Applying for “l'aide juridictionnelle” or legal aid to pay for a lawyer and other legal costs

The application must be made to the “Bureau d’aide juridictionnelle (BAJ)” who will process it. Depending on the case, you can make the application with the “BAJ” in your town or in that of the defendant. 

You will find contact details for your “Bureau d’aide juridictionnelle” in this directory by specifying your postcode and selecting the “tribunal judiciaire”.

Next, follow these steps:

• Fill in the application form.
• If you have an insurance policy that does not cover the costs of the proceedings, such as your household insurance, also fill in “l’attestation de non-prise en charge”. If your policy partially covers the payment, you should specify the costs that are covered in this document.
• Send the application to the relevant “Bureau d’aide juridictionnelle”. Send the letter by “lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception”, which is the only way to have proof of receipt. Keep the postage receipt.
• Remember to keep a copy of the application in case you need it.

In the specific case of an application for an “ordonnance de protection”, or protection order, your legal aid application will be processed much faster than in general cases.

However, the process is different depending on the court. Contact the court that will be receiving your application for an “ordonnance de protection” to find out what their process is. To find their contact details, search this directory by entering your postcode and selecting the “tribunal judiciaire”.

Be careful to also check the “huissier” box when you fill out the application form after the section “Vous n’avez pas choisi d’auxiliaire de justice et vous demandez la désignation d’un ou de plusieurs professionnels du droit”. This will ensure you don’t have to pay the professional called “huissier de justice” who will deliver the order of the judge to the perpetrator of the violence.

You will receive a response to your application by post at the address you specified on the application form.

The response time may vary from a few days in the case of an application for an “ordonnance de protection”, to several weeks. 

In the case your application is refused, you can ask the court to reconsider its decision by lodging a "recours", or appeal. 

• You have 15 days following receipt of the refusal notification to lodge the "recours". 
• The “recours” must be sent via post to the same “Bureau d’aide juridictionnelle” which issued the decision. Send it by “lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception”. It's the only way to have proof of receipt. Keep the postage receipt.
• It is recommended to have a lawyer or an organisation offering free services called an “association” assist you in this process.

• It is recommended to have a lawyer or an organisation offering free services known as an “association” assist you in these steps.
• If the lawyer or professional advisor does not speak your language, you can ask someone you trust to go with you and interpret or suggest the use of a translation app.
• At the court hearing, the court will arrange for an interpreter to be present. If you do not speak French, notify them as soon as your application is submitted.

You can still seek legal aid or "l'aide juridictionnelle", for example if:

• you have been the victim of serious a crime, such as rape
• you have applied for a protection order known as an “Ordonnance de protection”
• you have received a document called “Obligation de quitter le territoire français (OQTF)” that requires you to leave the country
• you are in a situation that is deemed sufficiently serious under the law or "digne d’intérêt". To do this, it is essential to be assisted by an organisation offering free services called an “association”, which specialises in the rights of foreign nationals.