Kernrechtsfrage
Whether an injured party is entitled to free legal aid in the criminal part of proceedings.
Extrahierter Entscheid
Yes. The court held that such a right can be derived directly from Art. 4 BV when the applicant is indigent, legal aid is necessary, and the claim is not hopeless.
Extrahierte Begründung
Although Solothurn procedure law expressly regulated appointed counsel for the accused and legal aid for the civil part only, this previous practice could no longer be maintained in light of newer Federal Supreme Court case law. The relevant constitutional guarantee extends to criminal proceedings for the injured party under the stated conditions, and the same applies in principle to complaint proceedings.