All civil witnesses present in court must be informed of their presence in advance or before they are asked to take legal action and that all claims relating to expenses such as taxis, loss of income, parking, meals and travel must be supported by a voucher. Complaints that are not supported by vouchers will not be paid. Civilian witnesses are not entitled to mileage at public service rates, even if they are or have been employed in the public service. If the civilian witness is required to use his or her own private car, travel expenses of 68.47 cents per mile (42.55 cents per kilometre) will be covered. Claims for loss of earnings must be certified by the claimant`s employer and indicate the gross and net loss of earnings claimed. The self-employed worker must obtain from his accountant a certificate attesting that his loss of earnings is justified. Witnesses who are present as experts and who claim loss of profits or reasonable fees must submit their RSI number, as it is subject to withholding tax. It is provided that employees of public bodies such as local authorities and health services will not suffer any loss of income or be obliged to take annual leave if they appear before the court as witnesses in final cases. If they claim loss of earnings or compensation for taking annual leave, they should be informed and encouraged to contact their employer.
It is essential that all witnesses be informed in order to keep their expenses at an appropriate level, especially if they have to travel from abroad. This document contains important information on the correct procedure for using the services of an expert (e.g. a medical expert) or ordering an expert opinion and the subsequent submission of applications under the legal aid scheme – custody matters. All lawyers and service providers should familiarize themselves with these guidelines, as claims filed in an incorrect format or without the required information will be referred by the Commission to the appropriate lawyer for further processing. It is provided that employees of public bodies such as local authorities and health services will not suffer any loss of income or be obliged to take annual leave if they appear before the court as witnesses in final cases. When such persons are experts or experts address all questions relating to their claim for payment to the competent law firm with which they have been engaged and with which they have filed the claim. Law firms should direct any questions they have about a claim directly to the Legal Aid Committee. However, using this option may result in a delay in preparing the report, and you have no control over what information is disclosed to the court. Rates charged by experts in legal aid cases must not exceed hourly rates or fixed fees under the Civil Legal Aid (Remuneration) Regulations 2013.
This section provides information on how to apply for a change in the granting of legal aid in civil matters. ballistic reports; Analysis, investigation or improvement of CCTV/DVD/disc player/SIM card/audio; Sections 22 to 24 of the general conditions of the private practitioner regime for the Circuit Court read as follows:22. If a lawyer or law firm believes that steps other than those approved in the certificate are necessary to deal with the client`s claim, such as that an expert opinion must be obtained or that professional or other witnesses are required, the Chamber must be requested in writing that an amendment to the certificate for these costs be requested. Such a request should contain sufficient information, in particular on how the additional expenses could benefit the client`s case, so that a decision can be made and the provisions of the law can be respected by the Chamber when considering the request. 23. When it is decided to approve an application, the Committee issues a certificate of amendment.
