News item | 23-01-2023 | 3:15 pm
Minister Weerwind (Legal Protection) wants people who seek justice and are eligible for subsidized legal aid to receive the best possible legal support. Today and in the future. To achieve this, Weerwind is adjusting parts of the current legal aid system renewal.
The minister is scrapping the plan that litigants must always first report to the Juridisch Loket before they can receive subsidized legal aid. This intention conflicts with the widely supported principle in the field that people should be able to turn to different service providers with their problems. An obligation to always go to the Juridisch Loket first forms an extra barrier for people. Especially if they subsequently turn out to need the assistance of a lawyer.
In addition, after consultation with all parties involved, Minister Weerwind has decided not to introduce the so-called legal aid packages. The development of these packages appears to be very complex, they do not appear to be very useful in practice and there is little support for them among the professionals who have to work with them. The underlying objective of a better quality of service and an efficient system remain undiminished. The minister wants to achieve these goals within the existing system of lump sum payments.
Minister Weerwind writes this in a letter to the House of Representatives today.
“With these decisions I am bringing focus and working towards a renewed system of subsidized legal aid that provides low-threshold and effective access to the law, with a broad provision of information for everyone. A system in which problems of litigants are tackled as much as possible at an early stage and, if necessary, integrally. I want to stimulate and facilitate regional cooperation and further strengthen the position of the Juridisch Loket.”
Earlier, the minister announced that calling the Juridisch Loket will become free from this year. The counter helps people with a low income with free personal advice.
Furthermore, the subsidy scheme for the vocational training for social lawyers will be extended this year. The scheme is intended to stimulate young growth in the social legal profession and has led to 202 trainee lawyers in the past two years. Next summer, the reimbursements for the travel expenses of legal assistance providers will also be adjusted.