The Office of the Public Solicitor is governed according to The Constitution of the Republic of Vanuatu and the Public Solicitor Act Article 5(2) of the Constitution states:
“protection of the law shall include the following
a) Everyone charged with an offence shall have a fair hearing, within a reasonable time, by an independent court and be afforded a lawyer if it is a serious offence”
a) Everyone charged with an offence shall have a fair hearing, within a reasonable time, by an independent court and be afforded a lawyer if it is a serious offence”
Article 56 of the Constitution states that:
“The function of the Public Solicitor is to provide legal assistance to needy persons”
The Public Solicitor Act prescribes the functions of the Public Solicitor, namely to provide legal assistance to:
- needy persons
- any person when so directed by the Supreme Court