One Quebecer in two without a lawyer before the judge

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People who are less fortunate can not always afford the services of a lawyer in a case before the court.

Vincent Larin

Sunday, 28 January, 2018 01:00

UPDATE
Sunday, 28 January, 2018 01:00

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One Quebecer in two stand alone before the court, according to an organization that is concerned about this situation due to the aging of the population and the legalization imminent in the cannabis plant.

“With increasing inequality, people have less money, but those who have a lot always get more, then the lawyers can afford to charge more more expensive,” muses the director-general of Juripop, Sophie Gagnon.

This is why the organization that advocates for access to justice will organize several free consultations with lawyers in the metro next month.

Change lives

During them, people lacking will be able to consult for 10 to 15 minutes by a notary public or a lawyer without even having to give their name.

“It is sure that it does not expect to settle a divorce in 15 minutes, but often we can give an advice to people that will change their lives,” says Ms. Gagnon.

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Sophie Gagnon, DG Juripop

False ideas

Elder abuse and the legal issues surrounding the use of cannabis, among other things, in the world of work, are likely to become increasingly common in the coming years, ” she says.

And there are still too many Quebecers have false ideas in the face of the justice system, believes Sophie Gagnon.

“You don devineriez never how many people come to see us, thinking that making a complaint to the police costs money, when, in fact, it is paid by the State,” gives it as an example.

A lot of people earn too much money to have access to legal aid, but not enough to pay a lawyer several hundred dollars for a meeting.

“Anyone who makes more than a hundred of the hour as the minimum wage full-time is too rich for legal aid,” says Ms. Gagnon.

The choice of the month of February, proclaimed a ” month of justice “, is also well calculated. “This is the busiest month in the courts. In the winter, after the holidays, people go out little and often choose this time to address problems in the paperwork, ” explains the director general.

Fraud

Comedian Patrick Labbé, the victim of a fraud for having participated in the filming of a fake tv series in the spring of 2015, has agreed to promote the event.

“I had resources in my union […], but this is not all the world has lawyers in his entourage to be able to ask questions,” he explains.

The legal clinics of Juripop will be held at the Berri-UQAM station every Monday from tomorrow until the 26th of February from 12 h to 18 h.

Little accessible

20 475 $ maximum income for access to free legal aid

71,39 % of Quebecers earn less than $ 50,000 per year

Examples of cases that frequently come back to clinics Juripop

• Tenants threatened with eviction
• Employees harassed psychologically
• Immigrants seeking to regularize their status
• Crime victims seeking compensation

Sources : community legal Centre of the Québec and Revenu Québec