These Terms of Service govern your access to and use of the OPS website and the OPS Legal Case Management System (LCMS) Client Portal operated by the Independent Office of the Public Solicitor, Papua New Guinea. By accessing these services, you accept these Terms in full.
1. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing or using the Independent Office of the Public Solicitor ("OPS") website and the OPS Legal Case Management System (LCMS) Client Portal ("the Portal"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use our website or Portal. These Terms constitute a binding legal agreement between you and the OPS. We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time, and your continued use of our services constitutes acceptance of any changes.
2. Eligibility & Portal Access
2.1 Client Registration
Access to the OPS LCMS Client Portal is restricted to persons who have been formally registered as OPS clients following a legal aid assessment at an OPS office. You must have received valid portal credentials from the OPS to log in.
2.2 Account Responsibility
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. You must notify OPS immediately upon discovering any unauthorised use of your account or any security breach.
2.3 Accurate Information
You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information when registering and to update such information as necessary. Providing false or misleading information may result in termination of access and may affect the conduct of your legal matter.
2.4 One Account Per Client
Each OPS client is entitled to one portal account. You must not create multiple accounts or share your credentials with any other person.
3. Permitted Use
You may use the OPS website and Portal only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. Permitted uses include:
Case Tracking
Viewing the status and details of your registered legal matters handled by the OPS.
Document Access
Downloading documents and correspondence related to your matter that have been made available by your assigned solicitor.
Communication
Sending messages and queries to your assigned OPS solicitor through the Portal's secure messaging function.
Service Information
Accessing publicly available information about OPS services, legal aid eligibility, office locations, and contact details.
4. Prohibited Conduct
You must not use the OPS website or Portal to:
Unauthorised Access
Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Portal, its servers, databases, or connected systems.
Interference
Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the website or Portal, including by transmitting viruses, malware, or other harmful code.
Misrepresentation
Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely claim an affiliation with OPS, the Government of Papua New Guinea, or any other organisation.
Unlawful Activity
Use the Portal in connection with any unlawful activity, fraud, or to intimidate or harass any OPS staff, solicitor, or other user.
Data Scraping
Use automated tools, bots, or scripts to scrape, extract, or harvest data from the website or Portal.
Unauthorised Sharing
Share, publish, or distribute confidential case information obtained through the Portal without the prior written consent of OPS.
5. Nature of Legal Services
5.1 Not Legal Advice
Information provided on the OPS public website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. You should not act on information from this website without seeking specific legal advice from a qualified solicitor.
5.2 Client Relationship
A solicitor-client relationship is only established after you have been formally accepted as a client by the OPS and a solicitor has been assigned to your matter. Use of the website alone does not create any legal relationship with the OPS.
5.3 Legal Aid Eligibility
Provision of legal aid through the OPS is subject to eligibility assessment and the availability of resources. OPS reserves the right to determine eligibility for legal aid services in accordance with applicable legislation and guidelines.
5.4 Confidentiality
All communications between you and your assigned OPS solicitor are subject to legal professional privilege and solicitor-client confidentiality, except in circumstances required by law.
6. Intellectual Property
All content on the OPS website and Portal — including text, graphics, logos, icons, images, and software — is the property of the Government of Papua New Guinea or its licensors and is protected by copyright law. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works without prior written permission from OPS, except as permitted by the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act 2000 (PNG). The OPS name, logo, and emblem are official marks of the Government of Papua New Guinea and may not be used without authorisation.
7. Third-Party Links & Services
The OPS website may contain links to third-party websites or services for your convenience. OPS does not endorse, control, or assume responsibility for the content, privacy practices, or terms of any third-party sites. Your use of third-party websites is governed by their respective terms and privacy policies. We encourage you to review those policies before providing any personal information to third-party services.
8. Disclaimer of Warranties
The OPS website and Portal are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. While we endeavour to keep the information accurate and up to date, OPS does not warrant that the website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses. We make no representations about the completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information for any particular purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, OPS disclaims all warranties including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
9. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, the OPS and the Government of Papua New Guinea shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of, or inability to use, the website or Portal. This includes but is not limited to loss of data, loss of revenue, or damage to reputation. In all cases, our total aggregate liability shall not exceed the greater of PGK 500 or the amount you paid to access our services (if any) in the twelve months preceding the claim. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.
10. Suspension & Termination
OPS reserves the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Portal at any time, without notice, if we reasonably believe you have breached these Terms, engaged in fraudulent or unlawful activity, or where termination is required by law or court order. Upon termination, your right to access the Portal ceases immediately. Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall do so, including intellectual property rights, disclaimer of warranties, and limitation of liability.
11. Governing Law & Jurisdiction
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Papua New Guinea. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the OPS website or Portal shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the National Court of Justice of Papua New Guinea, sitting at Waigani, National Capital District.
12. Contact & Complaints
If you have questions about these Terms, wish to report a breach, or have a complaint about the OPS website or Portal, please contact us. If you are dissatisfied with how a complaint is handled, you may refer the matter to the Office of the Ombudsman Commission of Papua New Guinea.
Contact OPS
For questions about these Terms or to report a concern, contact the Office of Public Solicitor:
info@ops.gov.pg
Address
OPS Head Office, Waigani, NCD, Papua New Guinea
Hours
Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM (PGT)