7,585 people filed a request for legal aids last year, out of which close to 4,300 were accepted. People who earn more than the national minimum wage are usually denied.
In the future, legal aids are to be regulated with the help of a graduated scheme, which will allow the government to cover up to 50% of legal costs, depending on the revenue of the person in need of support. However, if a request is granted, people will still have to agree on an hourly pay rate with their lawyers.
The reform also envisions to no longer ask parents to reimburse the legal costs of their children that were covered by the government. Finally, the reform will revise parts of the education program and standards for lawyers.
