Sociedad Para Asistencia Legal de Puerto Rico

During the 2022-2023 fiscal year, Sociedad Para Asistencia Legal offered free Legal services to citizens accused of crimes, guaranteeing their constitutional right to Legal counsel. Services involved a serious felony, citizens were represented from the preliminary hearing stage up till the criminal process' conclusion, and the appeals process when necessary. In the preliminary hearing stage, we represented clients with a total of 7,143 cases. In the trial stage, 6,278 cases were concluded. During this period, Sociedad Para Asistencia Legal also represented minors accused of offenses before the juvenile court during every step of the proceedings. A total of 146 minors were counseled during the year of which a total of 41 juvenile were at the apprehension hearings, 501 charges for probable cause hearings and 489 charges in adjudicatory hearings in the juvenile court. For drug court cases, 191 clients were represented for an added 464 cases. Sal participated in 2401 report back court appearances in drug court representing its clients. In the special matters division, Legal counsel was offered in various matters, primarily to those clients in jail for proceedings before the parole board, the department of corrections, and courts in several post-conviction relief issues. In addition, during this period we attend cases on mental health law in some judicial regions. Including report back court. Since april 2023, mental health cases have been attended through "programa de Asistencia Legal en procesos de salud mental" (Legal assistance program in mental health processes). This initiative has been financed with funds from the coronavirus state fiscal recovery fund thru Puerto Rico fiscal agency and financial advisory authority (fafaa). Since then, we have addressed these matters in all judicial regions.