Criminal Legal Aid
You should apply for criminal legal aid as soon as you have been charged or you have received a court summons. Do not wait until the court day.
If you are granted legal aid you may have to pay some or all of it back.
You can get help to apply for legal aid from:
- a legal aid lawyer
- a Duty Solicitor at the court
- a criminal registrar at the court, or other court staff
- a community law centre (CLC)
- volunteers at the court, such as Friends at Court
- Matua Whangai workers (who provide support for Maori defendants).
Important
You need to take your court summons with you when you go to see a lawyer or apply for legal aid because it has information that needs to go on the legal aid application form.
You will also need to provide the following information:
- the offence you have been charged with (a court summons will show this)
- your address and phone numbers
- your date of birth
- income for the last 12 months
- any savings you have
- if you own a house or car etc, how much they are worth
- any money you owe
- how many children you are responsible for
- if you have a partner (married or de facto, including same-sex), you must also provide the same information about their finances.
Click here for more information on Criminal legal aid.
Youth Court proceedings
Criminal legal aid is not available for Youth Court proceedings, but the court will appoint a Youth Advocate to represent a young defendant free of charge.
For information about young people and the law, contact YouthLaw Tino Rangatiratanga Taitamariki.
