Legal Aid And Advice Citation and commencement 1 These Rules may be cited as the Legal Aid for Crown Court Proceedings (Costs) (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2016 and shall come into operation on 15th April 2016. 2 In these Rules a reference to a rule or Schedule by number alone is a reference to the rule or Schedule so numbered in or to the Legal Aid for Crown Court Proceedings (Costs) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2005 . Application and transitional arrangements 3 1 Without prejudice to paragraphs (2) to (5), these Rules apply for the determination of costs which are payable in respect of work done under a criminal aid certificate granted under Article 29, or deemed to have been granted under Article 36(2), of the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 on or after 5th May 2015. 2 Paragraphs (3) to (5) apply where – a a claim had been submitted to the Department under rule 8 or 11, as applicable, in respect of work done under a criminal aid certificate granted under Article 29, or deemed to have been granted under Article 36(2), of the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 on or after 5th May 2015; and b the costs payable to the representative had been determined and paid by the Department before 23rd March 2016. 3 The Department shall, whether or not the representative applies under rule 13, redetermine the costs payable under rule 13(6)(b) as if the representative had applied under rule 13(1)(c). 4 Where the costs are increased as a result of a redetermination made under paragraph (3) (“the new determination”), the Department shall authorise payment of the increase. 5 Rules 13 to 15 (redetermination etc.) shall apply to the new determination as if that determination had been made under rule 8 or 11, as applicable. 6 In this rule, “the Department” means the Department of Justice. Amendments to the Legal Aid for Crown Court Proceedings (Costs) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2005 4 The Legal Aid for Crown Court Proceedings (Costs) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2005 are amended as follows. 5 In rule 2, in the definition of “main hearing”, omit the words “to counsel”. 6 In rule 8(3)(a), after “Basic Trial Fee” insert “or Trial Preparation Fee, as applicable”. 7 In Schedule 1 – a in paragraph 3(2), after the words “one or more counts” insert the words “at the first arraignment”; b in paragraph 3(3), omit the words “to counsel”; c following paragraph 7, for the Tables of Basic Trial Fees, substitute the following Tables– SOLICITOR Offence Actual Duration of Trial falling within PPE Range Trial Fee 1 1 to 8 days Trial Fee 2 9 to 16 days Trial Fee 3 17 to 80 days Class A 1 – 750 £5,607 £7,457 £11,159 Class A 751 – 1,500 £8,666 £10,517 £14,218 Class A 1,501 – 3,000 £11,725 £13,576 £17,277 Class B 1 – 750 £2,017 £2,904 £4,239 Class B 751 – 1,500 £3,227 £4,113 £5,449 Class B 1,501 – 3,000 £4,436 £5,323 £6,658 Class C 1 – 750 £1,235 £1,767 £2,562 Class C 751 – 1,500 £2,039 £2,570 £3,366 Class C 1,501 – 3,000 £2,842 £3,374 £4,169 Class D 1 – 750 £3,123 £4,683 £6,229 Class D 751 – 1,500 £4,987 £6,549 £8,095 Class D 1,501 – 3,000 £6,853 £8,415 £9,959 Class E 1 – 750 £1,235 £1,767 £2,562 Class E 751 – 1,500 £2,039 £2,570 £3,366 Class E 1,501 – 3,000 £2,842 £3,374 £4,169 Class F 1 – 750 £1,431 £2,047 £2,967 Class F 751 – 1,500 £2,290 £2,905 £3,826 Class F 1,501 – 3,000 £3,148 £3,764 £4,685 Class G 1 – 750 £2,341 £3,513 £4,672 Class G 751 – 1,500 £3,746 £4,917 £6,076 Class G 1,501 – 3,000 £5,152 £6,322 £7,482 Class H 1 – 750 £1,235 £1,767 £2,562 Class H 751 – 1,500 £2,039 £2,570 £3,366 Class H 1,501 – 3,000 £2,842 £3,374 £4,169 Class I 1 – 750 £1,235 £1,767 £2,562 Class I 751 – 1,500 £2,039 £2,570 £3,366 Class I 1,501 – 3,000 £2,842 £3,374 £4,169 COUNSEL Queen’s Counsel Actual Duration of Trial Offence falling within Trial Fee 1 1 to 8 days Trial Fee 2 9 to 16 days Trial Fee 3 17 to 24 days Trial Fee 4 25 to 32 days Trial Fee 5 33 to 40 days Trial Fee 6 41 to 48 days Trial Fee 7 49 to 56 days Trial Fee 8 57 to 64 days Trial Fee 9 65 to 72 days Trial Fee 10 73 to 80 days Class A £6,000 £8,000 £12,000 £16,000 £20,000 £28,000 £36,000 £48,000 £60,000 £72,000 Class B £2,886 £4,150 £6,044 £8,058 £10,072 £14,102 £18,136 £24,174 £30,218 £36,262 Class C £2,526 £3,609 £5,231 £6,975 £8,718 £12,205 £15,696 £20,924 £26,155 £31,386 Class D £4,000 £6,000 £8,000 £12,000 £15,000 £21,000 £27,000 £36,000 £44,999 £53,999 Class E £2,526 £3,609 £5,231 £6,975 £8,718 £12,205 £15,696 £20,924 £26,155 £31,386 Class F £2,526 £3,609 £5,231 £6,975 £8,718 £12,205 £15,696 £20,924 £26,155 £31,386 Class G £3,609 £5,412 £7,216 £9,620 £12,026 £17,200 £21,651 £28,862 £36,077 £43,294 Class H £2,526 £3,609 £5,231 £6,975 £8,718 £12,205 £15,696 £20,924 £26,155 £31,386 Class I £2,526 £3,609 £5,231 £6,975 £8,718 £12,205 £15,696 £20,924 £26,155 £31,386 Leading Junior Counsel Actual Duration of Trial Offence falling within Trial Fee 1 1 to 8 days Trial Fee 2 9 to 16 days Trial Fee 3 17 to 24 days Trial Fee 4 25 to 32 days Trial Fee 5 33 to 40 days Trial Fee 6 41 to 48 days Trial Fee 7 49 to 56 days Trial Fee 8 57 to 64 days Trial Fee 9 65 to 72 days Trial Fee 10 73 to 80 days Class A £4,500 £6,000 £9,000 £12,000 £15,000 £21,000 £27,000 £36,000 £45,000 £54,000 Class B £2,165 £3,112 £4,533 £6,044 £7,556 £10,577 £13,603 £18,131 £22,665 £27,198 Class C £1,894 £2,707 £3,924 £5,233 £6,541 £9,157 £11,776 £15,696 £19,621 £23,545 Class D £3,000 £4,500 £6,000 £9,000 £11,250 £15,750 £20,250 £27,000 £33,750 £40,500 Class E £1,894 £2,707 £3,924 £5,233 £6,541 £9,157 £11,776 £15,696 £19,621 £23,545 Class F £1,894 £2,707 £3,924 £5,233 £6,541 £9,157 £11,776 £15,696 £19,621 £23,545 Class G £2,707 £4,059 £5,412 £7,216 £9,019 £12,628 £16,239 £21,647 £27,059 £32,472 Class H £1,894 £2,707 £3,924 £5,233 £6,541 £9,157 £11,776 £15,696 £19,621 £23,545 Class I £1,894 £2,707 £3,924 £5,233 £6,541 £9,157 £11,776 £15,696 £19,621 £23,545 Sole Junior Counsel Actual Duration of Trial Offence falling within Trial Fee 1 1 to 8 days Trial Fee 2 9 to 16 days Trial Fee 3 17 to 24 days Trial Fee 4 25 to 32 days Trial Fee 5 33 to 40 days Trial Fee 6 41 to 48 days Trial Fee 7 49 to 56 days Trial Fee 8 57 to 64 days Trial Fee 9 65 to 72 days Trial Fee 10 73 to 80 days Class A £3,900 £5,200 £7,800 £10,400 £13,000 £18,200 £23,400 £31,200 £39,000 £46,800 Class B £1,877 £2,697 £3,929 £5,238 £6,548 £9,167 £11,788 £15,713 £19,641 £23,570 Class C £1,642 £2,345 £3,401 £4,355 £5,667 £7,935 £10,203 £13,601 £17,002 £20,403 Class D £2,600 £3,900 £5,200 £7,800 £9,750 £13,650 £17,550 £23,400 £29,250 £35,100 Class E £1,642 £2,345 £3,401 £4,535 £5,667 £7,935 £10,203 £13,601 £17,002 £20,403 Class F £1,642 £2,345 £3,401 £4,535 £5,667 £7,935 £10,203 £13,601 £17,002 £20,403 Class G £2,345 £3,518 £4,690 £6,253 £7,817 £10,943 £14,072 £18,758 £23,448 £28,139 Class H £1,642 £2,345 £3,401 £4,535 £5,667 £7,935 £10,203 £13,601 £17,002 £20,403 Class I £1,642 £2,345 £3,401 £4,535 £5,667 £7,935 £10,203 £13,601 £17,002 £20,403 ; d after the Tables of Basic Trial Fees and Refresher Fees following paragraph 7, insert – 7A 1 This paragraph applies where a fee is payable to a solicitor under this Part. 2 Where the PPE Range exceeds 3,000 pages, an additional fee shall be payable to the solicitor of £1 per each additional page. ; e in paragraph 8, before paragraph (3) insert – 1A The amount of the standard fee for a representative representing one assisted person in a guilty plea shall be the fee specified in paragraph 9 as appropriate to whether the case was a Guilty Plea or a Trial Preparation case, the representative (including the category of counsel instructed, as applicable) and the offence with which the assisted person was charged. 2A In a case where a Guilty Plea Fee is payable, subject to paragraphs 14, 15A, 18A, 18B, 29 and 30, the amount so payable shall be an all-inclusive fee. ; f in paragraph 8(3), omit the words “a Guilty Plea Fee or”; g in paragraph 8(4), in the definition of “G2”, omit the words – i “Guilty Plea Fee or”; ii “where applicable”; h for paragraph 9, substitute – 9 For the purposes of paragraph 8 the fee appropriate to any offence shall be that specified in the Table below as appropriate to whether the case was a Guilty Plea or a Trial Preparation case, the representative (including the category of counsel instructed, as applicable) and the Class within which that offence falls according to paragraph 5, including the PPE Range where applicable. ; i following paragraph 9, for the Tables of Guilty Plea Fees and Trial Preparation Fees, substitute the following Tables – a Guilty Plea Fees SOLICITOR Offence falling within Fee Class A £5,729 Class B £1,375 Class C £913 Class D £2,838 Class E £913 Class F £976 Class G £1,597 Class H £913 Class I £913 COUNSEL Offence falling within Queen’s Counsel Fee Leading Junior Counsel Fee Led Junior Counsel Fee Sole Junior Counsel Fee Class A £2,860 £2,145 £1,430 £1,859 Class B £1,440 £1,080 £720 £936 Class C £1,234 £926 £617 £802 Class D £1,976 £1,482 £988 £1,285 Class E £1,234 £926 £617 £802 Class F £1,234 £926 £617 £802 Class G £1,563 £1,173 £782 £1,017 Class H £1,234 £926 £617 £802 Class I £1,234 £926 £617 £802 b Trial Preparation Fees SOLICITOR Offence falling within PPE Range Fee Class A 1 – 750 £6,371 Class A 751 – 1,500 £11,073 Class A 1,501 – 3,000 £24,915 Class B 1 – 750 £1,604 Class B 751 – 1,500 £2,788 Class B 1,501 – 3,000 £6,275 Class C 1 – 750 £1,053 Class C 751 – 1,500 £1,831 Class C 1,501 – 3,000 £4,119 Class D 1 – 750 £3,193 Class D 751 – 1,500 £5,549 Class D 1,501 – 3,000 £12,486 Class E 1 – 750 £1,053 Class E 751 – 1,500 £1,831 Class E 1,501 – 3,000 £4,119 Class F 1 – 750 £1,138 Class F 751 – 1,500 £1,978 Class F 1,501 – 3,000 £4,452 Class G 1 – 750 £1,863 Class G 751 – 1,500 £3,237 Class G 1,501 – 3,000 £7,283 Class H 1 – 750 £1,053 Class H 751 – 1,500 £1,831 Class H 1,501 – 3,000 £4,119 Class I 1 – 750 £1,053 Class I 751 – 1,500 £1,831 Class I 1,501 – 3,000 £4,119 COUNSEL Offence falling within Queen’s Counsel Fee Leading Junior Counsel Fee Led Junior Counsel Fee Sole Junior Counsel Fee PPE Range Class A 1 – 750 £4,500 £3,375 £2,250 £2,925 Class A 751 – 1,500 £8,400 £6,300 £4,200 £5,460 Class A 1,501 – 3,000 £18,900 £14,175 £9,450 £12,285 Class B 1 – 750 £2,028 £1,520 £1,014 £1,318 Class B 751 – 1,500 £4,134 £3,100 £2,067 £2,686 Class B 1,501 – 3,000 £9,804 £7,352 £4,902 £6,372 Class C 1 – 750 £1,781 £1,335 £891 £1,158 Class C 751 – 1,500 £3,623 £2,718 £1,812 £2,356 Class C 1,501 – 3,000 £8,095 £6,071 £4,047 £5,262 Class D 1 – 750 £3,000 £2,250 £1,500 £1,950 Class D 751 – 1,500 £6,337 £4,752 £3,168 £4,119 Class D 1,501 – 3,000 £13,424 £10,068 £6,712 £8,726 Class E 1 – 750 £1,781 £1,335 £891 £1,158 Class E 751 – 1,500 £3,623 £2,718 £1,812 £2,356 Class E 1,501 – 3,000 £8,585 £6,438 £4,293 £5,581 Class F 1 – 750 £1,781 £1,335 £891 £1,158 Class F 751 – 1,500 £3,623 £2,718 £1,812 £2,356 Class F 1,501 – 3,000 £8,585 £6,438 £4,293 £5,581 Class G 1 – 750 £2,600 £1,951 £1,300 £1,690 Class G 751 – 1,500 £5,233 £3,924 £2,616 £3,401 Class G 1,501 – 3,000 £12,320 £9,241 £6,160 £8,008 Class H 1 – 750 £1,781 £1,335 £891 £1,158 Class H 751 – 1,500 £3,623 £2,718 £1,812 £2,356 Class H 1,501 – 3,000 £8,585 £6,438 £4,293 £5,581 Class I 1 – 750 £1,781 £1,335 £891 £1,158 Class I 751 – 1,500 £3,623 £2,718 £1,812 £2,356 Class I 1,501 – 3,000 £8,585 £6,438 £4,293 £5,581 ; j in paragraph 9A, substitute – 9A 1 This paragraph applies where a Trial Preparation Fee is payable to a representative under this Part. 2 Where the PPE Range exceeds 3,000 pages, an additional fee shall be payable to the representative of £1 per each additional page. ; k for paragraph 27, substitute – 27 Where a solicitor was dismissed by the assisted person, or the Department is satisfied that he was obliged to withdraw from the case for compelling professional reasons, the Department may, in its discretion, allow the following fees to the solicitor – a if the solicitor was dismissed or withdrew within one week of the date of the first arraignment, a Guilty Plea Fee as appropriate to the offence with which the assisted person was charged; b if the solicitor was dismissed or withdrew after the first arraignment and before the trial (if any) commenced, a Trial Preparation Fee as appropriate to the offence with which the assisted person was charged; c in any other circumstances, such amount as it considers to be reasonable in all the circumstances. . Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Justice on 23rd March 2016 David Ford Minister of Justice The Department of Finance and Personnel hereby approves the foregoing Rules Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance and Personnel on 23rd March 2016 Emer Morelli A senior officer of the Department of Finance and Personnel