Legal Aid Troubles Continue
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I hope everyone is okay, it saddens me to see so many new people on here... but we will all get through it together.
Coming up to a year since OH was arrested an we’re still having difficulty with legal aid. They’re asking for explanations of transactions in OH’s debit and credit card accounts and have given a deadline of the middle of this month. OH’s parents are supposed to be dealing with it but it’s not getting done. It already went to the debt collectors a couple of months ago but has been put on hold. Now I’ve received this letter that was supposed to be sent to OH but was sent to the solicitors who say it's not their problem as the case is closed. I just want to know if I’m reading this specific part right?
“If you are convicted and you have equity and/or capital assets in excess of £30,000 you will have to pay a contribution towards the costs of your legally aided representation. If you fail to provide the missing documents, the Legal Aid Agency has the right to remove £30,000 allowance and may seek to recover the costs of your legally aided representation from any or all of your capital assets, including equity.”
Are they essentially saying if we don’t explain these transactions by the deadline, they have the right to recover costs even though OH doesn’t have £30,000 in assets? So they can come and take away his belongings to sell like his TV or Playstation that is still at the house I live in?
I am so frustrated I could cry, I've been chasing OH and his parents for months to sort this but they just sit on things and the situation has got worse and worse.
Coming up to a year since OH was arrested an we’re still having difficulty with legal aid. They’re asking for explanations of transactions in OH’s debit and credit card accounts and have given a deadline of the middle of this month. OH’s parents are supposed to be dealing with it but it’s not getting done. It already went to the debt collectors a couple of months ago but has been put on hold. Now I’ve received this letter that was supposed to be sent to OH but was sent to the solicitors who say it's not their problem as the case is closed. I just want to know if I’m reading this specific part right?
“If you are convicted and you have equity and/or capital assets in excess of £30,000 you will have to pay a contribution towards the costs of your legally aided representation. If you fail to provide the missing documents, the Legal Aid Agency has the right to remove £30,000 allowance and may seek to recover the costs of your legally aided representation from any or all of your capital assets, including equity.”
Are they essentially saying if we don’t explain these transactions by the deadline, they have the right to recover costs even though OH doesn’t have £30,000 in assets? So they can come and take away his belongings to sell like his TV or Playstation that is still at the house I live in?
I am so frustrated I could cry, I've been chasing OH and his parents for months to sort this but they just sit on things and the situation has got worse and worse.
I'm afraid I can't help but have you contacted Unlock? They are a great charity or Partners of Prisoners may be able help too.