How we help

The types of cases Legal Aid South Africa helps with

Provided you qualify for help, we can assist with:

Criminal cases - These are cases where you are suspected of commiting a crime.
Civil cases – These are cases where a judge needs to decide on a dispute between you and someone else or a company.

Sometimes an issue may include both a civil and criminal case. For example, you may be charged with a crime (under criminal law) and by another person (under civil law).

Cases you can get legal aid for

Legal aid is available for the following legal issues, including:

Criminal offences
Consumer issues (Consumer Protection Act)
Contract law
Debt issues (National Credit Act)
Deceased estates
Problems accessing payment of benefits
Employment claims, such as unfair dismissal or discrimination
Separation, divorce or disputes about children
Actions against the police, such as wrongful arrest
Challenging the decision of a local authority
Housing, such as threatened eviction
Threatened evictions from farms
Mental health, such as legal advice if you’re detained in a mental hospital
Domestic violence
Any case where your rights have been violated

Cases you can’t get legal aid for

There are some cases that we won’t provide assistance. To find out if we can assist you, first check that you qualify, and if you do then get in touch with us.