The Judicial Department's Legal Aid Section was established on 23 May 2011, pursuant to the Administrative Decision No. 106 of 2011, with the aim of providing free legal aid to indigent people and impartial legal guidance for court users, in support of their right to access to justice. The legal aid is provided before or during case processing and regardless of the litigant's status.
This initiative comes in line with ADJD goals and beliefs in the provision of legal and judicial assistance to indigent people; and pursuant to the UAE constitution which stipulates that everyone should be given access to a natural judge, and that economic and social circumstances must not preclude anyone from getting access to Justice.
Taking an appointment online:
Legal Aid forms:
- Counselling and guidance form
- External service form
Legal Aid goals and terms of reference:
- Provision of legal aid and legal consultations for all court users.
- Provision of free legal aid for indigent people before and during case processing whether filed by or against them, in coordination with the concerned parties.
Beneficiaries:
All court users may benefit from the legal guidance services provided by the section legal researchers either through personal attendance or on the phone. Besides ADJD may support indigent people through the payment of lawyer and expert fees, and the costs of notices publicized in newspapers subject to the terms of eligibility: seriousness of the application and applicant's income.
Methods of providing services to the public:
1. Legal guidance - personal attendance
Provision of legal consultations and guidance to court users, attending personally at the Section, without prejudice to the principle of impartiality and neutrality, and in relation to cases filed by or against them at all stages of litigation.
2. Legal guidance - by telephone
Provision of legal consultations and guidance without prejudice to the principle of impartiality and neutrality, through the call center, where applicants may call the contact numbers of the Legal Aid Section.
3. Application to assign a lawyer
A lawyer is appointed to defend indigent litigants in all stages of the cases head before ADJD courts, in accordance with the approved standards.
4. Payment of expert fees
ADJD shall bear the expert fees in full, when indigent people are ordered under a court judgment to have an expert assigned for studying the case filed by or against them, provided that such fee shall be reimbursed after the final judgment from the non-beneficiary party ordered to bear the expenses.
5. Costs of notice service by publication
ADJD shall bear the expenses of serving notices by publication in newspapers when indigent people are ordered under a court judgment to do so for cases filed by them.
Working hours of Legal Aid Office
The section provides its services during the official working hours from 07:30 am to 2:00 pm during official working days.
Contact numbers:
- Abu Dhabi: 026512926 – 026512657 – 026513074 - 026513732
- Al Ain: 037047273 - 037047160
- Yaher: 037047525
Western Region: 026513172
