In the first half of this year, under the care and attention of the county Party Committee and County Government and the leadership of the superior judicial administrative organs, our county’s legal aid work revolved around the theme of "standardization, innovation, and growth," taking public satisfaction as the standard. We actively carried out legal aid work, achieving remarkable results. In the first half of the year, we handled a total of 101 various types of legal aid cases, an increase of 65 cases compared to the same period last year. Among these, there were 99 civil cases and 2 criminal cases. Additionally, we conducted 15 sessions of legal aid publicity, legal consultation, and outreach programs in communities, towns, villages, and military barracks, answering over 3,500 legal consultations, distributing more than 20,000 promotional materials. In the first half of the year, the Legal Aid Center of our county was honored with the title of Outstanding Group for Women's Rights Protection in Jiangsu Province. The County Bureau was also rated as an Advanced Group for Legal Aid Work in the city, receiving one banner and two thank-you letters from beneficiaries. Below is a summary of the legal aid work conducted in our county:
I. Intensifying Publicity Efforts to Expand the Social Influence of Legal Aid
Legal aid is a new judicial system and a societal systems project. To make the cadres and masses of the entire county further understand legal aid work, we focused on three aspects: breadth, vividness, and long-term effectiveness. We utilized multiple channels and forms, highlighting key points of publicity, intensifying efforts, and creating a good atmosphere.
1. We carried out Legal Aid Publicity Week activities. From May 31st to June 10th this year, we conducted the second Legal Aid Publicity Week activity across the county. Departments such as the County People's Armed Forces Department, the court, the procuratorate, the General Trade Union, the Youth League County Committee, the Women's Federation, the Elderly Affairs Commission, the Disabled Persons' Federation, and legal aid workstations in each town participated in this event. During the publicity week activities, we toured and promoted legal aid knowledge, the State Council's "Regulations on Legal Aid," the "Jiangsu Province Legal Aid Regulations," the "Women's Rights Protection Law," the "Elderly Rights Protection Law," the "Minors' Rights Protection Law," and the "Trade Union Law" among other laws and regulations in eight towns and military units stationed in Licheng. We answered over 1,300 consultations regarding economic disputes, land contracting, marriage and family issues, damage compensation, workers' legitimate rights, and soldiers' relatives' rights protection. We distributed more than 10,000 promotional materials and accepted 11 legal aid cases on-site. The Legal Aid Publicity Week enhanced the understanding of the legal aid system among the citizens of the entire county, expanded its social influence, and broadened channels for poverty alleviation, assistance to the weak, and help for the disabled.
2. We used activities such as bringing law into communities, citizen hotlines, and "18 Square" events to widely promote legal aid knowledge through exhibition boards, distribution of promotional materials, and showcasing legal aid cases. Simultaneously, we utilized newspapers, radio, and television media to promote legal aid and legal knowledge, striving to create a favorable public opinion atmosphere.
II. Improving Work Institutions and Building a Legal Aid Network
Legal aid is a "people's livelihood project" where the government serves the people and a "hope project" organized and implemented by judicial administrative departments. Establishing sound legal aid institutions ensures that this societal systems project can be smoothly implemented, truly safeguarding the legitimate rights of disadvantaged groups.
To further build a county-wide legal aid network, we have established legal aid stations in all eight towns of the county. On the basis of setting up specialized departments for women's rights, elderly rights, worker rights, youth rights, soldier relatives' rights, and disabled persons' rights in the Women's Federation, Elderly Affairs Commission, General Trade Union, Youth League County Committee, People's Armed Forces Department, and Disabled Persons' Federation, this year, we recruited 106 legal aid volunteers from towns, villages, communities, government agencies, enterprises, and legal service professionals. A ceremony was held to issue appointment letters and provide business training, establishing a team of legal aid volunteers. Through the promotion of legal aid by these volunteers, legal aid information has been smoothed, enabling vulnerable groups throughout the county to promptly receive legal aid.
III. Establishing and Improving Systems to Standardize Legal Aid Mechanisms
In accordance with the work objective of "high starting point, standardization, steady progress," we have established and improved various rules and regulations for legal aid, continuously standardizing the operational mechanisms of legal aid work.
1. We strictly handle and undertake legal aid cases according to the "**County Legal Aid Implementation Measures," "Rules for Assigning Lawyers to Handle Legal Aid Cases," and "Provisions on Issues Related to Legal Aid Litigation Cases by the **County People's Court and **County Judicial Bureau." We rigorously review case qualifications.
2. In the process of handling cases, we achieved the "four unifications" in legal aid work: unified standards for support cases, unified acceptance of legal aid cases, unified assignment of legal service personnel to handle support cases, and unified supervision and inspection of the quality of support cases. This placed the county's legal aid work on a track of institutionalized and standardized management.
3. We established a target evaluation system for legal aid work, including the number of legal aid cases, work quality, and service attitude in the annual target evaluation content for legal service personnel, implementing reward and punishment measures to promote and advance legal aid work.
IV. Expanding Support Channels and Building a Judicial Administration Window Image
Legal aid is a "hope project" organized and implemented by judicial administrative departments. To effectively protect the legitimate rights of socially disadvantaged groups and fully leverage the functions of the county legal aid center, we continuously expand the scope of legal aid in the entire county.
1. We emphasize the role of legal aid stations in each town, closely coordinating with organizations such as the Women's Federation, Youth League, and Elderly Affairs Commission, discussing new ideas for legal aid work through regular meetings, forming a united effort across the entire county.
2. We actively carry out targeted legal aid for minors, the disabled, women, the elderly, and military personnel, extending legal aid to military camps, communities, factories, and towns and villages. In the first half of the year, the county handled a total of 51 women's aid cases and 23 elderly aid cases.
3. Through various forms of legal aid series publicity, we continuously improve the rights awareness of the general public in the entire county, creating a good atmosphere for legal aid work. As a result, the sources of legal aid cases continue to expand, and the number of aid cases keeps rising. In the first half of the year, the county handled a total of 101 aid cases, an increase of 65 cases compared to the same period last year. The expansion of aid cases not only helps alleviate difficulties for the masses but also significantly enhances the authority of the Party and the government among the people, establishing a good image for judicial administrative departments serving the people and addressing their practical concerns. It protects the legitimate rights of the parties involved, demonstrates the fairness and justice of the law, and highlights the position and role of legal aid work in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.
V. Conducting Case Follow-ups to Strive for Improved Quality of Legal Aid Cases
To earnestly implement the "Regulations on Legal Aid" issued by the State Council, actively promote the establishment of a legal aid system to realize judicial fairness and protect the legitimate rights of the masses, expand the social influence of legal aid, strengthen the construction of agency conduct, improve service attitudes, and enhance case handling quality, we conducted door-to-door follow-ups for the 83 civil cases handled last year. Through follow-ups:
1. We collected opinions from beneficiaries regarding the handling of cases.
2. We extensively promoted the "Regulations on Legal Aid" issued by the State Council, making society more concerned about legal aid work.
3. Beneficiaries felt the warmth of the Party and the government, strengthening the relationship between the Party and the masses and between officials and the masses.
4. We promoted the improvement of service quality by judicial service personnel, encouraged style changes, strengthened the concept of honest service for the people, and regarded legal aid as a specific action to address difficulties for disadvantaged groups in the county and as a practical measure by the County Party Committee and County Government to benefit, approach, and connect with the people.
Through the development of legal aid work in the first half of the year, legal aid in our county has become a growth point for judicial administrative work under new circumstances, opening up new fields and stages for judicial administrative work, forming a concrete window for judicial administrative organs to serve the people. In future work, we will continue to vigorously promote the legal aid cause and make positive contributions to promoting social stability and development.