FUNDING YOUR CASE
POLICE STATION
ATTENDANCE
If you are interviewed by the police, whether at the police station or elsewhere, whether under arrest or as a volunteer, you need to have a solicitor present. Reeves & Co will provide a lawyer free of charge in all cases, regardless of income or financial status, and one of our team can advise you in person, or in certain circumstances on the telephone.
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Non-police agencies, such as the RSPCA or Department for Work and Pensions (who deal with benefit fraud), are not funded by this scheme. You may be eligible for advice and assistance and we will assess your circumstances to see if you qualify for funding or we can arrange for private representation. We offer fixed fees for all our services.
LEGAL AID
Legal Aid is a means tested service administered through the Legal Aid Agency (LAA). If granted, the cost of your legal representation will be free, however in certain circumstances, subject to your means, you may need to pay a contribution towards your case.
Your case must be in the interest of justice for you to qualify. We will apply to the LAA on your behalf, free of charge.
AT THE MAGISTRATES'
COURT
You automatically get legal aid after applying if you’re:
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Under 18 or receive:
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Income Support (IS)
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Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
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Universal Credit (UC)
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State Pension Guarantee Credit
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Income-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
If you are in employment we will require proof of you (and and your partner’s) means including:
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Up-to-date wage slips for the last 3 months
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Up-to-date bank statements for the last 3 months
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Details of any outgoings you may have, i.e. utility bills, debts, child support payments
IF LEGAL AID IS
REFUSED
If you are not financially eligible for legal aid or your case does not meet the interests of justice criteria, then we can provide a tailor-made fixed fee quote for the entirety of your case, from initial advice to representation at court. We offer all preliminary advice on your case and funding free of charge, whether in person or on the telephone.
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If you are acquitted as a privately paying client you may be entitled to recover some or all of your legal costs.
FUNDING YOUR CASE AT CROWN COURT
LEGAL AID
If your case is committed or sent to the Crown Court, you will automatically qualify for legal aid on merit once you have completed application forms. Crown Court cases are also means tested and therefore your financial circumstances will have to be considered. It is important that you provide as much information as possible.
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You will need to provide:
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Wage slips for the past 3 months
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Bank statements for the last 3 months for all bank accounts
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Details of any outgoings you may have (i.e. utility bills, debt, child support payments)
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Accounts/tax forms if you are self-employed
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Any assets you have i.e. properties and savings
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The same information for your partner (if living together or married)
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CONTRIBUTIONS
A large percentage of Crown Court cases are fully funded, however you may be asked to contribute towards your case depending on your financial circumstances. We will ensure that we support you through this process and explain the various options available to you.
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If you are acquitted as a privately paying client you may be entitled to recover some or all of your legal costs.
PRIVATELY FUNDING YOUR CASE
We understand that this can be an incredibly difficult time and we work to support our clients in every way. If legal aid is refused, we can represent you privately. We tailor our fees so that they are competitive and suit our client’s needs.
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We offer a free initial consultation when we can discuss you case and provide you with free advice in relation to procedure and costs. We will individually assess your case and quote you a fixed fee to represent you from beginning to end. You will always know the full cost of your defence and will never be presented with ongoing bills based on hourly rates! If you are acquitted then we can apply to recover some or all of your costs from the court, subject to assessment.