Every child has the right to free legal aid — from consultations to representation of interests, including in court. However, even parents are not always aware of this right and how to use it. What legal issues children may face, how to get help from a lawyer or advocate free of charge, and from what age can they apply independently — explain lawyers from the free legal aid system.
What questions do people ask lawyers?
Since the beginning of the year, the BPD provision system has registered almost 4 thousand appeals from children or in the interests of children. The largest number of such appeals were received by specialists in Zhytomyr, Odessa, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
In about 2.8 thousand cases of appeals, free secondary legal aid (assistance with applying to court) was provided.
The issues range from stopping bullying by classmates to engaging a defense attorney/representative in a criminal case. However, the most common issues relate to family matters—collecting child support from one of the parents, determining the child's place of residence, and terminating parental rights.
When can a child act alone, and when only with parents?
Children of any age can get legal advice on their own. They can use one of the remote services of the BPD provision system, for example, by calling 0 800 213 103, writing to lawyers at Telegram or Instagram or come to bureau legal aid.
When it comes to assistance with going to court, in most cases, the legal representatives of the child — parents, adoptive parents, guardians — should contact the legal aid bureau in the interests of the child. Upon their request, the child is assigned a lawyer or advocate who will help resolve the problem.
However, teenagers can apply independently for some issues. For example, from the age of 14, they are allowed to apply independently for issues such as:
- protection of their rights and interests in connection with improper performance of parental duties;
- deprivation of parental rights;
- recognition of paternity;
- cancellation of adoption or recognition of adoption as invalid;
- to minor parents - regarding the protection of the rights and interests of their child.
And from the age of 16, questions about:
- granting the right to marry;
- divorce;
- declaration of marriage invalid;
- granting full civil capacity.
If the child is a participant in criminal proceedings: witness, victim or suspect
To obtain free legal services for a child who is a victim or witness in criminal proceedings, their legal representative should contact the nearest legal aid office.
And in criminal proceedings to protect a child who is suspected of a criminal offense, a lawyer is appointed by the BPD system based on a resolution or order from the investigator, prosecutor, investigating judge, or court.
More information on how to apply to the BPD provision system: