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Judges hit back at effect of legal aid cuts
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As we near the end of 2014 the effects of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) which slashed £350m a year out of the civil legal aid budget are becoming more and more apparent with an increasing number of litigants in person attempting to navigate the complexities of the court system alone. Resolution recently calculated that at least two thirds of cases working their way through the family courts now involve at least one side who does not have the assistance of a lawyer.
The end of last month saw yet another senior judge add their voice to the discord within the profession as to the effect the legal aid cuts are having on the ability of the courts to ensure justice for all parties. Court of Appeal Judge Dame Elizabeth Gloster went on record last week stating 'I’m horrified at the number of litigants in person. We are trying to provide them with [help]. The large numbers of [litigants in person] leads to delay and is going to clog up the system. Cases with unrepresented litigants take longer.' Her remarks...
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