However, if you are a French citizen and reside in Quebec, Tunisia, Morocco or Algeria, among others, you can obtain legal aid under the same conditions as nationals of these countries. You can apply according to the procedure in force in the country concerned It is open to any person legally resident in France, whether or not they have French nationality, and for most types of litigation, whether criminal or civil, as well as for fees incurred to hire a lawyer and certain other experts, e.g. bailiffs. You must submit the application to the legal aid office responsible for your home. The competent office for your place of residence is in the annex to the decree of 7. December 2020 establishing the list and jurisdiction of legal aid offices: You can apply for legal aid regardless of your function in the judicial proceedings (civil party, witness, witness who assists, accused, accused, convicted, etc.). To obtain legal aid, you must meet the following 3 conditions: Yes, the France has a similar system called legal aid for low-income people, where the State covers the costs of court officials such as lawyer, bailiff, expert and/or notary and court costs (such as expert opinions, , social assistance report or family mediation). The amount of cost grants varies depending on whether legal aid is granted in whole or in part. The legal aid system in France is referred to as “legal aid”, often abbreviated to “AJ”. No allowance is paid if you are legally insured in your household insurance or similar. If you have a legal protection contract that covers all the costs of the proceedings, you are not entitled to legal aid.

If you qualify for legal aid, you can choose your lawyer. A decision refusing legal aid in its entirety or a decision granting partial aid may be appealed if you have applied for full aid. Model agreement on additional fees for partial legal aid In the case of a neglected minor, it is not checked whether the parents meet the income and resources conditions necessary for legal aid. The legal aid service responsible for processing your application depends on the court hearing the case. This means that your reference tax income does not exceed the limits for granting partial legal aid. You can consult the list of foreigners covered by a legal aid agreement with the France on the website of the Ministry of Justice. It can also be used for a court case that takes place in another jurisdiction in Europe, although since Brexit is no longer in the UK. Given the severity of the legal aid test, it is worth taking out legal protection insurance with your home, car and professional insurance. It is not expensive. The financial eligibility threshold has been raised to €1,000 for full legal aid and €1,500 for partial legal aid. The management of the funds was entrusted to the National Council of the Order. The unit value, which has not been verified for several years, has been slightly increased.

The French legal aid system, which relies primarily on the work of the legal profession, has not been fundamentally changed. If you have a legal protection contract that does not cover the costs of the dispute, you must attach a certificate of non-acceptance. Movable property is all movable property, i.e. your financial savings and valuables: jewelry, cars, furniture, etc. All your personal property will be taken into account when considering the legal aid application. If you are a victim of domestic violence, legal aid may be granted on a provisional basis for urgent proceedings. But then you need to justify that you meet the income and asset requirements for legal aid. Otherwise, you will have to temporarily repay the legal aid you received. Your lawyer`s fees will be paid in full according to the legal aid table.

Officials of the Department of State and U.S. embassies and consulates abroad are prohibited by federal regulations from acting as agents, attorneys, or in trust on behalf of U.S. citizens involved in foreign litigation. Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff, including its lawyers, do not provide legal advice to the public. For more information, visit the U.S. Department of State`s website on holding back a foreign attorney. Other factsheets in this series, intended to support discussions on the development of common EU standards on legal aid, include: Legal aid is the responsibility of the State for your legal costs. It is granted to people with low incomes and low wealth (savings and real estate).

To be eligible for assistance, you must complete the application form and provide proof of your income and assets. The application must be submitted to the legal aid office responsible for your place of residence before or after the start of the procedure. On this page you will find information about requests made since January 21, 2022. If you applied for legal aid before 21 January 2022, it will be processed in accordance with the rules applicable in 2021. On the other hand, the State bears all the other costs relating to the proceedings or acts for which partial legal aid has been granted (costs of expertise, social investigations, etc.). In France, the legal aid system is decentralised and the decision to grant legal aid is taken by the legal aid councils, located in each jurisdiction. The distribution of money to lawyers is ensured by the National Council of the Bar Association and the local Bar Association. There is no examination of the merits of the application, which is rejected by the Legal Aid Board only in cases of manifest inadmissibility or unfoundedness.