You are not entitled to a free lawyer to help you to write the initial application. You can hire a lawyer to do that or write the application yourself.

If your application is admissible and communicated to the Estonian government, you may ask the Court for legal aid. You will have to find the lawyer yourself and pay for his/her services initially. The Court will only provide a limited amount of money for the services of your lawyer at a later stage of the proceedings. The amount it pays will be determined by the Court itself. Usually it covers the preparation of the documents necessary for the proceedings and correspondence with the Court. However, you have to be aware that the amount given by the Court may not cover all the costs of your lawyer’s services.

Remember that the Estonian government does not have a duty to provide you with a lawyer. Therefore, neither the Latvian Legal Aid Administration nor the Ombudsman will be able to provide you with a lawyer for your case in the Court.

Human Rights Guide

A European platform for human rights education