The Civil Legal Aid (General) Regulations 1989

Application for emergency certificate

19.—(1) Any person who desires legal aid as a matter of urgency may apply to an Area Director for an emergency certificate on a form approved by the Board or in such other manner as the Area Director may accept as sufficient in the circumstances of the case.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), an application for an emergency certificate shall contain such information and be accompanied by such documents as may be necessary to enable the Area Director to determine the nature of the proceedings for which legal aid is sought and the circumstances in which it is required and whether–

(a) the applicant is likely to fulfil the conditions under which legal aid may be granted under the Act and these Regulations; and

(b) it is in the interests of justice that the applicant should, as a matter of urgency, be granted legal aid;

and the applicant shall furnish such additional information and documents (if any) as may be sufficient to constitute an application for a certificate under Part II of these Regulations.

(3) If it appears to the Area Director that the applicant cannot at the time of making the application reasonably furnish the information required under paragraph (2), or any part of it, that Area Director shall nevertheless have the power to issue an emergency certificate subject to such conditions as to the furnishing of additional information as he thinks fit.