Law Weblog

Legal aid reforms in the Magistrates’ Courts

Tuesday 24 May 2005 at 9:56 pm | In News | Post Comment

Measures to reform legal aid in the magistrates’ courts in order to bring costs under better control and provide better value for money for the taxpayer were published today.

The Criminal Defence Service (CDS) Bill introduces a new means test for criminal cases in the magistrates’ courts, so that those convicted of offences there should pay for their defence if they can afford it.

The measures should produce savings of about £35 million a year, help redress the imbalance in the legal aid budget and make more funds available to be spent on civil cases.