VPRS 5273 Case Files (Sample Only)

Full description

The Australian Legal Aid Office was established in Victoria as of September 1973 under the control of the Commonwealth Attorney-General. As described by the National Archives of Australia: The principal function of the office was to provide legal advice and assistance, on matters of federal law, to everyone in need; and on matters of both Federal and State law, to persons for whom the Commonwealth Government had a special responsibility.

These files were created for each substantial matter brought to the Office by a client seeking legal aid and recorded information about the administration of applications for aid and the provision of that aid to clients.

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 (VA 4150 and also Commonwealth Agency, CA1851) was rationalised under the control of a single body. The Legal Aid Commission of Victoria (VA 877), now Victoria Legal Aid (VA 4160), was to provide all legal aid and administer a Fund created for the purpose with contributions from both the State and Commonwealth.

As part of the arrangements and agreements which might be entered into with the Commonwealth, one of the areas which the Act stated might be covered was:

the taking over possession and use by the Commission of such office accommodation, furniture, records and equipment of the Australian Legal Aid Office as is appropriate to the functions and needs of the Commission.

Almost all National Archives of Australia documentation of series relating to the Australian Legal Aid Office states that the Attorney-Generals Department considered as the function of Legal Aid is now a State responsibility the States and Territories should have responsibility for the ALAO records.

The series in custody consists of a sample of the client files created by the Melbourne Office of the Australian Legal Aid Office. From mid-1975 all file numbers had the prefix M to indicate this and to distinguish the Melbourne office records from those kept by branch offices at Brunswick, Glenroy, Sunshine and Geelong.

Papers on the file usually consisted of an application for aid and the determination of eligibility, correspondence with solicitors and counsel representing the client including Bills of Costs and in some cases, particularly in Family Law matters, details of the case either in summary form or as copies of the primary document submitted to the Court such as a divorce petition.