H. Diram, Faculty of Law, Modibbo Adama University, Yola Nigeria
Amina Mohammed Ali, College for Legal Studies, Yola - Nigeria
ABSTRACT
Speculative analysis on the involvement of paralegals in the Nigerian justice delivery system is based on the need to promoting easy access to justice as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). This paper looks into the role of the legal aid scheme in Nigeria and its impact on providing access to justice to the indigent population especially those living in the remote communities where qualified legal practitioners do not want to go for a token. The indigent population on the other hand cannot afford the services of these qualified lawyers. Thus, due to their social status, they hardly achieve easy access to justice. It is due to this impediment that this paper through both doctrinal and interviews analyses the relevance of the paralegals who are aware of the rudimentary aspect of the law but are not grounded as qualified legal practitioners. The paper concludes that the paralegals quite sure have the idea of law and procedure, their involvement will in no small measure assist the indigent clients reach the desired goal, they are cheaper and accessible at all times. The paper recommends that these paralegals include the law clinic students, whose role will be impactful on enhancing access to justice in Nigeria. So there is need to permit the law clinicians to appear before law courts even if it is restricted to lower courts only for the indigent clients on pro bono services.
Keywords: Paralegals, Access to Justice, Indigent, Legal Aid, Nigeria
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