The condition for applying for legal aid is that the party concerned has not entrusted an agent ad litem due to financial difficulties. Therefore, the economic situation is an important judging factor when applying for legal aid, and legal aid refers to a legal guarantee system in which legal aid agencies set up by the government organize legal aid lawyers to provide free legal services for people with financial difficulties or special cases. Therefore, when applying for legal aid, the parties concerned should also issue relevant property status certificates.
Article 35 of the Criminal Procedure Law of People's Republic of China (PRC)
If a criminal suspect or defendant fails to entrust a defender due to financial difficulties or other reasons, he or his close relatives may apply to a legal aid institution. To meet the conditions of legal aid, legal aid institutions shall appoint lawyers to defend them.
If the criminal suspect or defendant is a mental patient who is blind, deaf, dumb or has not completely lost the ability to identify or control his own behavior, and has not entrusted a defender, the people's court, the people's procuratorate and the public security organ shall notify the legal aid institution to appoint a lawyer to defend him.
If a criminal suspect or defendant may be sentenced to life imprisonment or death without entrusting a defender, the people's court, the people's procuratorate and the public security organ shall notify the legal aid institution to appoint a lawyer to defend him.