Solicitors Criminal Bar Association

Legal Aid Fees Dispute: “It’s a farce.”

Pete Baker on June 14, 2011, 5:08 pm

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More on the ongoing legal aid fees dispute. UTV reports that just 18 out of 500 law firms in Northern Ireland have said they are willing to work under the disputed new pay rates. A Department of Justice spokesman said: “Copies of the list of firms willing to undertake criminal legal aid work is available to all defendants seeking legal representation from court offices. “Copies of the list have also been provided to the Prison Service for clients on remand without …

Legal Aid Fees Dispute: “necessary to go outside Northern Ireland to bring in other lawyers”?

Pete Baker on June 6, 2011, 3:03 pm

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As the BBC reports, Northern Ireland Justice Minister, Alliance Party leader, David Ford, has detailed the number of cases where solictors have come “off record” to date in the dispute over legal aid fees [134 between 13 April and 27 May]. Although the Minister adds that It is not the court practice to record the reason given by a solicitor for coming off record so it is not possible to state categorically that all of these cases represent the outcome of a …

Legal Aid Fees Dispute: “we cannot guarantee that they receive a fair trial”

Pete Baker on May 27, 2011, 2:03 pm

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Over 140 defendants in criminal cases are now reported to be without legal representation in the ongoing legal aid fees dispute. From the BBC report Solicitors have refused to take on more than three quarters of criminal legal aid cases due to start in NI during the past six weeks. More than 140 defendants have been left without legal representation because of the protest over lower legal fees. “We don’t want to be on strike. We don’t want to be withdrawing …

Legal Aid Fees Dispute: “The reality is this is happening across the north”

Pete Baker on April 20, 2011, 8:13 pm

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The dispute between the Northern Ireland Justice Minister, David Ford, and solicitors over cuts to legal aid fees in Crown Court Proceedings seems to be intensifying. The Belfast Telegraph reports Pearse MacDermott, from the [Solicitors Criminal Bar Association (SCBA)], said: “Recent action has been taken as it is felt that the rates of remuneration introduced will jeopardise access to justice, particularly in more complicated and serious criminal cases.” Cases can spend months being heard in magistrates’ courts before they are passed to …

“The basis of the action is that solictors will not be appearing in the Crown Court…”

Pete Baker on April 15, 2011, 3:36 pm

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Earlier this week the BBC reported On Wednesday, defence solicitors signalled they will not be there to represent clients facing charges up to murder when they pass to the crown court. With barristers depending on these lawyers for their instructions, it means any legal representation is highly unlikely unless a solution is reached. And quoted a statement from the Bar Council In a statement, the Bar Council said: “The Bar acknowledges the well founded concerns of solicitors that these rules …