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About Legal Aid
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Legal Aid was established in 1949 to protect the public from wrongdoing by the government, businesses, institutions or anyone else, it particularly sought to protect the rights of the poorest and most vulnerable members of society.
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The right to be heard in court – to defend yourself or right a wrong – has been a cornerstone of our way of life for nearly 800 years. The proposed cuts, which aim to save the government £350 million, will take a number of key areas such as medical negligence and family issues out of scope, meaning that even the most deserving cases will not have access to Legal Aid.
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In the current economic climate tough decisions need to be made, but these must be the right decisions made for the right reasons. What is currently on the table is ill conceived and unfair. Everyone is entitled to access to justice no matter who they are, where they live or how much money they have. Sound Off For Justice aims to give the public the voice to say no to these damaging proposals.
Principles of Legal Aid:
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The right to legal representation is a fundamental principle of a civilised society and is a cornerstone of our way of life.
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No one should be denied legal help because they cannot afford it.
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Everyone should be entitled to challenge the decisions of public authorities, institutions and big business and receive the help to do so.
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Access to justice needs to be both fair and efficient with the system free of waste, unnecessary bureaucracy and expenditure.
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The courts, their officers, suppliers and contractors have a duty to manage the judicial process with fairness and efficiency.
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The state has a right to recoup money from those who misuse the system.
©2011
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