Mr. Brent Gough, QC, Chairman of Legal Aid Saskatchewan, announced that it has launched an online application program, for people to apply for legal aid for their criminal charges and family matters. Mr. Gough acknowledged with thanks that funding for the program was provided by The Law Foundation of Saskatchewan.
The online application is available on the public website of Legal Aid Saskatchewan, which is www.legalaid.sk.ca.
Applicants can submit basic information about their legal issue and financial situation and receive a response indicating whether they may qualify for legal aid representation. If they may qualify, a staff member from Legal Aid Saskatchewan will contact them within two business days to complete the application process.
"This application allows people to take the first step in applying for Legal Aid from any location at any time. It expands access beyond the typical 8:30 to 5:00 workday," says Mr. Craig Goebel, CEO of Legal Aid Saskatchewan. "In testing, the forms have proven to be easy to fill-in, plus an applicant can save the information and complete and submit later."
Posters promoting the online application have been distributed around the province to court houses, RCMP detachments, court workers and First Nations band offices. This fall, the process will be QR code-enabled, allowing applicants to access the online application through a QR code on their smartphone.
About Legal Aid Saskatchewan
Legal Aid Saskatchewan is a quasi-independent Commission funded by the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General to provide legal services in criminal and family law matters to low income individuals in Saskatchewan. It has 15 offices throughout the province, and serves approximately 16,000 clients a year.
