Legal aid (Verfahrenshilfe) in Austria
- Graham Crewe
- Dec 12, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 20
Legal aid in Austria: where to start
If you need legal help in Austria but cannot afford the costs of going to court, there is an official system that may help. The main term to know is Verfahrenshilfe, which is usually translated as legal aid for court proceedings. It may cover court fees and, in some cases, the cost of a lawyer. To qualify, you generally need to show that paying these costs would put your basic living needs at risk, and that your case is not considered hopeless or abusive.
Applications for Verfahrenshilfe are made to the court of first instance. You normally need to complete an application form and submit a statement of your financial situation, including income, assets and expenses. Austria’s official government portal says that the application can also be submitted online in PDF form, and the relevant form is available through the government’s forms service and JustizOnline.
There is also special support for victims of crime. This is called Prozessbegleitung. According to the Austrian Ministry of Justice, eligible victims can receive free psychosocial and legal support paid for by the state. This is especially important in cases involving violence, sexual offences, stalking and certain other serious crimes. The Justice Ministry also publishes official lists of recognised support organisations by federal state.
If you are not sure where to begin, Austria’s justice system also offers official contact points such as Justiz-Servicecenter, Amtstage and Ombudsstellen, which can help people understand procedures and find the right route into the system.
Finally
As one group member said: "I definitely recommend Rechtsschutzversicherung (legal insurance) to anyone here. We found ourselves in a sticky situation where it would have been good to have." It isn't expensive and is available from your household insurer.
The ÖAMTC also offer Rechtsschutzversicherung for drivers.
Useful official links
(in German but your browser will translate for you)
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