Legal Aid - Custody Issues Scheme

The Legal Aid - Custody Issues Scheme (LA-CIS) provides payment for legal representation in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court for certain types of cases not covered by Civil Legal Aid or the Criminal Legal Aid Schemes. The cases covered include:

Habeas Corpus Applications
Motions for bail in the High Court, Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court
Judicial Review proceedings
Extradition and European Arrest Warrant Applications

Eligibility under the Scheme and application procedure

The Scheme provides legal representation for people who need it but who cannot afford it. It is not an alternative to costs. A person applying for the Scheme must satisfy the Court that they cannot hire a solicitor without the benefit of the Scheme. Therefore, applicants should tell the court at the beginning of the case that they would like to apply for the Scheme and an application must be presented to the Court at the start of the proceedings.

Applicants for the Scheme must complete the application Form CI 3 Application Legal Services, and give it to the Court in order to be means tested.

The information provided by the applicant must be correct. If the applicant misleads the Court, the Legal Aid Board will not consider payment of the legal fees. In such circumstances, the applicant will be responsible for their own legal expenses. The applicant should check with a solicitor that their case falls under the scope of the Scheme.

Submission of claims under the Scheme - further information

A claim for fees must be submitted on a fully completed Legal Aid – Custody Issues Scheme Claim Form CI 1. While the C I 1 Claim Form should be signed and dated by all the relevant legal practitioners, it is the relevant solicitor who should collate, finalise and formally submit the claim on behalf of all parties to the Legal Aid Board for consideration.

It should be noted that incomplete or illegible claim forms or claims submitted without the required accompanying documentation will be returned to the solicitor for proper completion and re- submission. Fully completed and legible claim forms along with all required accompanying documentation should be sent by the earliest possible date to the Legal Aid Board at the contact details set out below. Such claims must be submitted no later than twelve months from the date on which the case was finalised. It should be noted that claims submitted after this deadline will not be considered or processed for payment by the Legal Aid Board.

Querying the status of a claim or seeking further information

All queries pertaining to the administration of the Scheme should be forwarded to the Legal Aid Board at the contact details set out below.

Financial Shared Services Section,
Department of Justice and Equality,
Deerpark Road,
Killarney,
Co. Kerry.

Ph: 064 6670300

Legal Aid Board,
Legal Aid - Custody Issues Scheme,
Criminal Legal Aid Section,
48/49 North Brunswick Street,
George’s Lane,
Smithfield,
Dublin 7
DX 1085 FOUR COURTS

Ph: 01 6469644
cla@legalaidboard.ie