If you find yourself
in need of legal counselling, you can get free advice and legal aid
from Retshjælpen or the Lawyers' Legal Aid (Advokatvagten).
Free legal aid is available in around 100
locations across Denmark
Normally,
Retshjælpen will only be able to offer advice orally – in other
words, you have to show up in person at their offices.
In some areas of the country, Retshjælpen
can also grant you written assistance with your case: e.g. lodge a
complaint if you have been fired from your job, or have trouble with
your tenancy agreement and want to file a complaint, for example over
rent increases or the like. Retshjælpen
can also help you file complaints against municipal and state
administrations, and last, but not least, can help you apply for free
legal representation in connection with a case filed in court.
The Lawyers' Legal
Aid (Advokatvagten) does not offer assistance in writing.
Eligible for Free Legal Aid?
In most cases,
you must meet certain financial requirements in order to be granted
free legal aid. You should therefore always
take along the latest annual statement from the taxation authorities
(Skat) when you apply for free legal aid.
What sort of cases can you get help with?
There are no
clear-cut rules regarding what sort of cases you can get free legal
assistance with. Theoretically, you may
receive free aid for any cases involving personal legal issues.
You cannot receive
free legal aid for commercial or business cases.
Read more about free
legal aid at the Copenhagen Legal Aid (Københavns Retshjælp) web
site here,
or find addresses and office hours for the nationwide Lawyers' Legal
Aid (Advokatvagten) here
(Danish).
