Constitution, Article 18 | Right to legal aid

“If you appear in court in the Netherlands, you are always entitled to bring a solicitor with you. That, in short, is what Article 18 of the Constitution says. A solicitor has a great deal of expertise and can help strengthen your case. It is therefore very important that someone like this can ‘assist’ you during legal proceedings. Because not everyone can afford a lawyer, in certain cases you are entitled to a free lawyer.” 

“People who have a legal query don’t always know what to do. In such cases, it can help to first seek free advice from the Legal Advice Centre. I work as a volunteer at the Legal Advice Centre in Apeldoorn. Like all our volunteers, I’m a law student. People come to us with all sorts of questions. For example, because they want to get divorced but are wondering how visitation arrangements work. Or because they have a problem with their employer or their landlord.” 

“Once we’ve heard their story, we draw up a recommendation. For example, we find out what their rights are. We explain what steps they can take, or which solicitor can help them. Sometimes we also assess their chances of success should the matter go to court. This really does help people.” 

“I really enjoy doing this voluntary work. You can tell that people are grateful to be able to get their problems off their chest. Sometimes we come across some really difficult situations. I once spoke to someone who told me that her mother had just passed away and that her father had run off with the entire inheritance. At times like that, you’re not just there to provide legal advice; you’re also simply a listening ear.”