1. What is the financial means test?
   
To qualify for Legal Aid, the applicant needs to go
through a financial means test. The means test is to determine whether
the applicant's assets and income exceed the financial
resources limit for Legal Aid.
To satisfy the means test under the Ordinary Legal
Aid Scheme, the financial resources of
the applicant cannot exceed $162,300. The Director of Legal Aid has no
power to grant Legal Aid under the Ordinary Scheme if the financial resources
of the applicant exceed $162,300. The only exception is that the Director
of Legal Aid may waive the financial
resources limit in human rights related litigation.
If the financial
resources of the applicant are between $162,301 and $450,800, he can satisfy the means test under the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme. The Director of Legal Aid has no power to grant Legal Aid under the Supplementary Scheme if the financial resources of the applicant exceed $450,800.
For further details, please see the questions and answers
below.
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