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Access to justice has been seriously curtailed by the erosion of legal aid and the underfunding of our judicial institutions. Amnesty International recently reported that the justice system is “increasingly closed to the poorest, most vulnerable and most in need of its protection”.
Should members of the public help to make up the deficit? Access to justice is primarily the responsibility of government. At one time many of us took the view that pro bono contributions both to funding and unpaid professional services merely encouraged government to make even more cuts, but it has become clear that they need no such excuse. Where an issue arises which demands court action, should sympathetic citizens not be free to give their support, financial and otherwise?
