There are two main types of legal aid, civil and criminal:

Civil legal aid

Civil legal aid enables people with limited financial resources to have a lawyer of their choice conduct cases in all courts and many tribunals. Those granted civil legal aid are expected to make some degree of contribution to the cost and, in appropriate cases, may even be expected to eventually repay the full cost of the services they receive.

In general terms, civil cases are those taken by private persons, as opposed to criminal cases when an alleged offender is prosecuted by the state. Civil cases include proceedings in the Family Court, Employment Court, Waitangi Tribunal and other courts and tribunals.

Criminal legal aid

This scheme ensures that people facing the more serious criminal charge who cannot afford to pay a lawyer from their own resources are provided, in the interests of justice, with a suitably qualified lawyer assigned to them by the court. People granted criminal legal aid may sometimes be asked to make a contribution to the cost, but most are not required to pay anything at all.

Legal Services Agency

The Legal Services Agency (LSA) provides further information on topics such as:

• When you need a lawyer and can't afford one
• What legal aid is made available for
• How to apply
• Who can help

The LSA provides information in English, Maori, Samoan, Cook Islands Maori and Tongan.