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Financial Legal Assistance Schemes
Attorney-General's Department · Australia
The Attorney-General's Department administers a range of statutory and non-statutory legal financial assistance schemes. Funding supports eligible applicants with certain legal matters, including public interest and test cases, disbursement support, overseas child abduction matters, serious overseas criminal matters, and special circumstances matters.
Deadline
Rolling / Ongoing
Location
Australia
Who Can Apply
• Must have a legal matter that falls within the Commonwealth legal financial assistance schemes or specified legislative provisions.
• Not eligible for assistance for criminal charges in Australia.
• Not eligible for legal matters under state or territory laws.
• Overseas legal actions are generally not funded unless under the Serious Overseas Criminal Matters Scheme, Overseas Child Abduction Scheme, or Special Circumstances Scheme.
• Funding is generally not available to people who can meet their legal costs without incurring serious financial difficulty.
• Funding is generally not available for costs incurred before an application is made, unless the relevant scheme allows reimbursement.
The Attorney-General's Department cannot help people facing criminal charges in Australia or with legal matters under state or territory laws. For these matters, applicants should contact their local legal aid office. The department will not generally grant funding for overseas legal actions unless under the Serious Overseas Criminal Matters Scheme, the Overseas Child Abduction Scheme, or the Special Circumstances Scheme; to people who can meet their legal costs without incurring serious financial difficulty; or for costs incurred before an application is made, unless the scheme allows for reimbursement.
What's Funded
Legal representation costs, legal disbursements, and assistance for eligible legal matters under specified Commonwealth schemes and legislative provisions, including public interest and test cases, overseas child abduction matters, serious overseas criminal matters, and special circumstances matters.Expected Outcomes
Applicants receive financial assistance to pursue or respond to eligible legal matters, with funded legal services and disbursements supporting access to justice in matters covered by Commonwealth legal financial assistance schemes.Key Information
Applicant Types
individualindigenous_organisationother
Stage
any
Funding Purposes
communityother
Keywords
legal assistancelegal servicespublic interest casestest casesdisbursement supportoverseas child abductionserious overseas criminal mattersspecial circumstances
Frequently Asked Questions
1
What is the Financial Legal Assistance Schemes?
The Financial Legal Assistance Schemes is a mixed grant offered by Attorney-General's Department in Australia. The Attorney-General's Department administers a range of statutory and non-statutory legal financial assistance schemes. Funding supports eligible applicants with certain legal matters, including public interest and test cases, disbursement support, overseas child abduction matters, serious overseas criminal matters, and special circumstances matters.
2
Who is eligible for the Financial Legal Assistance Schemes?
- Must have a legal matter that falls within the Commonwealth legal financial assistance schemes or specified legislative provisions.
- Not eligible for assistance for criminal charges in Australia.
- Not eligible for legal matters under state or territory laws.
- Overseas legal actions are generally not funded unless under the Serious Overseas Criminal Matters Scheme, Overseas Child Abduction Scheme, or Special Circumstances Scheme.
- Funding is generally not available to people who can meet their legal costs without incurring serious financial difficulty.
- Funding is generally not available for costs incurred before an application is made, unless the relevant scheme allows reimbursement.
3
What activities are funded?
Legal representation costs, legal disbursements, and assistance for eligible legal matters under specified Commonwealth schemes and legislative provisions, including public interest and test cases, overseas child abduction matters, serious overseas criminal matters, and special circumstances matters.
4
How do I apply for the Financial Legal Assistance Schemes?
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