If your financial resources do not allow you to participate in a legal action in France, the State may grant you financial aid, which will enable you to pay your legal fees in whole or in part. Please note that if you are eligible, you will not receive any money: the aid will be used to pay your legal fees directly.
How can it help you?
Legal aid is reserved for people who cannot justify sufficient financial resources. For less complex cases, the Ministry of Justice's simulator can help you determine if you are eligible:
https://www.aidejuridictionnelle.justice.fr/simulateur
For the most complex cases, the eligibility rules depend on your situation. It is then advisable to refer to the simulator of the French administration:
https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F18074
In most cases, you may apply for legal aid online. However, if you wish to apply for legal aid on someone else's behalf, you must complete the form and send it by mail to the appropriate legal aid office.
Please note that applications for legal aid for proceedings before the Conseil d'Etat, the Cour de cassation, and the Cour nationale du droit d'asile (CNDA) cannot be made online. Instead, applications must be made to the legal aid offices of these courts.
It is also not possible to apply for legal aid online for proceedings before administrative courts and administrative courts of appeal. The CERFA form must be sent to these courts along with the other necessary documents (specified in the explanatory note).
Documents to be provided
When applying for legal aid, you must provide the following documents:
- proof of identity
- proof of income
- proof of assets
- proof of legal protection insurance, if you have one
- proof of legal aid if you have already used the services of a legal auxiliary (lawyer, court commissioner, notary, etc.)
More information
Online application (in French): https://www.aidejuridictionnelle.justice.fr/
Application form for legal aid CERFA n°16146 (in French):
https://www.formulaires.service-public.fr/gf/cerfa_16146_03.do
Explanatory note for the CERFA n°16146 form:
https://www.formulaires.service-public.fr/gf/getNotice.do?cerfaNotice=51505&cerfaFormulaire=16146