中国的法律援助制度（英）LegalAssistanceLegalassistanceisasystemoflegalremedyadoptedbymanycountriesintheworld.Underthissystem,thestate,throughoutthelegalprocessandatalllevels,provideslegalassistance,throughreductionorexemptionoffees,totheunderprivilegedofsocietywhohavedifficultysafeguardingtheirownrightsthroughthenormallegalmeans,becauseofeconomicproblemsorotherwise.Asamajorsafeguardtorealizesocialjusticeandjudicialparityandtoprotectcivilrights,legalassistanceoccupiesaveryimportantpositioninacountry’sjudicialsystem.Article34oftherevisedCriminalProcedureLawofthePeople’sRepublicofChina,passedonMarch17,1996,states,Forpublic-prosecutedcases,thecourtcandesignatealawyerwhoprovideslegalassistancetodefendtheaccusediftheaccusedfailstoappointadefenseattorneyforeconomicorotherreasons.Iftheaccusedfailtoappointadefenderbecausetheyareblind,deaf,muteoraminor,thecourtshoulddesignatealawyerwhoprovideslegalaidtodefendtheaccused.Iftheaccusedreceivesadeathpenalty,butfailstoappointadefenseattorney,thecourtshoulddesignatealawyerwhoprovideslegalaidtodefendtheaccused.ThisisthefirsttimeinthehistoryofChineselegislationthatlegalassistancewaswrittenintolaw.TheLawyersLaw,passedonMay15,1996,providesmorespecificswithregardtolegalassistance.Chapter6ofthelawsays,Citizenswhoneedlegalassistancebutcannotaffordtopayforlawyers’fees,may,inaccordancewithstateregulations,seeklegalassistanceinmatterssuchassupportingtheelderly,workplaceinjuries,criminallawsuits,statecompensation,andthegrantingofpensionsforthedisabledorsurvivorsofanaccident.LawyersshouldassumetheresponsibilityoflegalassistanceanddutifullyhelpthoseinneedinaccordancewithStateregulations.SpecificrulesforlegalassistancewillbeworkedoutbytheStateCounciljudicialadministrationandsubmittedtotheStateCouncilforapproval.Theseprovisionsdefinethescopeoflegalassistanceandrequirelawyerstoprovidelegalassistance.Inaddition,theylaythefoundationforfuturelegislationonlegalaid.Atpresent,Chinahasformedafour-tierlegalassistancestructure:1.Atthenationallevel,aCenterforLegalAssistancehasbeencreatedundertheMinistryofJusticetosuperviseandcoordinatelegalassistanceacrossthecountry.Thiscenter,createdonMay26,1997,isresponsibleforsupervisinglegalassistance,draftingregulationsandrules,mappingoutmedium-tolong-termplansandannualplans,coordinatelegalassistanceworknationwide,andconductingexchangeswithforeignlegal-aidgroupsandindividuals.Onthesameday,theChinaLegalAidFoundationwascreatedtoraise,manageandusethefunds,publicizethelegalaidsystem,andpromotejudicialjustice.Fundingcomesfromdonationsandsponsorshipsgivenbydomesticorganizations,enterprisesandindividuals;interest;proceedsfrombondandstocktrading.2.Legal-aidcentershavealsobeenestablishedinprovinces（autonomousregions）tosuperviseandcoordinatelegal-aidworkintheirrespectivejurisdiction.3.Thenexttierisprefecturesandcitieswherethelegal-aidcentersperformadualduty:administerandimplementlegal-aidprogramsintheirjurisdiction.4.Finally,whereconditionspermit,legal-aidcentersarealsosetupincountiesanddistricts;whereconditionsdonotpermit,theJudicialBureauofthecountiesanddistrictsshouldberesponsibleforlegalaid.Applicantsforlegalaidshouldmeettwoconditions:thathavesufficientreasontoprovetheyneedlegalassistancetosafeguardtheirlawfulrightsandinterests;andthattheyindeedcannotaffordtopay,inpartorfull,thelegalfees.Legalassistanceisrenderedbythreegroupsofpeople:lawyers,publicnotariesandgrassrootslegalprofessionals.Lawyersprovideproceduralaid（includingdefenseforcriminalcases,representationforcriminalcases,andrepresentationforcivilprocedures）andnon-proceduralaid;publicnotariesprovidenotarizationassistance;grassrootslegalprofessionalsprovidelegalcounseling,documentdraftingandgeneralnon-proceduralaid.InChina,legalaidisfundedbythreesources:government,socialdonationsandvolunteering.Thoughstillinanembryonicstage,China’slegal-aidsystemasamajorlegalinstitutionwillsurelyplayanimportantroleinrealizingtheruleoflawinChina,safeguardingfundamentalhumanrightsandpromotingsocialstability.
