Access and Equity in Australian Law

Section 1
Cost

THE IMPACT OF COST ON THE LEGAL SYSTEM
The cost of legal advice, assistance and representation is often so high that people decide not to enforce their rights. Concern about this has led to several inquiries into the cost of justice. The problem is that one's ability to exercise legal rights is affected by one's financial situation. The cost of legal advice is no deterrent to the rich, but may be prohibitive for the poor. In steps to improve the situation, Legal aid may assist people - but legal aid funding is limited and civil ca…