The aim of the campaign is to prevent Scot’s being denied an opportunity to raise an action in court because they cannot afford it.
At the moment, raising a civil case, such as child custody, divorce, housing dispute or a medical malpractice action requires to be largely funded by the person raising the action. In practice 70% of the case is funded by the individual and the rest by the state. Current plans are in motion to make your average civil litigant pay 100% of their court costs.
It is these plans that have prompted the STUC to take action by means of lodging a petition opposing the moves being made by the Scottish Parliament.
The crux of STUC's campaign is that the ability to be heard in court is a fundamental human right, which will become decreasingly readily available if subject to rising cost considerations.
The government’s plans, which will make it even harder for you to protect your legal rights in court due to costs, flies in the face of the current criminal court system which is entirely state funded.
