What people are actually looking for
Most people who search for free legal aid are not comparing law firms. They have a hearing, an arrest, or a notice, and they cannot pay counsel. The question is practical: who will read the papers and appear in court.
Government legal services authorities, including district and state legal services authorities, are one route. Cause & Case is a separate, independent desk. We are not a government portal, and we do not list lawyers for hire.
Where Cause & Case works
Phase 1 is Delhi NCR and Madhya Pradesh. If the matter is outside those places, we will say so. Filing from another state does not create a duty to appear.
The matters we read first are the ones where liberty, safety, or dignity is at risk: bail, wrongful arrest, fundamental rights, senior citizen abuse, and false criminal cases. Commercial, tax, and property disputes are outside this work.
What an application does
The form tells us who you are, where the matter sits, and whether paying a private lawyer would cause serious hardship. A person reviews it. You should hear back by email in 3–5 business days.
An application is a request. It is not a vakalatnama, and it does not start a lawyer–client relationship. We accept a case for pro bono only when we decide it is ours.
Related reading
Common questions
- Is Cause & Case the same as government legal aid?
- No. Legal services authorities are a public system. Cause & Case is an independent non-profit desk for Delhi NCR and Madhya Pradesh. You can approach either. Applying here does not replace a legal services authority.
- Does free legal aid mean every case is accepted?
- No. Acceptance is entirely at Cause & Case’s discretion. We decline matters we cannot do well, matters outside our regions, and matters that do not meet need and urgency.