Justice
for all, resolving dispute without litigation, reaching to unreached is the
prime concern of Legal Aid Centre of BVDU School of Law. The Legal Aid Clinic
undertakes Continuous Legal Education Program, Legal Literacy Camps, Research
Projects, Women Empowerment, Juvenile Justice, Protection of Rights of Senior
Citizens, participation in Lok Adalat, Social Lawyering by PIL, social work
through NGO’s , Environment protection programs, free services in education
related matters & Social justice to poorest of poor through NSS camps.
To
promote Continuous Legal Education Program & to train young advocates on
family court practice & justice for women & children, Family Free Legal
Aid Centre was inaugurated on 23rd December 2012, at the hands of
Hon’ble Ms. Justice S. Vimla, Judge , Madras High Court. The basic objective of
Family Legal Aid Centre is to strengthen matrimonial harmony in the society, to
help women & children to solve their matrimonial disputes & to provide
social justice to poorest of poor.
Against
the backdrop of rise in family litigation, less number of family courts, slow
pace of gender justice, absence of
political will to strengthen the judicial system in India, as a part of
Continuous Legal Education Program the Legal Aid Clinic provides platform for
amicable mode of settlement of dispute in family matters to common man. Speedy
justice which is a fundamental right declared by the Supreme Court of India
under Art.21 of Indian Constitution, is more relevant & required in
personal matters. Delay is denial of justice in other matters; however delay is
death of justice in family matters. The
rise in the cost of litigation makes marriages cheaper & divorce costly.
In
family matters, majority of the people wish to keep the things secret, which is
no more true in the functioning of courts in India. The Family Legal Aid Clinic
supports the justice seeker in early resolution of their matrimonial disputes
keeping their personal matters confidential, providing amicable solutions by
legal experts at zero cost of litigation as per their convenience. The Legal
Aid Clinic is supported and guided by 20
eminent practicing lawyers, 4-5 marriage
counselors’ and family court judges. During last two years, 415 matrimonial
cases were addressed, wherein efforts were made to resolve the matters amicably
through counseling & pre-litigation advice.
|
Type of Dispute
|
Cases Addressed
|
|
Matrimonial
Disputes
|
165
|
|
Issues
relating to children
|
25
|
|
Live
in Relationship
|
10
|
|
Pre
Marriage Counseling
|
29
|
|
Re
Marriage
|
10
|
|
Guardianship
|
10
|
|
Post
Divorce
|
18
|
|
Senior
Citizen
|
10
|
|
Issues
of family members
|
122
|
|
Will
& others
|
16
|
|
Total
|
415
|
During
the course of counseling & resolution, young budding lawyers are encouraged
to observe & actively participate in outside court room settlements. This
helps them to learn methods of family dispute resolutions through counseling,
negotiation, mediation & arbitration. The activity undertaken by Legal Aid
Clinic is to complement & supplement working of family courts in India.
Gender
sensitization amongst law students, lawyers, judges, is the need of the hour.
Court room teachings with class room teaching is the essence of academic
justice. Prevention of commercialization in family litigations in matrimonial
matters, empowerment of women, resolving socio-legal problems of disabled,
& ensuring matrimonial harmony is the mission which we cherish at this
Centre. Everyone can bring change if he is committed. Courts shall be the last
resort in family matters as law cannot create love, litigation promotes enmity
but counseling can ensure harmony. Happy family is happy nation.
