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LNB NEWS: MoJ announces free legal advice expansion for domestic abuse victims

19 October 2022
Categories: Legal News , Criminal , Legal aid focus , Family
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The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced changes to the legal aid system that will enable domestic abuse victims to obtain free legal advice through new Domestic Abuse Protection Notices and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (DAA 2021). 

Lexis®Library update: According to the MoJ, the police will be able to issue these protection notices for victims following an incident and courts will be able to impose longer term protection through the protection orders. Once a victim is protected by either of these notices or orders, they will be able to access free expert legal advice and representation in court. The MoJ has also announced an additional £10m funding for housing legal aid so that more people can access legal advice when the face the risk of eviction.

Justice Minister, Lord Bellamy KC, has said: ‘Legal advice should always be available to those who need it, especially victims of domestic abuse who often rely on lawyers to ensure they are protected from abusers. By making it easier for victims to access legal aid, more people will be better supported through court proceedings and can start the process of moving on safely with their lives.’

This content was first published by LNB News / Lexis®Library, a LexisNexis® company, on 18 October 2022 and is published with permission. Further information can be found at: www.lexisnexis.co.uk.

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