Legal
Aid

Legal aid (gratuito patrocinio), or State-funded legal representation (patrocinio a spese dello Stato), is the institution that allows individuals with limited financial means to be assisted by a lawyer without bearing defence costs. Legal expenses, including counsel's fees, are advanced by the State, ensuring concrete access to justice.

Scope of application

The benefit is granted in civil, criminal, administrative and tax matters, whether to bring a claim or to defend against one. In criminal cases it can be requested both by the defendant and by the victim of the offence, and it covers all stages of the proceedings, including any appeals.

Income requirements

To be admitted, applicants must meet an income requirement set by law.

The current income threshold is € 12,838.01, calculated as the annual taxable income from the latest tax return.

For assessment purposes, the total income of the cohabiting household is generally considered, subject to specific exceptions, such as conflict-of-interest situations. The ISEE indicator is not relevant and is not taken into account for access to the benefit.

How to apply

The application — i.e., the client's request to access legal aid — will be submitted by our qualified lawyers, upon the client's request.

Warning — false declarations. False statements or omissions lead to serious consequences, including revocation of the benefit, recovery of the sums advanced by the State, and criminal liability for false declaration.

Applicable law

The rules are set out in Presidential Decree No. 115 of 2002 (Consolidated Act on Legal Costs), specifically articles 74 to 141, governing requirements, access methods and operation of State-funded legal representation.