Crosswords1 min ago
MP's receive free legal Aid
Should the 3 Labour MP's charged with their false expenses be given FREE legal aid?
http://news.bbc.co.uk...tion_2010/8616261.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk...tion_2010/8616261.stm
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"Officials applied the "interests of justice" test to determine whether the MPs should receive legal aid.
The test says that if a defendant is at risk of losing his or her liberty - that is, they could go to prison if convicted - then they are entitled to legal representation paid for by the state.
The "interests of justice" test began to be phased out in January and replaced by a means test for all Crown Court cases in England and Wales - but Southwark Crown Court is not yet part of the new scheme, so it did not apply to the MPs.
However, if the MPs are convicted the trial judge could order them to pay back all or some of the costs of the case.
Their legal teams have done thie homework to find one of the few courts where this scheme does not apply, if this is so why? it should be across the whole court system. They are truly a bunch of lying untrustworthy shiesters, as they tried to hide behind parliamentry priviledge at first to get away with this. Is it no wonder that people dont trust politicians and that the likes of BNP are starting to worm their way into the political system because people dont know what way to turn? Another outrage that wil l be brushed aside no doubt.
The test says that if a defendant is at risk of losing his or her liberty - that is, they could go to prison if convicted - then they are entitled to legal representation paid for by the state.
The "interests of justice" test began to be phased out in January and replaced by a means test for all Crown Court cases in England and Wales - but Southwark Crown Court is not yet part of the new scheme, so it did not apply to the MPs.
However, if the MPs are convicted the trial judge could order them to pay back all or some of the costs of the case.
Their legal teams have done thie homework to find one of the few courts where this scheme does not apply, if this is so why? it should be across the whole court system. They are truly a bunch of lying untrustworthy shiesters, as they tried to hide behind parliamentry priviledge at first to get away with this. Is it no wonder that people dont trust politicians and that the likes of BNP are starting to worm their way into the political system because people dont know what way to turn? Another outrage that wil l be brushed aside no doubt.
The way they have been behaving, it looks as though they (the Labour MP's) need all the help they can get, but considering they've taken enough of the tax payers money to date, they should at least pay for their own legal team out of their own pockets. It's the least they could do, all things considering
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barney, they have the right to choose any lawyer they like who is prepared to accept this legal aid work. This is no bar to their getting the best. If criminal law barristers did only privately paid work they'd soon starve !
It is a serious breach of the profession's rules for counsel to accept a legal aid case and be paid extra by the lay client. Mind, that's not to say it's unknown !
It is a serious breach of the profession's rules for counsel to accept a legal aid case and be paid extra by the lay client. Mind, that's not to say it's unknown !
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