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      Legal Aid cuts hurt victims of domestic violence

      1 November 2013 by Marketing Team

      FJG Marketing

      A report this week from Rights of Women, the organisation supporting victims of domestic violence, demonstrates that the legal aid cuts, brought in by the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act, in April this year, have had a serious effect on the very people that the Government hoped to protect. Despite specific exceptions from the cuts for victims of domestic violence, the restrictions imposed by the Ministry of Justice require that legal aid is only available to somebody who can prove in a particular way, with a particular letter, that they were victims. The recent report demonstrates that in fact some 60% of women who had suffered domestic violence were unable to get legal aid because of these restrictions.

      This report confirms our experience how difficult it is to get the necessary evidence, and how little information is available to people, many of whom believe that legal aid has been abolished completely. It certainly has not – and legal aid lawyers like us working hard to demonstrate that people can still get legal aid.

      This week also saw a conference of young legal aid lawyers where the key note speaker was Baroness Hale, the first woman member of the new Supreme Court, who described the cuts as: “the steady and precipitous erosion of the legal aid and access to justice schemes is one of the great disappointments of my declining years.”

      She commented that when the Legal Aid and Advice Act was passed in 1949, 80% of the population was eligible for legal aid, but that figure had dropped to just 30% by 2008, following cuts by successive Governments. The latest cuts have removed large areas of social welfare law from Legal Aid.

      Commenting on the allegation by the Government that it is only lawyers who are fighting to keep legal aid, Baroness Hale said: “access to justice does not necessary mean access to lawyers but in a common law world, access to lawyers is the best way of securing access to justice.”

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      Fisher Jones Greenwood is the trading name of Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP, a Limited Liability Partnership authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and registered in England ( Number: OC305854 ). A list of members is available for inspection at the registered office at Charter Court, Newcomen Way, Colchester Business Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 9YA

      We are open for business and working remotely

      Here at Fisher Jones Greenwood Solicitors we would like to reassure all our existing and future clients that even in these uncertain and difficult times we are able to assist you with your current and future legal requirements.

      Like so many others, we are constantly monitoring and acting on Government advice and guidelines and as such our offices are temporarily closed to the public. You may, if you wish, visit our offices to post any correspondence and documents through letter boxes.

      As a result of our commitment to innovation and technology, we can and are maintaining a full service, albeit remotely, with all appointments being held digitally or via the telephone. Our case management system enables us to have full access to your electronic file from any location and we have a core team of staff processing all incoming post directly onto your file so that your legal adviser can continue to work with you. We are pleased to say that we do not currently anticipate any disruption to your matter.

      Please do not hesitate to contact your legal adviser by email or by telephone should you have any worries or concerns. Alternatively, please call our main switchboard number (01206 835300) and a message to return your call will be by relayed to the relevant person.

      Finally, everyone at FJG would like to wish you, your families and your colleagues well throughout this current crisis.

      Best wishes
      Paula Cameron
      Managing Partner