Legal Aid Saskatch-ewan has launched an online application program, for people to apply for legal aid for their criminal charges and family matters through funding provided by The Law Foundation of Saskatchewan.
The online application is available on the public website of Legal Aid Saskatchewan at 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 work day," said 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.
