LEPL Legal Aid Service is a state-funded legal entity, providing legal advisory and legal aid services throughout Georgia for the individuals prescribed under the laws of Georgia. The inception of the free legal aid system can be traced back to 2005. Subsequently, in 2007, the enactment of The Law of Georgia on Legal Aid established the beneficiaries of this system, defined the institutional framework governing the legal aid services, and outlined the terms and conditions necessary to access the services provided under this legislation.
LEPL Legal Aid Service is to be an independent entity, accountable only to the Parliament of Georgia in Accordance with the Georgian legislative norms.
➥The Goal of the Service : providing legal services and raising legal awareness in society.
➥The Service activity principles: legitimacy, equality, independence and transparency.
➥Legal services include: legal consulting and legal assistance.
➥ legal aid is: provided in a free of charge bases, and is being reimbursed from the state budget.
Legal consulting is a legal advisory service available to all individuals (physical body or legal entity) refering any legal issue.
Legal aid encompasses various services, including document preparation, legal representation in administrative or civil proceedings within Georgian courts, representation in administrative bodies, and assistance in criminal proceedings. However, it is important to note that these services are exclusively available to individuals who meet the criteria specified by the Law.
The Service mandate of the LEPL Legal Aid Service extends to criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings. In exceptional circumstances, the Service has the authority to appoint a lawyer in an extraordinary manner. See here in detail
for the Legal Aid Service purposes, Individual is being deemed to be insolvent, whenever one’s family is shown to be registered in the unified database of socially vulnerable families. Also whose socio-economic index is determined by the Resolution of the Government of Georgia №424 . According to the aforementioned resolution: a socially vulnerable person whose rating score is 70,000 or less is considered insolvent;
➥In addition, a socially vulnerable person with a score of 100,000 or less is consideted to be insolvent, if falls into one of the following categories:
➥a member of an extensive family who has 3 or more child who have not reached the age of 18;
➥Military forces Veteran;
➥ Orphaned child under the age of 18;
➥A person internally displaced because of the military aggression from Russia against Georgia.
The Legal Aid Service provides legal advice and legal assistance through bureaus and consulting centers.
Legal Aid service is represented throughout Georgia in 14 cities via Legal Aid Bureaus in and via 42 consulting centers in various municipalities (see "Service offices" for details).
Consultation submition and its forms
Legal advice can be received at consulting centers and legal aid bureaus.
The consultant at the consulting center is empowered and authorized to prepare legal documents and provide legal advice to individuals who fulfill the criteria stipulated by the Law. The specific eligibility requirements for accessing these services can be found in the "Service Mandate" section, which outlines the scope and conditions of the Legal Aid Service. Those who meet the established criteria are entitled to receive assistance from the consultant, including the drafting of legal documents and receiving legal advice tailored to their particular situation.
Legal advice can be submitted in person at a consulting center/bureau, by phone and/or online.
Legal advice can be provided by the consultant-operators at the following phone numbers: +995 292 0055 or 14 85;
There are several options for submitting an online consultation:
➥Social network - Facebook: იურიდიული დახმარების სამსახური / Legal Aid Service;
➥E-mail: info@legalaid.ge;
➥Mobile application - LAS GEORGIA.
A mobile application was developed in 2021, through which you can get a free legal advice regarding childs fundamental rights.
Unlike the other forms of consulting, an individual can maintain their anonymity while receiving advice through the mobile application.
The application is available to anyone all over the world. The application can be downloaded on Android and on iOS operational systems.
In future, consultation via mobile application will be available for other categories of cases as well, including consultation submition in English and in Russian languages.
legal aid receipt time period and procedures
Receiving legal aid (drafting of a legal document, representation in court and/or administrative body) is possible at Legal Aid Bureaus.
At the Legal Aid Bureau a person gets legal consulting from a consultant, who also assists them in putting up an application for receiving legal aid.
Involving a public attorney in the criminal justice process is possible:
a) On the basis of an appeal of the accused, convicted and/or acquitted or his representative and/or close relative;
b) On the basis of a demand of an individual carrying out the process in accordance with the procedure established by the Georgian Legislation.
Involving a public attorney in civil/administrative law cases is possible:
a) directly on the basis of the appeal of the person or their legal representative who requests legal assistance;
b) on the basis of court decision.
An appointment of a public attorney is carried out immediately or within 2 working days, if an individual meets the criterias established by law.
In case of declining the legal assistance, the decision of the head of the bureau can be appealed before the Director of the Service within 1 month, and the decision of the Director of the Service can be appealed to the court within the same period.