Avenues for Legal Aid or Probono Legal Services for Singaporeans with Mobility Needs Encountering Significant Difficulty Leaving Home
Ministry of LawSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the legal aid and pro bono services available to Singaporeans with mobility needs who face significant difficulty leaving their homes. Dr Tan Wu Meng raised the query to which Minister for Law K Shanmugam responded by detailing various remote avenues for assistance, including online applications for civil and criminal legal aid. Communications can be conducted via telephone or email, and legal advice is accessible through video conferencing from the Law Society’s Community Legal Clinics and other providers. For those unable to use digital modes, the Ministry provides assistance over the phone to ensure individuals can still navigate the legal process. Furthermore, online self-help tools like the iLAB chatbot and automated document assembly systems offer tailored information and guidance for filing court forms remotely.
Transcript
10 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Law for Singaporeans with mobility needs who encounter significant difficulty going out from the home, what avenues are available for them to obtain legal aid or pro bono legal services.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Ministry of Law and our partners provide various avenues for individuals with mobility needs to obtain legal assistance without having to leave their homes.
For such individuals seeking civil legal aid, the entire provision can be done remotely. Individuals can and are encouraged to submit their applications online via the Legal Aid Bureau's website1, and can correspond with the Bureau online or by telephone. Similarly, for criminal legal aid, applicants may complete an online declaration and application form on the Law Society Pro Bono Services’ website2. Subsequent communications can take place over the phone or via email. If the applicant is unable to use online modes of communication, we will try to assist the applicant over the phone.
Persons in need of legal advice may also seek help and legal advice via video conferencing from the Law Society's Community Legal Clinics, as well as several other legal clinics.
Members of the public can also access various online self-help tools. For example, the iLAB chatbot on the Legal Aid Bureau’s website provides tailored legal information on divorce, family violence and issues related to COVID-19, and can generate simple legal documents, and the Community Justice Centre's online Automated Court Document Assembly and Generation provides guidance in filing certain court forms.