)
VLA provides duty lawyer services to a wide variety of courts and tribunals including VCAT.

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  • Phone: 03 9269 0120 (Melbourne)
  • Phone: 1800 677 402 (Vic country)
Category/ies: , , Last modified: January 30, 2014