Coordination in litigation activities: Helping the disadvantaged access justice promptly and effectively

Inter-sectoral coordination on legal aid in litigation activities aims to ensure that legal aid is provided quickly and effectively right from the time a person eligible for legal aid is arrested, detained, temporarily detained, temporarily detained or criminally prosecuted. The most practical benefit is to help them access free legal services, and have their rights and obligations clearly explained. To better understand this, we interviewed Mr. Nguyen Huu Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Justice, Vice Chairman of the Inter-sectoral Coordination Council on legal aid in litigation activities in Thai Nguyen province.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Justice, Vice Chairman of the Inter-sectoral Coordination Council on legal aid in provincial litigation activities.

PV: Can you elaborate on the purpose and significance of inter-sectoral coordination on legal aid (Laid) in litigation activities?

Mr. Nguyen Huu Son: Inter-sectoral coordination on legal aid in litigation activities for cases eligible for legal aid is an important activity, aiming to ensure the rights and legitimate interests of the disadvantaged in society.

Thanks to inter-sectoral coordination, people under legal aid (the poor, people with revolutionary contributions, ethnic minorities, children...) will receive full and timely legal support.

Furthermore, the coordination between agencies such as the Police, the Procuracy, the Court, the State Legal Aid Center... helps the case resolution process to be tight, without overlap, avoiding the situation of missing subjects in need of assistance, creating unity and efficiency in case handling, and the quality of legal aid will be improved.

In addition, inter-sectoral coordination on legal aid demonstrates humanity and social justice. Helping the disadvantaged access justice is a concrete manifestation of a state governed by law and respecting human rights.

Inter-sectoral coordination will limit wrongful convictions and protect the legitimate rights of people receiving legal aid. This will increase people's trust in the law. This is also a practical step contributing to judicial reform in the direction of democracy, transparency and people-centeredness.

PV: In recent times, what are the highlights of inter-sectoral coordination on legal aid in the province's litigation activities and what are the specific results, sir?

Mr. Nguyen Huu Son: Legal aid work in litigation activities has had many positive changes. The Provincial Legal Aid Center has advised the Council to issue plans for coordination according to the direction of the Central and the province, promote communication activities on legal aid; strengthen relationships and information exchange, introduce people eligible for legal aid between litigation agencies and the Center, ensuring that legal aid subjects are provided with timely information and early access to legal aid services.

From November 1, 2024 to April 25, 2025, the Thai Nguyen Provincial Legal Aid Center (old) has accepted 247 new cases for litigation. Of which, there are 208 criminal cases; 33 civil cases: 33 cases; 6 administrative cases.

The quality of litigation cases is increasingly focused on, legal aid officers have participated in many particularly serious criminal cases and complex civil and administrative cases. The quality of defense and protection of the rights and legitimate interests of the subjects is increasingly affirmed.

In all cases of litigation, the people receiving legal aid were satisfied with the service attitude and assistance methods of the support team and there were no complaints or lawsuits related to the legal aid cases.

Assistants and specialists of the Provincial State Legal Aid Center (Department of Justice) distribute legal leaflets and brochures to people.

PV: In addition to the positive results, there are still some difficulties and problems. What solutions will the Council and the Department of Justice have to overcome them and at the same time improve the quality and effectiveness of inter-sectoral coordination in the coming time, sir?

Mr. Nguyen Huu Son: It is true that besides the achieved results, inter-sectoral coordination on legal aid still has some difficulties such as: information and coordination are sometimes not timely; some agencies and units do not really pay due attention; or the identification of subjects receiving legal aid is still limited, there are still vulnerable groups who have not promptly requested assistance.

As the standing body of the Council, the Department of Justice has developed a number of key orientations to improve the quality and effectiveness of coordination in legal aid in this field.

First of all, we will advise on improving and perfecting the coordination regulations between the prosecution agencies and the legal aid agencies, ensuring consistency in the process of transferring, receiving and sending people to participate in the proceedings.

In addition, the Department will continue to organize training courses to improve legal knowledge and practical skills for officers working in legal aid as well as officers in prosecution agencies, in order to improve coordination capacity and correctly identify and fully support beneficiaries.

The application of information technology in coordination, file management, and progress monitoring of TGPL cases will be promoted to improve transparency, accuracy, and timeliness.

At the same time, the Council will focus on inspection and supervision work, promptly detect and have solutions to remove difficulties and obstacles in the implementation process, ensuring that the work of legal aid is increasingly effective and practical for the people, especially the vulnerable.

I would like to emphasize that legal aid work, especially in litigation activities, is not only a legal responsibility but also a social responsibility and professional ethics. I hope that every officer in the litigation agencies will always raise awareness and responsibility, proactively coordinate closely with the legal aid agency right from the beginning so that the accused who is eligible for legal aid will be supported promptly and in accordance with the law; ensuring that all citizens, especially the disadvantaged, have equal access to justice.

PV: Thank you!

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/phap-luat/202507/phoi-hoptrong-hoat-dong-to-tung-giup-nguoi-yeu-the-tiep-can-cong-ly-kip-thoi-hieu-qua-4de2ea9/