Legal aid refers to a legal guarantee system that 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. Special case means that according to Article 34 of the Criminal Procedure Law of People's Republic of China (PRC), the defendant in a criminal case is blind, deaf or dumb, or the minor has not entrusted a defender, or the defendant may be sentenced to death without entrusting a defender, and should receive legal aid.
Legal aid in China has the following characteristics:
1. Legal aid is the responsibility of the state and the behavior of the government, which is organized and implemented by the legal aid agency established by the government. It embodies the obligations of the state and the government to citizens.
2. Legal aid is a legal and institutionalized behavior and an important part of the national social security system.
3 recipients are persons with financial difficulties, the disabled, the weak or special objects designated by the people's court.
4. The legal aid institution shall reduce or exempt the legal service fee for the recipient, and the court shall reduce or exempt the case acceptance fee and other litigation fees for the recipient.
5. The forms of legal aid include both litigation legal services and non-litigation legal services. Mainly take the following forms: criminal defense and criminal agency; Agents in civil and administrative litigation; Non-litigation legal affairs agency; Notarial certificate.