ALSC Legal Services
- Legal representation
- Legal consultation and advice
- Drafting of pleadings, affidavits, and other legal documents
- Training and capacity building programs
- Clinical legal education program
Criteria for Accepting Cases
The ALSC accepts cases based principally on the following criteria:
1. Indigency. The ALSC follows the same Indigency Test currently being implemented in the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO). It must be emphasized that the indigency test of PAO is different from that of Section 19, Rule 141 of the Rules of Court. PAO’s indigency test provides as follows:
Indigency Test. – Taking into consideration recent surveys on the amount needed by an average Filipino family to (a) buy its “food consumption basket” and (b) pay for its household and personal expenses, the following applicant shall be considered as an indigent person:
a. If residing in Metro Manila, whose net income does not exceed PhP 14,000.00 a month;
b. If residing in other cities, whose net income does not exceed PhP 13,000.00 a month;
c. If residing in other places, whose net income does not exceed PhP 12,000.00 a month.
The term “net income” as herein employed shall be understood to refer to the income of the litigant less statutory deductions. Statutory deductions shall refer to withholding taxes, GSIS, SSS, Pag-Ibig, Health Insurance and Philhealth premiums as well as mandatory deductions.
Ownership of land shall not per se constitute a ground for disqualification of an applicant for free legal assistance in view of the ruling in Juan Enaje vs. Victorio Ramos, et al. that the determinative factor for indigency is the income of the litigant and not his ownership of real property.
To ensure that only those qualified shall be extended free legal assistance, the applicant shall be required to execute an Affidavit of Indigency, and to submit any of the following documents:
a. Latest Income Tax Return or pay slip or other proofs of income; or
b. Certificate of Indigency from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, its local District Office, or the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office having jurisdiction over the residence of the applicant; or
c. Certificate of Indigency from the Barangay Chairman having jurisdiction over the residence of the applicant.
2. Nature of the case. The ALSC will only accept cases that are consistent with a client’s claim of indigency. Thus, cases such as BP 22, sum of money, forfeiture, annulments, among others, will most probably not be accepted.
3. Venue of the action. As a general rule, the ALSC will only accept cases that are filed or are pending in Makati or Mandaluyong. Nevertheless, the ALSC may accept cases in other areas of Metro Manila on exceptional instances.
4. Instructional value. The ALSC will accept cases that have high potential for learning and academic discussion.
5. Merits of the case. The ALSC will only accept cases that discloses, after an initial assessment of the law and evidence on hand, that the legal services to be provided by the ALSC will assist or be in aid of or in the furtherance of justice, with due consideration of the interests of the party and the society. Necessarily, the ALSC will not accept cases that are likely to lose, or are intended merely to harass or injure the opposing party.
6. Ethical consideration. The ALSC will only accept cases that are consistent with the values and vision of the Ateneo. The ALSC, being a unit of the Ateneo Law School, in no case should compromise the established integrity of the Ateneo Law School by accepting cases whose cause run counter to Ateneo’s ideals.
7. Caseload. The ALSC’s caseload and availability of volunteer lawyers.
