If you can`t solve your legal problem yourself and can`t afford to pay for a lawyer, VLA may be able to pay a lawyer to help you. This is called “providing legal assistance.” Legal aid is usually provided for criminal or family cases, but can also be provided in other cases, such as guardianship, violations, immigration, social security, mental health, and discrimination cases. Call VLA (tel: 1300 792 387) to find out if you are eligible for legal aid. To use our family dispute resolution service, at least one person involved in the dispute must have a lawyer and legal advisor. The other person can use our service without a lawyer, but we strongly recommend that everyone seek legal advice. Note that mandatory lawyer service is not available in all courts. Visit the VLA (www.legalaid.vic.gov.au) website to find a mandatory lawyer. Parties may be eligible to participate in the SRRF if at least one disputing party, which may include an ICL, has provided assistance to SRRF. If at least one party to the dispute is receiving legal assistance, the other parties to the dispute who do not receive assistance may also participate in the employment, either with their lawyer or alone if they are unrepresented. Any disputing party that has provided assistance to the SRRF may initiate the process.

Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) is a government-funded body set up to ensure that people who cannot afford to pay for a private lawyer can get help with their legal problems. If the issue is not fully resolved, you can ask us to arrange a second conference while your client is still entitled to legal assistance. If you do not agree with VLA`s decision on your application for legal assistance, you can ask VLA to reconsider this decision. Following the VLA FDRS conference, a Chairman`s report will be prepared recommending whether legal assistance should be provided for further litigation related to outstanding issues. It also makes recommendations on legal aid for other SRDF conferences. If legal advice from FDRS is provided, lawyers should prepare for the conference. To access the SRRF, a party or an independent advocate for children must have a lawyer. Parties may request dispute resolution before a court application is filed (early intervention) or after the court takes office (court intervention). Once both parties have agreed to move forward, SRRF case managers then speak to each parent or caregiver over the phone, assess whether cases are suitable for mediation and inclusion in the Let`s Talk Kids program, make recommendations, and arrange conference reservations. These conferences are led by the presidents of the FDRS.

Let`s Talk Kids services are provided by FDRS Child Consultants. We serve the wider community through information, legal advice and education with a focus on prevention and timely resolution of legal issues. We prioritize more intensive services such as legal advice, legal representation, non-legal defense and family dispute resolution for those who need it most. A chair will chair the conference to help you reach your own agreement on your family law dispute. They do not give legal advice to anyone. The service is free for your customer. This does not include legal representation fees. Your client may be entitled to legal assistance. Otherwise, they will have to pay your legal fees. VLA lawyers and private lawyers who provide legal assistance can help you complete and submit an application form free of charge. They can also help you get information to support your application. The amount you may have to pay depends on your financial situation.

For more information on fees and fees, see www.vla.vic.gov.au (click on “Legal Advice and Advice” and then on “Get Advice from a Lawyer”). In the left-hand menu, you will find more information under “What is a message?” and “What is a fee?”). To apply for legal assistance, you must complete an application form. The form contains questions about your legal problem and financial situation to help VLA determine if you qualify for legal assistance. We recognize the interfaces between legal and social issues in our work and are determined to change. We also work to remove barriers that prevent people from accessing the justice system through systemic research, reforms and policy advocacy. Our in-house practice covers four program areas: criminal law, family law, juvenile and children`s law, civil justice, and access and equality. We encourage lawyers to support professional participants at our conferences. This role is legal, not legal.

However, you may have the right to go to court to ask for further review. You should seek independent legal advice, as it is only provided within strict deadlines and under certain circumstances. Your lawyer will be paid directly by VLA. Your lawyer cannot ask you to pay for services provided as part of your legal assistance. If you receive an invoice from your lawyer, inform VLA immediately. To use the FDRS, at least one person must have a lawyer and legal advisor from VLA. An independent child advocate can access the service for a family. A person can use the service without a lawyer, but VLA strongly encourages anyone to seek legal advice. VLA can help a person find a lawyer. People who cannot afford a lawyer can ask for a lawyer to cover lawyer`s fees. In some limited cases, a mandatory lawyer is available.

VLA provides legal aid services to the Victorian community through our in-house practice, tied private lawyers, as well as funding community law centres. We have 15 offices in Victoria. VLA can help people with a range of legal issues, including those related to criminal cases, family separation, domestic violence, mental health and discrimination. More detailed information on providing legal advice can be found in the VLA Handbook for Lawyers (available at handbook.vla.vic.gov.au). On this website, you can find out how to apply for a legal aid grant, as well as the policies and conditions associated with the grants. It also explains the remuneration structure of private lawyers who provide legal aid. VLA`s Family Dispute Resolution Service (FSRD) helps people resolve their family law disputes. Following an assessment, the SRRF may organize a dispute resolution conference to assist disputes where a party has granted legal aid. One of the persons involved in the family dispute must obtain legal advice from Victoria Legal Aid to use the Service. To find out if your client is eligible for a scholarship, read the VLA Handbook for Lawyersexternal link. The FDRS is free of charge.

However, you may have to pay your legal fees if you don`t get a lawyer. By accepting legal assistance, you also agree to the terms and conditions of the grant and any special conditions explained in the letter you receive from VLA. These conditions are as follows: Lawyers are responsible for drafting the agreements reached at the conference. If the agreement is written, signed and dated by both parties, it is usually called a parenting plan. We recommend that all clients consult a lawyer before signing an agreement. Legal Aid Victoria`s Family Dispute Resolution Service provides family dispute resolution services to clients who are eligible for legal aid. There are certain issues and areas of law on which VLA does not provide legal advice. These include: If a case is suitable for FDR`s services, VLA expects the lawyer to consult with a lawyer for the Victoria Legal Aid Family Dispute Resolution Service before requesting a lawyer for a dispute. If you disagree with a decision to grant legal aid If you apply to a court for an educational order, the judge may consider the SRDS certificate when deciding your case (including whether one of you should pay the legal fees of the other). In most cases, however, you can only apply for a parenting order if you have a certificate from a family dispute resolution practitioner. Assistance with your application for legal aid If you ask the court for a parenting order, the judge may consider the certificate when making decisions in your case, including whether one of you should bear the legal costs of the other party.

If one of the people involved in your family dispute is eligible for legal aid, you can use our service. VLA may interrupt or change your legal assistance if you do not follow the terms of your grant or your lawyer`s advice. The Family Dispute Resolution Service at Victoria Legal Aid is our in-house family dispute resolution service. Where legal aid is provided that requires the services of a mediator, the Victoria Legal Aid Family Dispute Resolution Service should provide these services, unless there are compelling reasons. If you would like to provide feedback or make a complaint about Legal Aid Victoria`s Family Dispute Resolution Service, you can contact us at the number above or fdrs@vla.vic.gov.au email. Following a conference hosted by the Victoria Legal Aid Family Dispute Resolution Service, the VLA Chair and Counsel will submit a written report. In the report, the President will recommend whether VLA should provide legal assistance for disputes on outstanding issues. Since VLA`s resources are limited and the demand for legal services is high, there are rules on who can get legal assistance.