Family Law

The Ministry of Justice has published the latest legal aid statistics for July to September 2015.

The number of mediation assessments fell sharply after the introduction of LASPO in April 2013, but over the last year the number of mediation assessments has stabilised at around half of pre-LASPO levels, despite quarterly fluctuations. Mediation assessments were down 14% in the latest quarter compared to the same period in the previous year.

It can be seen that while the number of mediation starts fell by a similar proportion to assessments following LASPO, starts have recovered more strongly than assessments over the last year and were up by 19% in the latest quarter compared to the same period in the previous year. The MoJ suggests that a larger proportion of assessments are leading to starts now than before LASPO.

Over the last year 63% of all mediation outcomes involved successful agreements. Of these successful agreements, the children category had the highest proportion of its agreements being successful (67%).

Between July and September 2015, almost half of all exceptional case funding (ECF) applications that had been determined were granted; this is the highest number and proportion of grants since the scheme began.

Family had the second highest (83) ECF applications received for the latest quarter after immigration (93). Of the 83 applications, 30 were granted, 21 refused and 32 rejected. Oveall just over half of all inquest applications were granted.

The latest legal aid statistics are available to download here.