It is understood around 800 defence lawyers have begun boycotting cases prosecuted under new domestic abuse legislation following a breakdown in talks over rates to represent alleged offendersSOLICITORS have started a campaign of industrial action affecting every sheriff court in Scotland in a continuing row with the Scottish Government over legal aid.
The Scottish Solicitors Bar Association has said it is prepared to escalate the action in the coming weeks if the Government refuses to negotiate over the amount of legal aid paid to lawyers and how rates are reviewed.Simon Brown, president of the SSBA, said the dispute is the result of years of static figures before an agreed increase in legal aid fees was belatedly introduced last year but then cancelled out by the effects of rising inflation.
“So about six weeks down the line, you will start to get people turning up saying they don’t have a lawyer and the court saying they can’t do a trial without a lawyer. Susan Murray, president of the society, said: “We understand and fully appreciate the deep frustration that has driven SSBA members to take these steps.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We note the association’s announcement and would encourage them to continue to engage with us.“We value the role that legal aid providers play in the justice system. Despite challenging financial circumstances, we have maintained resourcing of legal aid. The Legal Aid Fund is demand-led and directly linked to application numbers, with all eligible costs met.
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