"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
Letter from a Birmingham Jail. 16 April 1963. Martin Luther King
PRO BONO LITIGATION
At my sole and exclusive discretion, subject to my capacity, qualification, and resource, I will consider acting pro bono in cases I consider to be publicly important where I consider serious injustice is present. My willingness to help pro bono is partly spiritual but mostly because it's the decent thing to do. I take on at least one large pro bono case per year.
Email me at jess@jmathlaw.com
Email me at jess@jmathlaw.com
LOW BONO OR LEGAL AID
Most cases pitched to me do not reach the threshold of pro bono work. All cases are important to the particular litigant, but not all litigation has the quality of being able to add to a body of case law or provide a precedent for similarly vulnerable litigants. At my sole and exclusive discretion, subject to my capacity, qualification, and resource, from time to time I may consider acting 'low bono' for a particular client. A low bono fee structure will have a fixed fee or hourly rate significantly reduced from my ordinary fees required for such litigation. Alternatively, there may be special circumstances that mean I will consider seeking limited approval to act on legal aid remuneration for your case. In the interests of disclosure, I detest the administration involved with legal aid but will endure if the case compels this.
Please note
The types of litigation that myself and colleagues may consider acting pro bono, low bono, or legally aided in, do tend to be of a kind that require the use of expert witnesses and private detectives. In my experience to date, I have not been able to source expert witnesses and/or private detectives who are willing to engage on a pro bono or lowered fee basis. As such, if legal aid does not cover the use of such experts, then the client will need to pay a retainer to the solicitor's trust account to cover the cost of such experts and private detectives. In some cases, legal aid may only partially cover the third party's fees, in which case the client will be required to make up the difference.
Notable Pro Bono, 'Low Bono', or legally aided work
2023
Mother v OT and DH
Senior Counsel: Doctor Rodney Harrison KC
Junior Counsel: Jessica Matheson
Historic and unprecedented civil litigation. It is an honour for my client to have this historic case led by New Zealand's most senior public law 'silk' .
Senior Counsel: Doctor Rodney Harrison KC
Junior Counsel: Jessica Matheson
Historic and unprecedented civil litigation. It is an honour for my client to have this historic case led by New Zealand's most senior public law 'silk' .
Police v X
Counsel: Jessica Matheson
Test litigation relating to police procedure on requesting a blood specimen to be taken. Coming soon...
Counsel: Jessica Matheson
Test litigation relating to police procedure on requesting a blood specimen to be taken. Coming soon...
Police v U
Counsel: Jessica Matheson
Test litigation relating to the defence of special circumstances under the Land Transport Act 1998 - looking after a vulnerable person who recently had an abortion. Coming soon...
Counsel: Jessica Matheson
Test litigation relating to the defence of special circumstances under the Land Transport Act 1998 - looking after a vulnerable person who recently had an abortion. Coming soon...
2022
Mother v OT and DH
Senior Counsel: Doctor Rodney Harrison KC
Junior Counsel: Jessica Matheson
Historic and unprecedented civil litigation. It is an honour for my client to have this historic case led by New Zealand's most senior public law 'silk' .
Senior Counsel: Doctor Rodney Harrison KC
Junior Counsel: Jessica Matheson
Historic and unprecedented civil litigation. It is an honour for my client to have this historic case led by New Zealand's most senior public law 'silk' .
2021
Mother v OT and DH and LW and IU
Lead Counsel: Jessica Matheson
Fierce Family Court and High Court public litigation. Continued into 2022
Lead Counsel: Jessica Matheson
Fierce Family Court and High Court public litigation. Continued into 2022
Commissioner of Police v N
Lead Counsel: Jessica Matheson
Assisting Counsel: Mike Lennard (Tax litigation specialist)
Test litigation regarding whether income upon which tax has not be declared can be said to be a "benefit" under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.
I am grateful to my client for being willing to test this argument.
Assisting Counsel: Mike Lennard (Tax litigation specialist)
Test litigation regarding whether income upon which tax has not be declared can be said to be a "benefit" under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.
I am grateful to my client for being willing to test this argument.
2020
Wallace v Attorney-General and Commissioner of Police [2021] NZHC 1963
Breach of the right to life under the NZ Bill of Rights Act 1990
Work assisting Graeme Minchin concerning the most controversial police killing in New Zealand history: the killing of Steven Wallace in Waitara's main street in 2000.
Steven Wallace - shot multiple times and killed by Senior Constable and AOS Member William Keith Abbott during the early hours of Sunday morning, 30 April 2000. William Abbott was acquitted for killing Steven after a privately prosecuted trial in 2003.
