The Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno
September 30, 2015

“Legal aid Is paid for by lawyers.”

Testimonies: the state pays fees after two to three years

[…] In perfect agreement the lawyer. Andrea Di Comite of Polis law firm: “Legal aid for the indigent,” he says, “represents one of the most important achievements of legal civilization because it ensures (or at least should ensure) that everyone has the opportunity to defend themselves and assert their rights and interests in court, regardless of personal conditions and economic possibilities.

He adds, “The now chronic delays in the settlement of fees, however, are an often unbearable burden on lawyers, especially the younger ones, who daily ensure the concrete implementation of this constitutionally and supranationally recognized guarantee.”

“In reality, years often elapse from the awarding of the mandate to the receipt of fees from the state, and the steady increase in requests encountered since 2009 (significantly coinciding with the unfolding of the effects of the economic crisis), risks making the processes of settling professional fees even slower and more uncertain. The further consequence is to undermine the constitutional right of every citizen to an effective defense, reducing the institution to a formal safeguard without significant impact in the concrete practice of the administration of justice,” Di Comite closes.

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