Asesoría legal gratuita para quienes no pueden pagar un abogado

Explicación Simple

Si no tienes dinero para pagar un abogado, puedes pedir ayuda legal. Tienes que decirle al juez cuánto dinero tienes y, si te aprueban, tal vez tengas que pagar una pequeña cuota.

Es como si necesitaras ayuda para arreglar tu coche, pero no tienes dinero. Puedes llevarlo a un taller donde te ayuden gratis, pero primero tienes que decirles si tienes algo de dinero para ayudar con el costo.

Ejemplo Práctico

Imagina que Juan fue arrestado y no puede pagar un abogado. Él va al tribunal y llena un formulario diciendo que no tiene dinero. El juez ve que Juan tiene algunos ahorros, pero no suficientes para un abogado, así que le permite usar esos ahorros para pagar parte de los servicios legales.

Texto Original del Estatuto (Inglés)

SECTION 17-3-45. Affidavit of assets of persons seeking appointed counsel; application fee; claim against assets and estate of person provided counsel. (A) A person to whom counsel has been provided in any court in this State shall execute an affidavit that the person is financially unable to employ counsel and that affidavit shall set forth all of the person's assets. If it appears that the person has some assets but they are insufficient to employ private counsel, the court, in its discretion, may order the person to pay these assets or a portion thereof to the Office of Indigent Defense. (B) A forty dollar application fee for appointed counsel services must be collected from every person who executes an affidavit that they are financially unable to employ counsel. The person may apply to the court, the clerk of court, or other appropriate official for a waiver or reduction in the application fee. If it is determined that the person is unable to pay the application fee, the fee may be waived or reduced, provided that if the fee is waived or reduced, the clerk or appropriate official shall report the amount waived or reduced to the trial judge and the trial judge shall order the remainder of the fee paid during probation if the person is granted probation or by a time payment method if probation is not granted or appropriate. The clerk of court or other appropriate official shall collect the application fee imposed by this section and remit the proceeds to the Public Defender Application Fund on a monthly basis. The monies must be deposited in an interest-bearing account separate from the general fund and used only to provide for indigent defense services. The monies shall be administered by the Office of Indigent Defense. The clerk of court or other appropriate offici