Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) may make a grant of legal assistance to a person for a Mental Health Tribunal (MHT) matter and/or for an appeal from the tribunal’s decision, if:
- The application is seeking to substantially reduce or remove the restrictions that the applicant is subject to
and
- There is a reasonable chance that the matter will succeed
and
- No alternative service (such as a VLA duty lawyer or other funded service) is available.
Documentary Requirements
Applications under this guideline can only be submitted via the standard grants assessment process.
An in-house lawyer or a lawyer on the section 30 referral panel seeking a grant of legal assistance will need to submit an application via ATLAS for assessment, including all of the following documents:
- relevant proof of means
- documentary proof of matter, which should include a copy of the notice of hearing
- documentation that there is a reasonable chance that the matter will succeed, and the matter meets the State reasonableness test
- No alternative service (such as a VLA duty lawyer or other funded service) is available.
Costs payable
Please see Fee Schedule 2, Table O.
Updated