Legal Aid and Practice Note No.1 of 2024

We understand (although members should make their own enquiries) that the new Practice Note relating to solemn proceedings (No 1 of 2024) provides that in the event an accused intends to tender a plea of guilty post first diet, the court will expect parties to accelerate the trial diet by lodging a minute in terms of section 75A of the 1995 Act (para 28). The purpose of that provision is to reduce pressure on the solemn trial courts.

Some concerns have been raised by agents that by adopting the suggested practice of acceleration, SLAB may decline to honour the relevant trial preparation fee as provided for in paragraph 5 of the Table of Block Fees.

Following some discussion with SLAB, it appears that the practice now seems to show that SLAB are honouring payment of the applicable trial preparation fees specified in paragraph 5 in circumstances where there has been an acceleration for a plea before the scheduled diet of trial.

It is hoped that this will lead to more accelerated diets. Which is in clients’ interests in terms of seeking to benefit from a discounted sentence, it should also allow diaries to be planned more efficiently and allow the court to manage sittings better.