Rethinking Legal Aid

The independent review of legal aid in Scotland has published its final report and recommendations.  Whilst highlighting that the legal aid system in Scotland is much better than in many countries, the report also made many recommendations for change.  These include:

• Creating a consumer panel to represent current and potential users of legal aid
• Targeted public legal education and information programmes to improve capability of citizens to deal with justiciable problems.
• Maintaining the current scope of the legal aid fund but simplifying the process
• Establishing a new arm’s length body responsible for delivery of publicly-funded legal assistance and increasing public awareness of its availability

Read the full report here:  http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0053/00531705.pdf

 

 

 

Image credit: Thomas’s pics, Flickr