The Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) is an
executive non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, non-departmental public body (NDPB) is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to public sector organisations that have a role in the process of n ...
of the
Scottish Government, responsible for managing
legal aid
Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to c ...
. It was established in April 1987, under the
Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986
Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to co ...
, taking over functions previously exercised by the
Law Society.
In 2006 it had an annual budget of approximately £164 million.
History
Providing
free legal assistance
( en, 'for the public good'), usually shortened to , is a Latin phrase for professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment. In the United States, the term typically refers to provision of legal services by legal professionals for pe ...
in Scotland is based on the
Poor's Roll of 1424:
''"and gif there bee onie pure creature, for faulte of cunning, or expenses, that cannot, nor may not follow his cause, the King for the love of GOD, sall ordain the judge to purwey and get a leill and a wise Advocate, to follow sik pure creatures causes"''
This was reinforced by a 1587
Act of the Scots Parliament:
''"quhatsumever lieges of this Realme accused of treason, or for quatsumever crime... full libertie to provide himselfe of Advocates and Praeloquutoures, in competent numbers to defend his life, honour and land, against quhatsumever accusation".''
See also
*
Scottish public bodies
*
Public Defender Solicitor Office, funded by SLAB
References
External links
*
The history of legal aid in Scotland
1987 in law
1987 establishments in Scotland
Government agencies established in 1987
Legal aid
Legal Aid Board
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
Organisations based in Edinburgh
Legal organisations based in Scotland
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