Criminal Legal Aid Rates for Magistrates' court

What are the criminal legal aid rates for magistrates' court

Criminal legal aid rates in the magistrates' court are a combination of hourly rates for preparation and advocacy and fixed fees for specific types of proceedings, with rates paid based on a 15% uplift implemented from September 30, 2022. Lawyers receive a standard hourly rate for their work and additional fixed fees for certain tasks, such as attending court, preparation of documents, or handling appeals.

Key components of the rates:

Preparation hourly rate:For tasks like preparing the case.
Advocacy hourly rate:For time spent presenting the case in court, including bail applications.
Hourly rate for attendance where Counsel is assigned:A lower hourly rate for attending court when a barrister is handling the advocacy.
Travelling and waiting hourly rate:A rate for time spent traveling and waiting, which is claimable under specific circumstances.
Fixed fees:For specific legal procedures and types of proceedings.

How it works:

Legal Aid is awarded: A representation order is issued to the client, which allows them to receive funding for legal services.
Work is carried out: Lawyers perform work on the case, such as preparation, advocacy, and attendance at court.
Claims are submitted: Lawyers submit claims for the work done, using a combination of hourly rates and fixed fees.
Payment is based on rates: The payment to the lawyer is based on the applicable hourly rate for the specific activity and any fixed fees associated with the type of proceedings.

Examples of fixed fees:

Appeal against conviction:A fixed fee for appealing a decision from a magistrates' court.
Committal for sentence:A fixed fee for attending a hearing where a person is committed to the Crown Court for sentencing.

Important Considerations:

Date of application:The rates are based on the 15% uplift implemented from 30 September 2022, so the date the case was issued or work began is crucial for determining the rate.
Geographical differences:Different rates may apply for London and national areas.
Means testing:The client's income and financial circumstances are assessed to determine their eligibility for legal aid.
Variations in work:Different categories of work have different hourly rates and fixed fees, such as Police Station attendance versus court proceedings

Lawsyst case management system comes with prepopulated LAA rates for various types of LAA contracts and type of work. For more information, please contact our LAA Billing Help Desk or contact your legal aid accounts manager at the LAA.

Criminal Legal Aid Rates Magistrates' Court

What are the criminal legal aid rates for magistrates' court