Table 21
Average Priority Assigned to Legal Aid Needs by Focus Group Participants
| Applicable Sections Describing Issue in this Report |
Average Priority |
Need/Issue |
Average on 7 pt scale: 1 = not important 7 = extremely important |
Number of Respondents |
Range of Rating |
| 4 |
1 |
Increase training of courtworkers. |
5.8 |
12 |
3–7 |
| 6 |
2 |
Extend legal aid support to all final custody and access orders in family cases (rather than just interim orders). |
5.8 |
12 |
3–7 |
| 6 |
3 |
Provide adequate financial support for processes to settle family cases without trial. |
5.7 |
12 |
4–7 |
| 9 |
4 |
Increase PLEI on how court processes work. |
5.7 |
11 |
4–7 |
| 10 |
5 |
Develop procedures that more fully take into account the needs of FAS/FAE clients. |
5.7 |
12 |
1–7 |
| 9 |
6 |
Increase PLEI on how to access Legal Aid and legal assistance. |
5.6 |
10 |
4–7 |
| 2 |
7 |
Raise financial eligibility cut-off points for receiving legal aid. |
5.4 |
12 |
3–7 |
| 6, 10 |
8 |
Increase legal aid tariff to account for case work required to gather witnesses in wardship cases. |
5.3 |
9 |
2–7 |
| 2 |
9 |
Strengthen private bar participation in criminal legal aid. |
5.2 |
10 |
1–7 |
| 3, 6 |
10 |
Increase presence of courtworkers in all communities between circuits. |
5.1 |
12 |
1–7 |
| 7 |
11 |
Provide funding for telephone contact from cells to duty counsel during daytime hours. |
5.0 |
10 |
2–7 |
| 9 |
12 |
Move Yukon Public Legal Education Association to downtown location. |
5.0 |
11 |
1–7 |
| 2,7 |
13 |
Increase provision of summary advice by all duty counsel. |
4.0 |
9 |
1–7 |
| 6 |
14 |
Simplify billing procedures for civil tariff cases. |
4.9 |
7 |
4–7 |
| 6, 10 |
15 |
Extend legal aid coverage to divorce. |
4.9 |
12 |
4–7 |
| 6, 10 |
16 |
Extend legal aid coverage to spousal maintenance. |
4.9 |
12 |
1–7 |
| 2, 6 |
17 |
Strengthen private bar participation in civil legal aid. |
4.8 |
10 |
1–7 |
| 6 |
18 |
Extend legal aid coverage to Family Violence Prevention Act orders. |
4.8 |
12 |
1–7 |
| 7 |
19 |
Develop improved disclosure procedures with Crown. |
4.8 |
12 |
2–7 |
| 9 |
20 |
Increase community outreach by YPLEA. |
4.8 |
12 |
4–7 |
| 4 |
21 |
Increase co-ordination between courtworker structures and YLSS. |
4.7 |
11 |
3–7 |
| 6, 10 |
22 |
Extend legal aid coverage to division of assets. |
4.7 |
12 |
3-7 |
| 4 |
23 |
Increase courtworker assistance to clients in JP court cases. |
4.4 |
10 |
1–7 |
| 9 |
24 |
Increase provision of summary advice through walk-in clinic. |
4.3 |
10 |
1–7 |
| 7 |
25 |
Provide alternatives to telephone conferencing for show cause hearings. |
4.2 |
9 |
2–7 |
| 6 |
26 |
Provide funding and training for a civil courtworker. |
4.1 |
11 |
1–7 |
| 2 |
27 |
Increase tariff for mental health cases to account for need to attend case management meetings. |
4.0 |
10 |
1–7 |
| 5 |
28 |
Increase lawyer representation in JP court cases. |
3.5 |
11 |
1–5 |
| 6 |
29 |
Provide summary advice for "medium claims" cases (e.g., $5000 to $20,000). |
2.8 |
9 |
1–5 |