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Law vocabulary · Legal Professions

Legal aid

Meaning in law, with examples

nounCommon term

In law, legal aid means: Public funding that pays for legal advice or representation for people who cannot afford a lawyer, especially in criminal and family cases.

In Turkish: adli yardım, hukuki yardım

How it is used

People 'apply for', 'qualify for' or 'receive' legal aid, usually after a means test. Lawyers may say a client is 'on legal aid'. Cuts to legal aid budgets are a frequent topic in the UK. In the US, criminal defendants who cannot pay are often represented by a 'public defender'.

Example sentences

  1. She could not afford a lawyer, so she applied for legal aid.

  2. Fewer family cases now qualify for legal aid.

Common collocations

  • apply for legal aid
  • qualify for legal aid
  • legal aid lawyer
  • legal aid funding
  • on legal aid
  • legal costsThe money spent on a case, including lawyers' fees, court fees and expert fees; courts often decide which party must pay them.
  • pro bonoDone by a lawyer without charging a fee, usually to help people or organisations that cannot afford legal services; from the Latin for 'for the public good'.
  • lawyerA person trained and qualified in law who advises clients and represents them in legal matters; the general word that covers attorneys, solicitors and barristers.
  • legal adviceGuidance from a qualified lawyer about what the law means for a particular person's situation and what options they have.
  • clientA person or organisation that receives advice or services from a lawyer or law firm and pays for them.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Legal Professions

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.