PERAN DAN KENDALA POSBAKUM DALAM MEMBANTU MASYARAKAT YANG KURANG MAMPU DI PENGADILAN AGAMA SUMATERA UTARA

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the roles and challenges faced by Legal Aid Posts (Posbakum) in providing legal services to underprivileged communities within the jurisdiction of the Religious Courts in North Sumatra. Posbakum serves as an essential mechanism to ensure that justice is accessible to groups who are economically disadvantaged and have limited legal literacy. The services provided include legal consultation, assistance in preparing case documents, and providing information related to the procedures for filing cases free of charge (pro bono). This research employs a normative legal approach and a qualitative descriptive method, with data sources derived from primary, secondary, and tertiary legal literature. The findings indicate that although Posbakum plays a central role in ensuring equality before the law, its implementation still faces significant obstacles, such as a shortage of legal experts, limited operational funding, lack of service outreach, and restricted service hours. Based on data from the Religious Courts in Medan and Lubuk Pakam, the high number of cases, particularly from economically disadvantaged groups, indicates the need to enhance the capacity of Posbakum. The study concludes that to improve the effectiveness of Posbakum, strategic measures are necessary, including increased funding, expanded legal literacy programs, and more intensive collaboration between judicial institutions and legal aid organizations. These efforts are expected to ensure that access to legal aid is not merely a legal formality but a substantive right that genuinely benefits the broader society, especially those in marginalized social and economic conditions.