Legal Identity Program team with Chief Judge, Drs H. Rahmat Afandi, Deputy Chief Judge, Drs. H.Harum Rendeng, SH, MH, Registrar, Drs Dadang Zaenal, Dr Deni Kamaluddin Yusuf and Dr Ramdani Wahyu of the UIN Bandung BKLHK.
Law students provide legal advisory services at Sumedang religious court
On 27 November 2014, AIPJ Legal Identity Program visited Universitas Islam Negeri Bandung’s legal aid clinic located outside the religious court of Sumedang (PA Sumedang) in West Java. Dr DeniKamaluddin Yusuf, M. Ag who actively supports the clinic, Biro KonsultasidanLayananHukum Keluarga (BKLHK) invited AIPJ to see the clinic’s daily activities in assisting clients.Pak Deni was one of five professors who visited Monash University to observe the Family Law Assistance Program (FLAP) in July 2013.
The work of BKLHK is far-reaching. Every day from 7.30am until 2pm it provides the only free legal advice service to the community. Daily 15 to 20 justice seekers receive assistance. The legal aid clinic also gives students the experience of interviewing and providing advice to the community.As we sat in the clinic, we watched people come and explain their legal issues. The students listened, gave advice, and helped process legal documents required to register their cases at the court.The clinic hopes to offer legal aid services at other religious courts in West Java in the future.
The AIPJ Legal Identity Team then visited PA Sumedang and spoke with Chief Judge, Drs H. RahmatAfandi, Deputy Chief Judge, Drs H. Harum Rendeng, SH, MH, and Registrar, Drs DadangZaenal about the number of cases being heard in PA Sumedang. The Chief Judge mentioned that they had received 3,564 cases, with 125 being decided through circuit or mobile court hearings since the beginning of 2013. They had heard 60 cases utilising the Supreme Court’s state budget funds and another 60 cases as prodeo.
The public service contribution by the Shariah& Law Faculty of UIN Bandung is outstanding and highlights the strong collaboration between the university and the Religious Courts of West Java. It has significantly improvedaccess to legal services for vulnerable groups.
