04 October 2012
Supreme Court Justices can make pro bono costs orders
Justices will be able to make an order for costs in favour of a specific charity which funds pro bono representation, the Access to Justice Foundation. Previously, where the successful party was represented on a pro bono basis and therefore technically had incurred no costs, the judge was unable to ask the unsuccessful party to make a contribution.
The change in the law, introduced by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, brings the Supreme Court into line with other civil courts, which have been able to make pro bono costs orders since 2007.
