Law No. ZRU-1175: victims of harassment and violence get state-funded legal aid in alimony, divorce, housing and child disputes

Victims of harassment and violence are now entitled to state-funded legal aid. For women and their minor children, it covers cases including alimony, housing, divorce and child disputes. The law is already in force.

The President signed Law No. ZRU-1175 of 11 September 2026 on improving social services for persons affected by harassment and violence. The law was published in the National Legislation Database on 12 September and took effect the same day.

It amends the Civil Code and the laws "On Notaries", "On the Protection of Women from Harassment and Violence", "On State Duty" and "On State-Funded Legal Aid".

Who gets legal aid

State-funded legal aid becomes available to victims who have applied to inquiry or preliminary investigation bodies or to a court in connection with harassment or violence.

Women and their minor children receive such aid in cases concerning:

• Alimony and additional child expenses
• Moving into a dwelling, loss of the right to use housing and eviction
• Establishing paternity, deprivation of parental rights, and determining a child's place of residence and contact arrangements
• Divorce and division of property
• Recovering property from another's unlawful possession and compensation for damage
• Reinstatement at work and recovery of wages

Other changes

• A victim may stay in a special centre for up to six months
• Women placed in regional rehabilitation and adaptation centres under the National Agency for Social Protection are exempt from state duty for duplicate marriage and birth certificates
• Powers of attorney to apply to a bank to restore a bank card, certified by the director of an "Inson" social services centre, are treated as notarised

What this means in practice. A victim who has turned to the police or a court can ask for a lawyer to be appointed at the state's expense. This includes family and housing disputes. To do so, it is important to keep documents confirming the complaint and the court proceedings.

Photo: Partha3003, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)