Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981

[F1Scope and general conditions of legal aidN.I.

10.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this Article, Article 9 applies to legal aid in connection with such proceedings before courts and tribunals as—

(a)are proceedings of a description mentioned in Part I of Schedule 1; and

(b)are not proceedings of a description mentioned in Part II of that Schedule.

(2) The provisions of Schedule 1 may be varied by regulations and the regulations may (without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing) describe the proceedings to be included or excluded by reference to—

(a)the court or tribunal;

(b)the issues involved; or

(c)the capacity in which a person requiring legal aid is concerned.

(3) Legal aid shall consist of representation, on the terms provided for by this Part, by a solicitor and so far as necessary by counsel, including all such assistance as is usually given by a solicitor or counsel in—

(a)the steps preliminary or incidental to any proceedings; or

(b)in arriving at or giving effect to a compromise to avoid or bring to an end any proceedings.

(4) A person shall not be given legal aid in connection with any proceedings unless he shows that he has reasonable grounds for taking, defending or being a party thereto.

(5) A person may be refused legal aid if, in the particular circumstances of the case, it appears—

(a)unreasonable that he should receive it; or

(b)more appropriate that he should receive assistance by way of representation;

and regulations may prescribe the criteria for determining any question arising under sub-paragraph ( b).

[F2(5A) Legal aid shall not be available—

F3(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b)to any [F4Health and Social Care trust]; or

(c)to any other prescribed body; or

(d)to a guardian ad litem,

for the purposes of any proceedings under the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995.

(5B) Regardless of paragraphs (4) and (5) and Articles 9 and 12, legal aid must be granted where a child who is brought before a court under Article 44 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (secure accommodation) is not, but wishes to be, legally represented before the court.

(5C) Subject to paragraph (5A) but regardless of paragraphs (4) and (5) and Articles 9 and 12, legal aid must be granted to the child in respect of whom the application is made, to any parent of such a child and to any person with parental responsibility for him within the meaning of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 to cover proceedings relating to an application for the following orders under that Order—

(a)an order under Article 50 (a care or supervision order);

(b)an order under Article 62 (a child assessment order);

(c)an order under Article 63 (an emergency protection order); or

(d)an order under Article 64 (extension or discharge of an emergency protection order).

(5D) Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5) but regardless of Articles 9 and 12, legal aid must be granted to cover proceedings relating to an appeal against an order made under Article 50 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 to a person who has been granted legal aid by virtue of paragraph (5C).

(5E) Subject to paragraph (5A) and Articles 9 and 12 but regardless of paragraphs (4) and (5), legal aid must be granted where a person applies to be or has been joined as a party to any of the proceedings mentioned in paragraph (5C).]

[F5(5F) Paragraphs (5B), (5C) and (5E) shall not apply to a person where the proceedings mentioned are before a court of summary jurisdiction and in respect of which that person has been granted assistance by way of representation.

(5G) Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5) but regardless of Articles 9 and 12 legal aid must be granted to cover proceedings relating to an appeal against an order made under Article 50 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 to a person who has been granted assistance by way of representation by virtue of regulations made under Article 5(4A).]