Courts and Tribunals Bill - Legal Aid for Representation

The government's Courts and Tribunals Bill contains provision enabling the Secretary of State to make a Statutory Instrument increasing the sentencing powers of Magistrates' Courts up to a maximum of 24 months - see the Bill Clause 6. 

The overall impact of the Bill will be to bring a considerable number of trials for either-way offences into the Magistrates' Courts.

In turn, that will remove legal aid (for representation) from such offences unless the defendant is able to meet BOTH the interests of justice test and the MEANS test.  

Inevitably, that will require many defendants on serious charges to have to either defend themselves or pay for legal representation. 

UK Government - Criteria for Criminal Legal Aid

Previous Post - Courts and Tribunals Bill