Get involved early.
In 2024, Ms. NTV (an elderly person from Nui Thanh commune) was the defendant in a civil case concerning "Dispute over land use rights and request to annul an individual decision." The case involved land plots numbered 654, 560, and 436/1.
This case was handled by legal aid assistant Trinh Van Hoang from the State Legal Aid Center No. 2 in Da Nang City, who defended the legitimate rights and interests of the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs, Mr. LVTr. and Ms. LTL, claimed that the land plots were inherited from their parents, requesting the partial annulment of the land use right certificate issued to Ms. V., the declaration of the land use right donation contract as invalid, and the order for the defendants to return the land.
According to Mr. Hoang, during the litigation process, the legal aid assistant focused on clarifying the process by which Ms. V. managed and used the land stably for many years, the declaration in accordance with Directive No. 299/CT-TTg, Decree No. 64/ND-CP, the land use right certificate issued in 1996, and the grounds for protecting the rights of the lawful land user.
“After a period of data collection and comparison with numerous records to protect Ms. V.'s rights, Judgment No. 25/2025/DS-ST dated August 7, 2025, of the Da Nang City People's Court rejected all of the plaintiff's claims. The result shows that for the elderly, legal aid helps them present evidence and protect their legitimate rights in complex litigation procedures,” Mr. Hoang said.
In Ha Nha commune, in 2023, legal aid assistant Le Van Huong, from the State Legal Aid Center of Quang Nam province, was assigned by Decision No. 07/QD-TGPL dated January 12, 2023, to defend the defendant NKGK (who is eligible for legal aid) in a criminal case for the crime of "Murder".
According to the records, on January 25, 2022, stemming from a conflict between PTT and PVTr., TVA invited L.D.Th. and NKGK to assault Tr. at Phu Dong Secondary School. In the men's restroom, Th. and K. beat Tr., after which Th. used a round piece of wood to strike Tr. on the top of the head, causing a traumatic brain injury with a total injury rate of 25%.
During the defense, the legal aid assistant focused on clarifying that Kh. was a minor, from a poor family with many children, whose parents lacked stable employment and had to work far away, thus lacking the means to care for him. The defendant confessed honestly, showed remorse, and his family had partially compensated for the damages.
“Kh. played a supporting, secondary role; he was not the one who used the piece of wood to strike the victim's head. At the same time, we request a review of the aggravating circumstance of “organized crime,” because the actions were impulsive, carried out by a group of teenagers, and did not demonstrate the close collaboration, division of labor, or preparation of an organized group of accomplices. Therefore, the legal assistant requests the court to apply the criminal policy for offenders under 18, with education and assistance in correcting their mistakes as the main objective,” Mr. Huong said.
Ensuring rights
According to the State Legal Aid Center No. 2 of Da Nang City, as of May 31, 2026, the total number of legal aid cases, including those carried over from the previous period and those handled during the current period, was 506. Of these, 363 were carried over from the previous period, and 143 were handled during the current period. The 143 newly handled cases were all litigation cases, comprising 81 criminal cases, 61 civil and family law cases, and 1 case in another field.
Among the newly accepted cases, the groups receiving assistance include 11 revolutionary veterans, 11 people from impoverished households, 2 accused individuals from near-impoverished households, 15 children, 35 ethnic minorities, 51 accused individuals aged 16 to under 18, 3 victims aged 16 to under 18 in criminal cases, 4 elderly people with financial difficulties, and 11 disabled individuals with financial difficulties.
Including cases carried over from the previous period and those processed during this period, the number of people receiving assistance includes 72 revolutionary veterans, 28 people from impoverished households, 30 children, 58 ethnic minorities, 240 accused persons aged 16 to under 18, 30 elderly people with financial difficulties, 43 people with disabilities facing financial difficulties, 2 accused persons from near-poor households, and 3 victims aged 16 to under 18 in criminal cases.
Mr. Luong Dinh Nam, Acting Director of the State Legal Aid Center No. 2 in Da Nang City, stated that the unit is responsible for the former Quang Nam region, which has a large geographical area and many vulnerable groups, especially ethnic minorities in mountainous areas. Meanwhile, the nature of legal aid is that those receiving assistance often lack legal knowledge and skills in working with files, evidence, and procedures. In many cases, if legal aid providers do not intervene early, people may miss their right to present their case, their right to provide evidence, and their right to request consideration of favorable circumstances.
“Besides assigning legal aid participants according to proper procedures, legal aid services must help those in need understand their rights, what preparations they need to make, how to present their case, and what issues they can request the prosecuting authorities to consider according to the law. For the poor, ethnic minorities, children, people with disabilities, the elderly, or those accused aged 16 to under 18, the timely presence of a legal aid provider can help them feel calmer, more confident, and not be left alone in the face of legal proceedings,” Mr. Nam said.
Source: https://baodanang.vn/khong-don-doc-truoc-phap-luat-3341603.html
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