The Criminal Defence Services (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Criminal Defence Services (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 and shall come into operation on 15th April 2016.

Interpretation

2.  In these Regulations –

“relevant proceedings” means the proceedings listed in Schedule 2 to the Access to Justice (2003 Order) (Commencement No. 8) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015(1);

“right to representation” means a right to representation granted under Article 26(1) or (5) of the Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003.

Power of the Court of Appeal to grant representation

3.  The Court of Appeal or a judge of that Court may at any time grant a right to representation in respect of any relevant proceedings in the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court or the Crown Court.

Advice and assistance

4.—(1) Without prejudice to paragraphs (2) and (3), a right to representation in respect of relevant proceedings in the Court of Appeal includes the right to advice and assistance as to any further appeal from that Court to the Supreme Court.

(2) Paragraph (3) applies where the Court of Appeal grants a right to representation in the case of an appellant who is to be retried before the Crown Court by virtue of an order under section 6 of the Criminal Appeal (Northern Ireland) Act 1980(2).

(3) The right to representation in connection with the retrial before the Crown Court includes the right to advice and assistance as to any further appeal from that Court to the Court of Appeal.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Justice on 24th March 2016

David Ford

Minister of Justice