Legal aid crisis creates ‘unacceptably high risk of miscarriages of justice’

Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleAs many as half of defendants in magistrates’ court cases where they face prison could be appearing without the help of a lawyer, the Justice Committee said (PA Wire)The Justice Committee has warned that up to half of defendants facing prison in magistrates' courts may appear without legal representation, creating an "unacceptably high risk of miscarriages of justice".The financial eligibility threshold for criminal legal aid is deemed “shockingly low”, with the means-test threshold having not been uprated since 2009, despite prices rising by 64 per cent, meaning even someone earning the national minimum wage may be deemed ineligible.The committee has urged the Government to increase these thresholds to reflect inflation and the current cost of living. Andy Slaughter, Chair of the Justice Committee, said: “The committee’s report lays bare stark evidence that too many individuals who need legal advice and representation are simply unable to obtain it.”Separately, a UK artificial intelligence-powered law firm, Garfield AI, secured a landmark court victory in a civil claim. Dominic Li, who served as the human barrister in court, said: “The potential this unlocks for access to justice in civil claims that would otherwise not be worth litigating is immense and exciting.”In fullMPs issue legal aid warning as restrictions create ‘unacceptably high’ risk of wrongful convictionsMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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