Creating a Criminal Legal Aid Matter

22/02/2024
Knowledge

How To

To create a new legal aid Criminal matter, complete the following steps.

Desktop
Web

Creating a Criminal Matter

Click the New Matter button.
Select Criminal from the list of matter types, enter your matter Description, and click OK.
Enter the relevant Staff details.
Navigate to the Accounting tab and select Legal Aid from the Billing Mode drop-down menu.
Click OK and assign a client.
Work through the Personal Details tabs (General, Other, Additional Fields) to enter details about your client.

Date of Birth is required for legal aid reporting.
Navigate along to the Additional Fields tab to enter Ethnicity, Disability, UCN and HO UCN.
Click Address within the left side panel, enter the address details and click Save & Close.

Click to edit heading

Once these details have been initially entered, they will be available on all matters associated with the client.

Once the matter has been created you will need to input the specific legal aid information.

To enter the relevant legal aid details, click on the Legal Aid Details button, from the Details & Correspondence tab.
Complete the required fields in the Legal Aid Details window and click Save & Close.

Your matter has now been created and you can begin recording time and creating correspondence.

Criminal Law Matter Details

Field	Description
Branch	If your firm has multiple branches, select the branch that will be responsible for this matter
Date Opened	Date of initial attendance/first instruction on your client
UFN	Unique File Number > Matter start date + 3 digits Case ID = DDMMYY/NNN
Rate	Define if the claim will be costed at London or National hourly rates and fixed fee
Undesignated Area	If your firm falls within an undesignated area, travel and waiting will be awarded when claiming standard fees
Offence	Description in relation to the offence that your client is being questioned over
DSCC	Defence Solicitor Call Centre Number that was issued when you accepted this case
Custody No.	The police station custody number that was issued to your client when initial arrest/attendance took place
USN	Unique Submission Number
Police Station	The police station where first attendance on your client took place
CPS URN	If applicable, the Crown Prosecution Service reference number that has been allocated to this matter
Prison	The prison where your client is/was being detained
Prison Law Auth No.	Number given when a firm has prior approval to claim for treatment cases in prison law. Only valid on applications made prior to 2 December 2013
Rep Order No.	The number that appears on the representation order that grants you to undertake legal aid work on behalf of the client
Rep Order Date	The date on the representation order that authorises you to undertake work for your client on this matter Required only when claiming Magistrates Court Standard Fee cases

Creating a Criminal Matter

Click the New Matter button.
Select Criminal from the list in Matter Type and enter your matter Description.
Enter the Client and Other Side in the Parties tab and click Next.
Enter the relevant Staff details under Matter Details.
Click Next and assign a client under Client Details. Work through the Personal Details tabs to enter details about your client.

Date of Birth is required for legal aid reporting.
Navigate along to the Additional Fields tab to enter Disability, Ethnicity, UCN and HO UCN.
Click Address within the left side panel, enter the address details and click Save.

Click to edit heading

Once these details have been initially entered, they will be available on all matters associated with the client.

Once the matter has been created click on the Matter Details, select Accounting tab and tick the Legal Aid checkbox then click Save.
You will need to input the specific legal aid information.

To enter the relevant legal aid details, click on the Legal Aid Details button, from the Actions menu.
Complete the required fields in the Legal Aid Details window and click Save & Close.

Your matter has now been created and you can begin recording time and creating correspondence.

Criminal Law Matter Details

Field	Description
Branch	If your firm has multiple branches, select the branch that will be responsible for this matter
UFN	Date of initial attendance/first instruction on your client Unique File Number > Matter start date + 3 digits Case ID = DDMMYY/NNN
Rate	Define if the claims will be costed at London or National hourly rates and fixed fee
Undesignated Area	If your firm falls within an undesignated area, travel and waiting will also be awarded when claiming standard fees
Offence	Description in relation to the offence that you client is being questioned over
DSCC	Defence Solicitor Call Centre Number that was issued when you accepted this case
Custody No.	The police station custody number that was issued your client when initial arrest/attendance took place
USN	Unique Submission Number
Police Station	The police station where first attendance on your client took place
Court	The court where attendance will/or has taken place
CPS URN	If applicable, the Crown Prosecution Service reference number that has been allocated to this matter
Prison	The prison where your client is/was being detained
Prison Law Auth No.	Number given when a firm has prior approval to claim for treatment cases in prison law Only valid on applications made prior to 2 December 2013
Rep Order No.	The number that appears on the representation order that grants you to undertake legal aid work on behalf of the client
Rep Order Date	The date on the representation order that authorises you to undertake work for your client on this matter Required only when claiming Magistrates Court Standard fees cases

Last Modified Date

22/02/2024 4:27 am

Title

Creating a Criminal Legal Aid Matter

URL Name

Creating-a-Legal-Aid-Billing-Matter-Criminal

Resolution