You have been accused of a legal offense and you now need to prove your innocence to the court. What do you do? Well, the first and foremost thing that you must do is to contact an injury attorney in Baton Rouge LA for professional advice. But, what if you cannot afford a private attorney? Don’t panic as you can opt for legal aid or avail the services of a public defender.
Most people fail to understand the difference between legal aid and public defender. In the following paragraphs, we have highlighted the major differences between the two to help you decide.
What is Legal Aid?
The term Legal Aid refers to the provision for the assistance of legal advocacy to an individual. In America, Legal aid is a non-profit organization that provides legal support to underprivileged victims and ensures justice.
Legal aid is a welfare provision. As per the guidelines of the European Convention on Human Rights, all are entitled to an equal amount of justice. Thus, legal aid is the lifeline for the victims with financial distress.
However, legal aid comes with its own set of challenges, such as,
- A victim has to appear for an interview and produce relevant documents to prove that his/her income isn’t sufficient to meet the legal charges.
- Legal aid is not available for the individuals accused of a criminal act.
- They also don't provide legal assistance for a car accident, medical lawsuits, traffic violation lawsuits, or personal injury cases
- There is no constitutional right to avail of the services of a legal aid lawyer for civil legal issues.
Despite the challenges, there are some areas for which you can opt for legal aid – like if you are a victim of domestic abuse. You can also approach them for family law cases, housing benefits, divorces, disability, immigration, and other similar public benefits cases.
The representatives of legal aid work diligently for free of charge to protect the rights of the victim irrespective of their social background. However, you need to do a little research on the legal aid of office in your town for a better idea of the cases they work for.
- Who is a Public Defender?
According to the US Supreme Court, no one should be denied the right to counsel because of the affordability factor. Each court appoints a public defender or an attorney who represents a defendant who is unable to avail of the services of a private injury attorney in Shreveport LA due to his poor financial conditions.
The advantages of getting a public defender:
- The officials are appointed by the state so the government looks after the legal fees and other charges
- They are highly experienced in handling all types of criminal cases
- It is the defendant’s constitutional right to appeal for a public defender if he/she cannot afford to hire a criminal lawyer.
The main difference between the two is that legal aid doesn't cover all the cases including criminal cases. Most defendants who avail of legal aid complain about the officers’ lack of competency, dedication, and inadequate legal assistance. But, the public defenders are hardworking, constantly available, and provide efficient legal advice to defendants with criminal charges.
Legal aid and a public defender are available for people with financial stringency. They have heavy caseloads and cannot provide a client with personalized legal service. So, if you can hire an injury attorney in Baton Rouge LA, hesitate no more and hire the best for thorough legal support.
