Some criminal legal aid cases are paid on a fixed fee basis. However, the payment arrangements in these cases can be changed to meet the additional support needed for clients with disabilities. Solicitors can apply to us for exceptional status in these fixed payment cases. If this status is granted by us, the solicitor can charge for all work on a detailed basis and this would result in the solicitor being paid for any time necessarily spent with the client.
Some of the factors that we would take into consideration in determining whether a case is exceptional include whether the assisted person, or any witnesses, may be unable to understand the proceedings because of:.
Legal aid can only be granted to an individual. If your case involves your limited company, or your partnership, then you are unlikely to qualify for civil legal aid.
You may be able to qualify for legal aid if you are a partner in dispute with the remaining partners in your firm, but you would not qualify if you are effectively applying for legal aid on behalf of the partnership.
Legal aid is the help you can sometimes get when you can't afford to pay your own legal costs. You may have to pay some money towards the legal costs of your case, or pay costs back later.
Before you contact a solicitor to apply for legal aid You should consider all your options for legal help — some could be cheaper or free. Eligibility estimators Find out if you are likely to qualify financially for advice and assistance or legal aid.
Find a solicitor Use our Solicitor Finder tool to search for registered solicitors who may be able to provide advice and represent you in your case. Information leaflets and BSL videos Download leaflets or watch BSL videos with information for people applying for legal aid, opponents, young people and children.
Frequently Asked Questions. They have to publish prices for advice on things like:. Some solicitors give 30 minutes' legal advice for free. Some offer a fixed fee - that way you'll know in advance what the advice will cost.
You can call a solicitor's office and ask if they offer a free half hour or a fixed fee. A free or fixed-fee appointment can help you find out your rights and legal position.
It's a good way to find out whether it's worth taking someone else to court or if you have a case that's worth defending. You'll need to get the best out of your appointment. You should make a note beforehand of what you need to say and find out. You could speak to an adviser at your nearest Citizens Advice to help you decide what questions to ask the solicitor. Take any relevant documents to the appointment. Call the solicitor's office to find out if they want you to bring any particular documents, such as a passport.
Some solicitors offer 'no win, no fee' as a way of paying for civil cases, such as personal injury. A no win, no fee agreement is sometimes known as a 'conditional fee agreement' CFA. If you win the case, the solicitor's fees and expenses you agreed to will be taken from your compensation. If you lose, you won't usually pay your solicitor's fee but you'll still have to pay something. You might have to pay the other side's costs and you might have to pay your solicitor's expenses, for example, for medical or accident reports.
You should check the agreement carefully and ask your solicitor to explain what you might have to pay if you lose your claim. You might be able to take out a special insurance policy before the court case that'll cover your costs if you lose.
It's important to check your agreement carefully before you sign it. The details of what you pay will be in the agreement. Don't sign it unless you're sure it's right for you. You can ask your nearest Citizens Advice if they have a list of solicitors offering no win, no fee or free or fixed-fee advice. You can find out more about using a solicitor on the Law Society website, including how to:. If you've joined an organisation like a trade union, they might offer you free legal help. Or you might get help with legal expenses as part of another subscription, insurance policy or credit card agreement.
Unions can sometimes offer free legal help such as finding and paying for a solicitor - and not just for work problems. Speak to your shop steward or workplace representative or contact your union's head office to see if they can give you free legal help. Look at the policy documents for your car, home and other insurance policies to see if any have legal cover.
Check whether they cover your type of case and whether they'll meet all your costs - most policies won't pay for everything. Your insurers might insist that you use their legal team. If you've joined a motoring organisation for breakdown cover, you might find they offer cheap or free help, particularly with car or accident legal problems. Check your membership agreement or call them to find out if they can help. Think about what other organisations you've joined that might help.
If your are considering applying for legal services you may wish to read some of the Board's other information leaflets including about applying for legal services, and about financial eligibility criteria. Email: info legalaidboard. Find Law Centres and Mediation services near you. Apply for legal aid online or Download the Application Form.
Calculate if you are likely to qualify financially for civil legal aid. Skip to main content. Manage cookies Accept all cookies. Civil Legal Aid and Advice Civil Legal Aid and Advice About Civil Legal Aid Civil legal aid and advice is a State-funded service which provides legal advice and legal aid in civil cases to people who might not be able to afford to pay for a lawyer themselves. To qualify for legal aid and advice: Your problem must be covered by civil legal aid You will need to have income and assets before a certain limit, after certain deductions are taken into account.
Depending on your case, if you want civil legal aid, your case will need to satisfy a "merits test ". The main purpose of the merits test is to see if a person paying for a lawyer out of there own money would be likely to pay for the case, and if a lawyer would advise a person to take a case, knowing that they would be paying for it themselves.
What does civil legal aid and advice cover? Examples of civil law disputes include: Family disputes - including marriage breakdown and disputes involving your children Actions by the Child and Family Agency Tusla to take your children into care or supervise them in your home Claims for damages as a result of injury which have been cause by you Claim for damages as a result of breach of contract Property disputes but we cannot provide legal aid for most property disputes Disputes with your employer but we cannot provide legal aid before the Workplace Relations Commission of labour Court What types of problems are not covered by civil legal aid?
We cannot provide legal aid for cases in the District Court covered by the Small Claims Procedure often informally referred to as the "small claims court" Can I get Legal Aid and Advice? Income and assets If your case does not automatically qualify you for legal aid, we must undertake a means test of your financial circumstances to see if you qualify for our services. Apply by post or in person Alternatively you can apply by calling into, telephoning or writing to your nearest law centre.
What do I need to apply? There are a small number of cases where there is no contribution. What happens when legal services have finished?
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