For every minor who is facing legal problems, a lawyer is available. Within the juvenile permanent legal assistance, free legal advice is provided as well as the assignment of a lawyer.

The lawyer is professionally trained and bound by professional confidentiality so that every meeting or discussion takes place privately, and third parties, such as parents, school, police or the Judge dealing with juvenile matters, is excluded.

No discrimination is made: a minor, victim of a crime, or the perpetrator of a crime are both aided. Minors stemming from well- to- do families or minors from poor or low income families are treated in exactly the same manner.

For what type of problems?

  • Abuse can originate from the parents, family members, teachers, educators, law enforcement agents, etc… but also from other minors or you are being forced to certain actions against your own will.
  • You need counselling on the way in which you can obtain redress and the compensation amounts that you can claim.
  • If you are the victim of moral or physical abuse: at home, at school, in a youth movement, in an institution, etc…
  • You are a suspect regarding certain facts which could ultimately lead to punishment by the Juvenile Judge.
  • Also in that case you need advice of a lawyer who discusses the problem with you in full trust and confidence and who will analyse and protect your interests.
  • You are invited to pay damages or compensation for certain illegal acts which you have supposedly committed in view of avoidance of further legal proceedings before a juvenile judge.

Your lawyer will advice you on the way and on the amounts that one could possibly claim from you.

As soon as possible!

At any moment a minor can rely on a lawyer from the Juvenile Permanent Assistance organised by the Antwerp Bar Association.

Any minor in Antwerp will automatically be assisted by a lawyer, even without his explicit request from the moment that he is detained or from the moment when he is questioned by the Juvenile Judge.

At the start of the problems even before a possible arrest, or even before possible legal proceedings or in case a minor has questions, he can on his own initiative directly get in touch with lawyers of the Juvenile Permanent Assistance Programme.

Also third parties who are concerned about the fate of a minor, can in all confidence seek contact with the Juvenile Permanent Assistance of the Bar Association.

Every work-day from 09.00 am – 1.oo pm

At least two lawyers of the Antwerp Bar will staff the Permanent Juvenile Assistance Programme.

They are automatically informed on the occasion of the arrival of a minor.
You can reach them by phone from 9.00 am -1.00 pm directly on number: 03-257.89.51.
On other times, you can contact the Bureau for Legal Assistance. They will help you and if necessary, refer you to a qualified legal assistant or lawyer (tel.: 03-260.72.80 and fax /telecopy: 03-260.72.74)

One of the lawyers will deal with the case and will be involved from the very beginning, namely from the first contact with the office of the Public Prosecutor or on the occasion of the first contact with the Juvenile Court. The same lawyer will thereafter be appointed by the Bureau for Legal Assistance and will be appointed ex officio to follow-up the case, possibly untill the minor reaches the age of 18.

If the case has been followed up previously by your own lawyer, the latter will evidently continue to deal with the matter.

Should he however not be available at the moment when new problems emerge, the minor will be assisted by the lawyers of the Juvenile Permanent Assistance Programme. The own -lawyer will be informed so that he can continue his involvement.

Neither the minor nor his parents must pay a fee to the lawyer who has been consulted via the services of the Juvenile Permanent Assistance. 

This stems from the fact that lawyers, who have been assigned by the Juvenile Permanent Assistance Programme act by virtue of their office. This applies equally for regular members of the Bar as well as for the legal trainees at the Bar. They receive a small lump sum compensation from the Government.

AERTS Steven

ARNOLS Nadia

AUGUSTYNS Roel

BARTHELS Luc

BEHIELS Véronique

BIJTTEBIER Johan

BOGAERTS Nina

BOSSUYT Kristof

BRACKE Sarah

BROES Paula

BUSSCHAERT Wim

CLAES Frederique

COECK Sarah

CONTENT Fran

CORNILLE Peter

COSSAER Marina

COURTIN Annick

CROSIERS Ben

COX Kris

DAEMS Arlette

DASSEN Kathleen

DE GIETER Dirk

DE GROOT Brigitte

DE LOOF Pieter

DE PAUW Lucas

DE SCHEPPER Raf

DE SCHRIJVER Bart

DE SMEDT Sarah

DE WEVER Annick

DE WOLF Nadine

DEBROCK Theresia

DECKERS Marc

DIERCKX Caroline

DIRVEN Myriam

DOUWEN Ils

GOOSSENS Veerle

GOOSSENS Reinhilde

HELSEN Jan

HENQUIN Michel

HEREMANS Ann

JANS Stijn

KEMPEN Mario

KEMPENAERS Marjo

KEYMIS Lieselot

LAGROU Sylvia

LAMBRECHT Annelies

LIBERT Karin

LOODTS Lieve

MAAS Cato

MARISSENS Annelies

MARTENS Ann

MASSON Kris

MISSAL Jean-François

MORTIER Annick

NEDEE Saskia

NEEFS Martine

NOTELTEIRS an

PAUWELS Francine

PEETERS Christel G.J.

PEETERS Nancy

ROBBERECHTS Evelyn

ROEKENS Karine

SCHEERS Ann

SCHUTT Stijn

SEGERS Katrien

SMEETS Frans

SMET Kristina

SMIT Tanja

STEEL Michiel

STEVENS Riet

TALPE Ine

THOEN Johan

THOMAS Anthony

TIELENS Karen

TORNEY Silvia

VAN ALPHEN Marian

VAN DAMME Nathalie

VAN DE MERLEN Nathalia

VAN DE VELDE Geertrui

VAN DEN BOSCH Chantal

VAN DER MUSSELE Eric

VAN DYK Nathalie

VAN ISTERDAEL Ilse

VAN LAER Mieke

VAN LEEMPUT Paul

VAN LIERDE Catherine

VAN PUT Bob

VAN STEENKISTE Nicolaas

VAN ZAND Iris

VANAEKEN Bart

VANDEN BERGH Lieve

VANDER VELPEN Hanne

VANDERZANDE Karin

VANHALLE Katrien

VERHELST Rutger

VERSTAPPEN Chris

VREYSEN Britt

WILLEMS Ann

The Juvenile Permanent Assistance Programme operating with the Juvenile Court is a guarantee for the elementary legal assistance for each and every minor.

This permanent service was started in 1988: during many years already, a minor is assigned a lawyer on the day that the minor is questioned by the office of the Public Prosecutor or at the level of the Juvenile Court.

This means that in Antwerp one does not have to wait for recent legal developments by which a lawyer is appointed for a minor within two days after notification is received by the office of the Public Prosecutor.

This result is only made possible thanks to the efficient cooperation between the Bar, the Judiciary and the Court Registry.

For additional information on the Juvenile Permanent Assistance Programme with the Juvenile Court, one can contact the Bureau for Legal Assistance of the Antwerp Bar Association.

This service is also involved in the provision of legal aid to indigent people.

Office of Legal Assistance:
Court of Justice
Bolivarplaats 20/15
2000 ANTWERP
Tel.: 03-260.72.80
Fax / telecopy: 03-260.72.74
Email: bib@balieantwerpen.be

For additional information about the assignment, the operation and the role to be played by the Bureau for Legal Assistance, one can contact the bureau itself at the afore mentioned address