Lawyers' association advises needy district citizens

Status: 22.09.2023, 07:04 a.m.

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Symbolic image ©: David-Wolfgang Ebener/dpa

The legal advice center of the Munich Bar Association will also be offering consultation hours at the Starnberg District Court from October. If you want to use it, you have to prove your need.

Starnberg – At the district court in Starnberg, there will be an important innovation from October: The Munich Bar Association is expanding its legal advice center for needy district members to the district. Lawyers then professionally advise needy district citizens in court and provide "first aid" in legal matters, so to speak. The lawyers clarified the facts of the case and advised on how to proceed, the district court said. They help to find contact points and appoint specialists if special knowledge is required to solve a case.

In concrete terms, this means that on Tuesday mornings from 10 October between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., lawyers will offer half-hour consultations on the court's premises, provided that the citizen has previously proven his or her need by submitting appropriate documents (e.g. valid SGB notice, proof of income or bank statements from the last three months, pension notice). A one-time contribution towards expenses of six euros is to be paid for this. Advice is only possible once per legal case. All documents that may be relevant (such as employment contract, rental agreement, purchase contract, receipts, court ruling, etc.) should be brought to the interview. Registration is not required. But: "Advice cannot be given if a lawyer has already been hired or legal expenses insurance exists. Nor can an interpreter be provided."

Further assistance in the event of a legal dispute

If the lawyers consider further steps to be sensible, there is further help, according to the district court. The so-called counselling assistance centre can provide a visit to a lawyer of choice upon request. In the context of judicial proceedings, the needy citizen has the possibility, under the same conditions, of applying for legal aid (in civil disputes) or legal aid (in family court disputes). Whether this is granted is decided by the competent judge. If so, court costs and the costs of one's own legal representation do not have to be borne or only partially borne by the person seeking legal advice, depending on the personal and economic circumstances.

"Many issues are very complex, and often the legal matter is so difficult that the problem can only be solved with the help of professional legal advice," explained District Court Directorate Monika Andreß on the background. "What many citizens don't know is that courts are not allowed to give legal advice." Comprehensive legal advice and representation in court are therefore reserved for lawyers.