VPRS 3819 Case Files (Sample Only)

Full description

The Legal Aid Committee was established in 1963 under the provisions of the Legal Aid Act 1961 to provide legal representation and administer the Legal Aid Fund. Representation could be provided for those persons ineligible for aid from the Office of the Public Solicitor in civil, criminal and matrimonial matters. Subsequent to the passing of the Legal Aid Act 1969, the Legal Aid Committee assumed responsibility for providing assistance in civil and matrimonial cases whilst the Office of the Public Solicitor continued to provide aid in criminal matters.

With the passing of the Legal Aid Commission Act 1978 (No 3548) (operation commencing in 1981) the provision of legal aid, which had previously been provided by the Office of the Public Solicitor (VA 2282), the Legal Aid Committee (VA 878) and the Australian Legal Aid Office (CA1851) was rationalised under the control of a single body. The Legal Aid Commission of Victoria (VA 877), now Victoria Legal Aid, was to provide all legal aid and administer a Fund created for the purpose with contributions from both the State and Commonwealth.

The series in custody consists of a sample of the case files of the Legal Aid Committee, with a file having been created for each application to the Committee for legal aid. Files contain detailed personal particulars of the applicant, detailed statements of the financial position of the applicant including income, assets and liabilities and detailed statements regarding the matter for which legal aid was sought. These matters could be criminal, civil, matrimonial causes or Workers Compensation matters. In criminal matters details of prior convictions were included.

Other documents in the file could include correspondence between the Legal Aid Committee and the applicant, solicitors and counsel, witnesses and others. Files may contain medical and/or psychiatric reports, copies of legal advice sought and given regarding the matter and copies of judgments made such as the decree nisi in divorce cases.

The series is summarised in VPRS 8703 Minutes [of the Legal Aid Committee]. The minutes of each meeting of the Committee include a list of applications for legal aid (applicants surname, type of case and the Committees decision); reports on particular cases or further details of cases for which application for aid had been made; and lists of completed cases which latterly could include the solicitors name and costs and counsels name and costs.