Parties in a High Court dispute over changes to the criminal legal aid payment model for the District Court are seeking an expedited hearing of the action. The change, which came into effect last week, has faced a backlash from solicitors and affected work in the criminal justice system.John Quinn, a lawyer at John M Quinn & Co Solicitors, was granted permission last week to bring an action seeking to quash the statutory instrument underpinning the new regulations. He is suing the office of the Minister for Justice, with the Law Society of Ireland a notice party to the action.Under the new arrangement, solicitors receive a flat, once-off legal aid fee of €520 irrespective of how many appearances they make to represent a client in District Court cases. The previous criminal legal aid payments system was based on the number of court appearances a solicitor made during a case.On Tuesday, Feichín McDonagh, for Quinn, told Judge Mark Dunne that his client, the Minister and the Law Society were “hopeful” the dispute could be heard before the end of this month, the end of the legal term. In the event that a hearing date this term is not possible, McDonagh said his side would seek to have their application for an interim stay on the regulations taking effect heard before the end of the month. The judge adjourned the case to Thursday.Barrister Hugh McDowell, led by Eoin McCullough, appeared for the Minister. Frank Kennedy appeared for the Law Society.