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, AIPJ Legal Identity Program visited Universitas Islam Negeri Bandung’s legal aid clinic which is located outside the religious court of Sumedang (PA Sumedang) in West Java. Dr Deni Kamaluddin Yusuf, M. Ag who actively supports the clinic, Biro Konsultasi dan Layanan Hukum Keluarga (BKLHK), invited AIPJ to see their daily activities in handling clients.
Pak Deni was one of five professors who visited Monash University in July 2013 to observe the Family Law Assistance Program (FLAP), a one-semester course that can be selected by students in their final years of their University law degree. The FLAP also provides legal advisory services to the community at the university’s legal aid clinic and also at the Dandenong registry of the Family Court of Australia.
The work of BKLHK is very impressive. Every day from 7.30 until 2 pm, they provide the only free legal advice service to community. 15 to 20 justice seekers receive assistance each day. At the same time, the legal aid clinic gives students the experience in interviewing and providing advice to the community.
As the AIPJ Legal Identity team sat in the legal aid clinic, we watched people come and explain their legal issues. The students listened, gave advices, and helped process legal documents required to register their cases at the court.
The AIPJ Legal Identity Team then visited PA Sumedang and spoke with Chief Judge, Drs H. Rahmat Afandi, Deputy Chief Judge, Drs H. Harum Rendeng, SH, MH, and Registrar, Drs Dadang Zaenal, about the number of cases being heard in PA Sumedang. The Chief Judge mentioned that so far in 2013 they have have received 3564 cases, with 125 cases being decided through circuit or mobile court hearings. They have heard 60 cases utilising the Supreme Court’s state budget funds and another 60 cases as prodeo.
The clinic hopes to offer legal aid services at other religious courts in West Java in the coming years. This is an outstanding public service contribution by the Shariah & Law Faculty of UIN Bandung and a very impressive collaboration between the university and the Religious Courts of West Java. The service provided ensures that access to services for vulnerable groups is improved.
