The following policies will apply to legal aid applications determined on or after 1 August. In civil law consumer protection matters legal aid is not available for product liability matters. In Local Court defended hearings legal aid is not available where the defence is frivolous, or has no possible prospects of success. The policy which restricted the availability of legal aid for retrials no longer applies.
Legal aid is available for a trial where a previous jury has been unable to reach a verdict.
Legal aid is available for defendants in prosecutions in the Land and Environment Court under environmental protection legislation, including the Environmental Offences and Penalties Act 1989, only where there is a real possibility of a gaol sentence being imposed or exceptional circumstances exist. An updated version of the policy booklet and chapter four of the Policy Manual will be available after the Commonwealth priorities and guidelines are settled in the funding agreement with the State and Commonwealth Governments. The Law Society of New South Wales is the professional association for the solicitors branch of the legal profession in the State of New South Wales, Australia. 170 Phillip Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia.