Criminal Legal Aid Expert Fees

Guidelines for expert witnesses in cases funded by legal aid, including fees, prior authorization and provisions applicable to certain types of experts. Details of the revised fees and hourly rates are set out in the Legal Aid Remuneration Ordinance 2022 (as amended). What should I do if I don`t get free legal assistance? If you can`t find help with a legal aid or pro bono program, some alternatives include contacting a lawyer referral service (some may be able to refer you to a low-fee lawyer) or hiring a lawyer only for part of the legal work and performing other parts yourself (this is called “unbundled” legal services). You can also try to get legal information and try to solve the legal problem yourself. Please visit our section on other free resources for more information. It should also be noted that if an expert prepares a report on behalf of the client, but that expert`s report is not subsequently used by the client`s lawyer, the cost of a second report from the client or another expert in the matter will not be reimbursed under the scheme. Employees of government agencies such as local authorities and health authorities are not expected to suffer loss of income or be required to take annual leave when they appear as witnesses before the courts in cases receiving legal assistance. Where such people Who else qualifies for an independent lawyer? In non-criminal or “civil” cases, you are not entitled to an independent lawyer. But there are many legal aid and pro bono programs that provide free legal assistance to the poor in civil matters. These programs generally help people whose income is below 125% of the federal poverty line, although in some cases they help people with slightly higher incomes. (See the table below for current income guidelines.) In addition, the elderly, the disabled, victims of domestic violence who have been recruited into the army or other special circumstances may be entitled to assistance, even if their incomes are slightly higher. Since these community-based programs often operate on very small budgets and do not have enough resources to serve all eligible individuals, they only deal with certain types of cases and have to turn away many people who seek help. Can I only hire a lawyer for part of my case? If you decide that you need legal help for part of your legal problem, you should hire a lawyer who will only work on that part.

Some lawyers “unbundle” their services and only offer help with part of your case. You can ask a lawyer reference organization to help you find a lawyer to provide unbundled services. Under this regime, the services of an expert or the commission of an expert opinion should only be used if this is essential for the proper preparation and execution of the client`s file. In such circumstances, it is for the lawyer concerned to inform the Court as soon as possible of his intention to contact an expert or to order a report. If, at the end of the proceedings, the Court is satisfied that the services of the expert witness(es) or the ordering of an opinion (the opinions) were essential for the proper preparation and proper conduct of the case, the Court shall include in its final decision a recommendation to the Legal Aid Board specifying which witnesses and/or reports were important and should be covered by the scheme. Changes to criminal legal aid fees from 30 September 2022 mean that we will update the guidelines you use when submitting applications. It should be noted that the list of experts and reports described in Appendix A is not exhaustive. Rather, there should be guidance on the fees and expenses that may be eligible for payment under the Legal Aid Plan – Custody Matters. From 30 September 2022, there will be considerable fee increases for criminal legal aid schemes. It should be noted that if an expert is invited to meet or ask a question in the event that a lawyer wishes to raise a matter for the payment of higher fees in respect of an expert than those listed in Appendix A, the case of higher fees must be filed in writing with all relevant documents in support of the application. This should be done at the same time as the submission of the aggregate application referred to in paragraphs 5 and 6.

It should be noted that, in order to facilitate the examination of the payment of fees in excess of those listed in Annex A, it would be necessary to submit a detailed and very convincing dossier in support of the application. The Legal Aid Committee will consider all claims on the merits, but it should be noted that it considers the fees and expenses listed in Appendix A to be adequate compensation for the vast majority of claims that will arise from the plan. Read the guidelines on expert fees, including: What is a Legal Advice Centre?) Legal advisory offices, also known as legal aid offices, employ staff lawyers to provide legal assistance to poor clients.