Legal Aid

There are different levels of Legal Aid available depending upon the circumstances of your case, so please contact our Margate Office on 01843 234 010 to discuss this further.

Public Law Children Cases
In certain circumstances you will be automatically entitled to Legal Aid regardless of your financial circumstances:

• Where proceedings have been issued for:
  • Emergency Protection Order, or
  • Care Order, or
  • Supervision Order, or
• You have received a Letter Before Proceedings

AND

• You are the child’s mother or father and/or you hold parental responsibility for the child (by virtue of an order – Child Arrangements Order, Parental Responsibility Order, Special Guardianship Order or Adoption Order).

In all other circumstances you may be entitled to Legal Aid, depending on your income, whether you are the child’s step parents, guardians or you are being invited to become an Intervener in proceedings or you are made a party to the proceedings.

Other public law cases where legal aid may be available include applications for - Adoption Orders, revocation of Placement Orders, Recovery Orders and Deprivation of Liberty Orders.

Please contact our office and we will be able to assist you further regarding whether you are eligible for Legal Aid in the above circumstances.

Private Law Children Cases
In broad terms, you may be eligible for Legal Aid for these types of cases but such eligibility will be subject to satisfying certain criteria in addition to being eligible based upon your financial circumstances and additional criteria pursuant to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 [LASPO].

Legal Aid sometimes has to be paid back. It is not necessarily free. Please contact our office and we will be able to assist you further regarding whether you are eligible for Legal Aid.