The Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) (Amendment) Regulations 2013
These Regulations amend the Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/104), which make provision for the criteria which the Director of Legal Aid Casework must apply when determining whether an individual or legal person qualifies for civil legal services under Part 1 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 c.10. The Regulations amend the criteria which the Director of Legal Aid Casework (“the Director”) must apply in relation to determinations for legal representation in relation to public law claims. The amendment gives the Director the express power to grant legal aid for public law claims even where other court or tribunal proceedings have not been pursued if the Director considers that such proceedings would not provide the remedy which the individual requires. These Regulations and the Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) Regulations 2013 come into force on 1st April 2013.