While Crown court claim assessments and payments have now recommenced, trying to secure urgent funding for experts has become a headache. The Gazette also understands some firms are having to keep paper timesheets because of difficulties time recording without a legal aid order.
The ministry told the Gazette that providers can submit a request for a prior authority without confirmation of a representation order being in place. For civil applications, providers would need to call customer support, obtain a contingency reference number, and email the paper application. Payments for the expert will then be covered by the LAA's 'average payments scheme', which the provider would have to opt into each week to receive payment.
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