Legal aid is often included in various types of insurance and in membership of organisations, including trade unions. Some people’s legal expenses may also be covered by the public legal aid scheme.
Free legal aid is a service established by the public authorities to provide people in a poor financial situation with the legal aid they require. This means that the government, in whole or in part, covers expenses and costs of legal assistance in connection with court proceedings and otherwise. The purpose is to prevent the loss of legal rights as a result of people not being able to afford a lawyer.
However, not everyone with poor finances is entitled to free legal aid. It only applies to certain cases that are considered particularly important to people’s welfare. Each case is considered separately. The conditions for the approval of an application for free legal aid are strict, including the conditions that apply to limits on earnings and wealth. As of 1 January 2009, the earnings limit for free legal aid is NOK 246,000 for single persons and NOK 369,000 for married couples/cohabitants.
Further information about free legal aid is available at www.fri-rettshjelp.no.
