Citation, operation, application and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Legal Aid (Remuneration of Solicitors and Counsel in County Court Proceedings) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2003.

(2) This Order shall come into operation on 3rd March 2003.

(3) In this Order “the principal Order” means the Legal Aid (Remuneration of Solicitors and Counsel in County Court Proceedings) Order (Northern Ireland) 1981(2).

Saving and revocation

2.—(1) This Order shall apply to any assessment of sums allowed to solicitors and counsel in respect of proceedings commenced after 3rd March 2003.

(2) The Legal Aid (Remuneration of Solicitors and Counsel in County Court Proceedings) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 1982(3) is hereby revoked save in its application to any case to which paragraph (1) does not apply.

Amendments as to maximum amounts allowable

3.  In Article 2(2) of the principal Order for the figure “£700” there shall be substituted the figure “£2400”.

4.  In Article 2(3) of the principal Order for the figure “£150” there shall be substituted the figure “£600”.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order increases the maximum amounts allowable as remuneration for solicitors and counsel acting for legally aided persons in proceedings (other than equity suits and actions remitted from the High Court) in the county court to accord with the scale costs prescribed by the County Court (Amendment No. 2) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2002 (S.R. 2002 No. 412). The maximum amounts allowable may be exceeded if the judge before whom the proceedings took place certifies that the maximum amounts shall not apply.