Legal aid may be granted in respect of the following criminal matters:

• (a) criminal proceedings in a District Court, a Youth Court, the High Court, the Court of Appeal, or the Supreme Court:

• (b) appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in criminal proceedings, where the Attorney-General certifies that a question of law of exceptional public importance is involved and that the grant of criminal legal aid is desirable in the public interest:

• (c) proceedings—

  • (i) before the New Zealand Parole Board under section 27, 65, or 107 of the Parole Act 2002 (which relate to postponement orders, recall orders, and orders under section 107 of that Act, respectively):

  • (ii) in the High Court on an application under section 68 of the Parole Act 2002 (which relates to appeals against postponement orders, section 107 orders, and final recall orders).

(1) Legal aid may be granted in respect of the following civil matters:

• (a) civil proceedings in a District Court or a Family Court:

• (b) civil proceedings in the High Court, the Court of Appeal, or the Supreme Court:

• (c) appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in civil proceedings in any case where—

  • (i) the applicant has succeeded in the Court of Appeal and is the respondent in the appeal to the Privy Council, if the grant of aid is approved by the Minister; or

  • (ii) the Attorney-General certifies that a question of law of exceptional public importance is involved and that the grant of aid is desirable in the public interest:

• (d) proceedings commenced by way of application in a Youth Court under Part 7 of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989 or in respect of any review of any determination of, or any order made in, a Youth Court in any such proceedings:

• (e) in any case where the Commissioner considers that the case is one that requires legal representation (having regard to the nature of the proceedings and to the applicant's personal interest) and considers that the applicant would suffer substantial hardship if aid were not granted, proceedings in—

  • (i) the Māori Land Court; or

  • (ii) the Māori Appellate Court; or

  • (iii) the Employment Court; or

  • (iv) the Employment Relations Authority; or

  • (v) any administrative tribunal or judicial authority (not being a tribunal or an authority in respect of any decision from which an appeal lies to any of the bodies referred to in any of paragraphs (f) to (j)):

• (f) proceedings before the Waitangi Tribunal:

• (g) proceedings before the Social Security Appeal Authority:

• (h) proceedings before the Tenancy Tribunal:

• (i) proceedings before a body established under section 63(1)(a)(i) of the Housing Restructuring and Tenancy Matters Act 1992 to hear appeals under section 62 of that Act:

• (j) proceedings before the Refugee Status Appeals Authority (whether as established by the Government of New Zealand or as continued under section 129N of the Immigration Act 1987) in respect of any claim for refugee status made before 1 April 1999 (being the date on which the Immigration Amendment Act 1999 received the Royal assent), or any other matter relating to refugee status that arose before that date:

• (k) the processing, under Part 6A of the Immigration Act 1987, of any claim for refugee status first made on or after 1 April 1999 (including proceedings on any appeal in relation to such a claim), and the processing of any other matter arising under section 129L or section 129R of the Immigration Act 1987 that first arose on or after that date (including proceedings on any appeal in relation to such a matter):

• (l) any review proceedings (as defined in section 2 of the Immigration Act 1987) in respect of proceedings or matters to which paragraph (j) or (k) applies:

• (m) any application under section 114I of the Immigration Act 1987 for a review by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security of a decision of the Director of Security to make a security risk certificate:

• (j) proceedings before the Immigration and Protection Tribunal, as established by the Immigration Act 2009, in respect of appeals against decisions to decline to grant recognition as a refugee or a protected person, or decisions to cease to recognise a person as a refugee or a protected person, as provided in sections 194(1) and 195 of that Act, or against liability for deportation arising under section 162 of that Act:

• (k) the processing, under Part 5 of the Immigration Act 2009, of any claim for recognition as a refugee or a protected person:

• (l) any proceedings before the District Court or High Court following an application made under section 316 or 324 of the Immigration Act 2009:

• (m) any appeal or review proceedings (as defined in section 4 of the Immigration Act 2009) in respect of proceedings or matters to which paragraph (j) or (k) applies:

• (ma) any proceedings or application under or in relation to the Immigration Act 1987 for which legal aid could have been granted under any of paragraphs (j), (k), (l), and (m) of section 7(1) of the Legal Services Act 2000 as in force before their repeal by the Immigration Act 2009:

• (n) all applications, submissions, and appeals under the Resource Management Act 1991 or to the Environment Court under any other Act:

• (o) all applications, submissions, and appeals to any Council or body in any case where an appeal in relation to its decision lies to the Environment Court:

• (p) proceedings before the tribunal under the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Act 2006:

• (q) proceedings before a Tribunal under subpart 2 of Part 2 of the Prisoners' and Victims' Claims Act 2005 in respect of 1 or more victims' claims under that subpart.

(2) To avoid any doubt, subsection (1)(e)(v) applies, without limitation, to the following proceedings:

• (a) an inquest held by a coroner for the purposes of Part 3 of the Coroners Act 2006; and

• (b) a hearing of the New Zealand Parole Board (other than one in a proceeding specified in section 6(c)(i)) that concerns an offender and is a hearing at which a victim may appear as of right or with the Board's leave.

(3) Paragraphs (n) and (o) of subsection (1) do not restrict any other paragraph of that subsection.

(4) Despite subsection (1), but subject to subsection (5)(e), legal aid is not available in proceedings under Part 4 of the Family Proceedings Act 1980 (which relates to proceedings relating to the status of marriage or civil union) unless the Commissioner is of the opinion—

• (a) that the unusual complexity of the case requires that the applicant be legally represented; or

• (b) that the applicant would suffer substantial hardship if aid were not granted.

(5) Despite subsection (1), legal aid is not available in any of the following proceedings:

• (a) relator actions:

• (b) election petitions under the Electoral Act 1993:

• (c) petitions for inquiry under the Local Electoral Act 2001:

• (d) proceedings incidental to any proceedings mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (c) of this subsection:

• (e) proceedings under section 37 of the Family Proceedings Act 1980 (which relates to the dissolution of marriage or civil union), or appeals in proceedings under that section:

• (f) any appeal to the Residence Review Board under section 18C of the Immigration Act 1987:

• (g) any appeal to the Removal Review Authority under Part 2 of the Immigration Act 1987:

• (f) any appeal to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal against a decision concerning a residence class visa under section 187 of the Immigration Act 2009 (or any appeal to the Residence Appeal Authority under section 18C of the Immigration Act 1987):

• (g) any appeal to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal on humanitarian grounds against liability for deportation by a person liable for deportation under section 154 of the Immigration Act 2009 (or any appeal to the Removal Review Authority under Part 2 of the Immigration Act 1987):

• (h) proceedings before a Commission of Inquiry under the Commissions of Inquiry Act 1908 (other than a Commission of Inquiry established or appointed by or under another enactment but deemed to be a Commission of Inquiry under the Commissions of Inquiry Act 1908).

(1) The Commissioner may grant legal aid to an applicant in respect of proceedings to which section 6 applies (criminal matters) if—

• (a) the applicant is a natural person charged with or convicted of an offence; and

• (b) it appears to the Commissioner that the applicant does not have sufficient means to enable him or her to obtain legal assistance; and

• (c) either—

  • (i) the offence to which the application relates is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of 6 months or more; or

  • (ii) it appears to the Commissioner that the interests of justice require that the applicant be granted legal aid.

(2) When considering whether the interests of justice require that the applicant be granted legal aid, the Commissioner—

• (a) must have regard to—

  • (i) whether the applicant has any previous conviction; and

  • (ii) whether the applicant is charged with or convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment; and

  • (iii) whether there is a real likelihood that the applicant, if convicted, will be sentenced to imprisonment; and

  • (iv) whether the proceedings involve a substantial question of law; and

  • (v) whether there are complex factual, legal, or evidential matters that require the determination of a court; and

  • (vi) whether the applicant is able to understand the proceedings or present his or her own case, whether orally or in writing; and

  • (vii) in any proceeding to which section 6(c) applies, the consequences for the applicant if legal aid is not granted; and

  • (viii) in respect of an appeal, the grounds of the appeal; and

• (b) may have regard to any other circumstances that, in the opinion of the Commissioner, are relevant.

(3) When determining whether an applicant has sufficient means to enable him or her to obtain legal assistance, the Commissioner must, except as provided under section 9(1), have regard to the applicant's income and disposable capital as set out in Schedule 1.

(4) Subsection (1)(c)(i) does not apply in respect of—

• (a) an appeal; or

• (b) a proceeding to which section 6(c) applies.

(5) Despite subsection (1)(a), the Commissioner may not grant legal aid to a child or a young person (as those terms are defined in section 2(1) of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989) in respect of any proceedings against that child or young person for an offence, if those proceedings are heard in a Youth Court.

(1) If an applicant is charged with or convicted of a prescribed offence, the Commissioner must determine, in the manner set out in regulations, whether the applicant has sufficient means to enable him or her to obtain legal assistance unless subsection (2) applies.

(2) However, the Commissioner must determine or, if the case requires, redetermine the applicant's means in accordance with section 8(3) if—

• (a) the Commissioner considers it possible that the cost of services for the grant may exceed the prescribed maximum grant:

• (b) an application for an amendment to the grant is made that would result in the cost of services exceeding the prescribed maximum grant:

• (c) the Commissioner considers that the cost of services is likely to exceeds the prescribed maximum grant:

• (d) the Commissioner receives new information about the applicant's financial circumstances that would suggest that the applicant has sufficient means to enable him or her to obtain legal assistance:

• (e) the application for the grant of legal aid is in respect of an appeal:

• (f) any circumstances prescribed in regulations apply.

(3) In this section, prescribed maximum grant means the maximum amount of legal aid prescribed in regulations that may be granted for a prescribed offence.

(4) To avoid doubt, a redetermination under subsection (2) is not a new application for legal aid.

(1) The Commissioner must, subject to this section and sections 11 to 13, grant legal aid to an applicant in respect of proceedings to which section 7 applies (civil matters) if the applicant is—

• (a) a natural person, whether resident in New Zealand or not; or

• (b) a trustee corporation (as defined in section 2(1) of the Administration Act 1969) that applies for legal aid in connection with proceedings in which it is concerned in a representative, fiduciary, or official capacity.

(2) The Commissioner must refuse to grant legal aid to an applicant whose income or disposable capital exceeds the relevant thresholds prescribed in regulations, unless the Commissioner is satisfied that there are special circumstances having regard to—

• (a) the likely cost of the proceedings to the applicant; or

• (b) the applicant's ability to fund the proceedings if legal aid is not granted.

(3) The Commissioner must refuse to grant legal aid if the applicant has not shown to have that the applicant has reasonable grounds for taking or defending the proceedings or being a party to the proceedings.

(4) The Commissioner may refuse to grant legal aid to an applicant in any of the following circumstances:

• (a) the Commissioner is unable to obtain full information concerning the applicant's financial affairs because of the default or failure of the applicant:

• (b) in the opinion of the Commissioner, the prescribed repayment amount will exceed the likely cost of the proceedings for which legal aid is sought:

• (c) the applicant is not resident in New Zealand and the Commissioner considers that the proceedings might reasonably be brought in a jurisdiction other than New Zealand:

• (d) in the case of original proceedings,—

  • (i) the applicant's prospects of success are not sufficient to justify the grant of legal aid; or

  • (ii) the grant of legal aid is not justified, having regard to the nature of the proceedings and the applicant's interest in them (financial or otherwise), in relation to the likely cost of the proceedings; or

  • (iii) for any other cause where it appears unreasonable or undesirable that the applicant should receive legal aid in the particular circumstances of the case:

• (e) in the case of an appeal (whether or not in respect of proceedings in which the applicant has received legal aid), the Commissioner considers that for any reason the grant of legal aid or further legal aid is not justified.

(5) The Commissioner may refuse to grant legal aid to an applicant in respect of any original proceeding under an enactment specified in Schedule 2 if the Commissioner considers that the grant of legal aid is not justified.

(6) In determining under subsection (5) whether a grant of legal aid is not justified, the Commissioner must have regard to—

• (a) any previous proceedings in the matter to which the application relates; and

• (b) any personal protection issues such as (without limitation) any orders relating to domestic violence, protection of personal property rights, compulsory treatment, or compulsory care; and

• (c) the interests and welfare of any other person who may be affected by the outcome of the proceedings; and

• (d) whether there are any complex factual, legal, or evidential matters that require the determination of a court; and

• (e) whether it is in the public interest that legal aid be granted.

(1) To avoid doubt, legal aid in respect of civil proceedings is not available to any body of persons, whether corporate or unincorporate, except as provided in section 10(1) and section 47.

(2) Sections 10(2) and (4)(a) and (b) do not apply to applications for legal aid in respect of victims' claims proceedings.

(2) Sections 10(2) and (4)(a) and (b) do not apply to—

• (a) applications for legal aid in respect of victims' claims proceedings; or

• (b) applications for legal aid by a victim in respect of—

  • (i) an inquest held by a coroner for the purposes of Part 3 of the Coroners Act 2006; or

  • (ii) a hearing of the New Zealand Parole Board (other than one in a proceeding specified in section 6(c)(i)) that concerns an offender and is a hearing at which the victim may appear as of right or with the Board's leave; or

• (c) applications for legal aid by a person of a class specified in regulations as exempted from the application of sections 10(2) and (4)(a) and (b); or

• (d) applications for legal aid in respect of a proceeding of a class specified in regulations as exempted from the application of sections 10(2) and (4)(a) and (b).

(3) Sections 10(1), (2), and (4)(a) do not apply to applications for legal aid under section 47 in respect of certain proceedings before the Waitangi Tribunal.

(4) Section 10(4)(d)(i) does not apply to original proceedings under an enactment specified in Schedule 2.

(5) The Commissioner may grant legal aid to an applicant in respect of a civil proceeding under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 if the Commissioner considers that the interests of justice require that the applicant be granted legal aid.

(6) In considering whether the interests of justice require that an applicant be granted legal aid under subsection (5), the Commissioner must have regard to—

• (a) whether there are any serious consequences for the applicant if legal aid is not granted; and

• (b) whether there are any complex factual, legal, or evidential matters in the proceeding that require the applicant to be legally represented.

(7) Sections 10(3) and (4) do not apply to an application for legal aid in respect of a civil proceeding under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.

(1) Subject to subsection (2), the Commissioner may not grant legal aid in respect of proceedings involving a decision or matter under the Immigration Act 1987 to a person who—

• (a) is unlawfully in New Zealand in terms of the Immigration Act 1987; or

• (b) is lawfully in New Zealand only by virtue of being the holder of a temporary permit or a limited purpose permit; or

• (c) is not in New Zealand and—

  • (i) is not a New Zealand citizen; or

  • (ii) does not hold a current returning resident's visa under section 14C of the Immigration Act 1987.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of—

• (a) proceedings referred to in that subsection for which a person was granted legal aid before 1 October 1999; or

• (b) proceedings specified in section 7(1)(j) to (m).

(1) Subject to subsection (2), the Commissioner may not grant legal aid in respect of—

• (a) proceedings involving a decision under the Immigration Act 2009 in relation to a person who—

  • (i) is unlawfully in New Zealand in terms of that Act; or

  • (ii) is lawfully in New Zealand only by being the holder of a temporary entry class visa granted under that Act; or

  • (iii) is not in New Zealand and—

    • (A) is not a New Zealand citizen; or

    • (B) does not hold a residence class visa granted under that Act:

• (b) proceedings involving a decision or matter under the Immigration Act 1987 in relation to a person who—

  • (i) was unlawfully in New Zealand in terms of that Act; or

  • (ii) not having been granted legal aid for the purpose of any particular proceedings in New Zealand before the person arrived in New Zealand, was lawfully in New Zealand only by virtue of being the holder of a temporary permit or a limited purposes permit.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of—

• (a) proceedings referred to in subsection (1)(b) for which a person was granted legal aid before the date fixed under section 2(1) of the Immigration Act 2009 for the coming into force of that Act; or

• (b) proceedings specified in section 7(1)(j) to (ma) of this Act.

(3) The Commissioner must refuse to grant legal aid to an applicant who applies for legal aid in connection with a civil proceeding in which he or she is concerned in a representative, fiduciary, or official capacity, unless it appears to the Commissioner that,—

• (a) if proceedings were brought, the court would be likely to order that the cost of the proceedings be paid out of any property, estate, or fund; and

• (b) if that happened, the property, estate, or fund would be diminished or extinguished by the order and any person beneficially interested would suffer hardship as a result.

(4) If an applicant applies for legal aid in connection with a matter in which numerous persons have the same interest, and the rules of court permit the applicant to sue or be sued on behalf of all those persons, then the Commissioner must refuse to grant legal aid if satisfied that—

• (a) the refusal of legal aid to the applicant would not seriously prejudice the rights of the applicant; or

• (b) it would be proper for the other persons having the same interest to pay for the proceedings.

(5) If an applicant has the right, according to the rules of court, to be joined with others as plaintiff in 1 action because a common question of law or fact arises, then the Commissioner may grant legal aid to the applicant that is limited to the proceedings necessary to preserve the applicant's right to relief.

(6) In this section, rules of court includes the rules governing the procedure of any court, tribunal, authority, or other body before whom the proceedings are heard.

A person who has any form of indemnification or insurance in respect of the legal costs of bringing or defending any proceedings is not entitled to legal aid in respect of those proceedings, unless or until the person has exhausted any benefits available under the indemnification or insurance.

(1) An application for a grant of legal aid—

• (a) must be made in the prescribed manner to the Commissioner; and

• (b) must include a statement of financial means in a form prescribed by the Secretary; and

• (c) must, subject to subsection (2), be made before the final disposition.

(2) An application for a grant of legal aid may be made after the final disposition only if—

• (a) the Commissioner receives the application within 15 working days from the date of the final disposition; and

• (b) the Commissioner is satisfied that—

  • (i) the application was delayed because of circumstances beyond the control of the applicant and the provider, and those circumstances could not have been reasonably anticipated; and

  • (ii) the applicant and the provider took all reasonable steps to apply before the final disposition.

(3) In this section, final disposition means the final disposition of the matter to which the application relates, by a court, tribunal, or any other means.

(1) A minor aged 16 or over may apply for legal aid in respect of a civil matter in his or her own right and, despite any enactment or rule of law,—

• (a) if a grant is made, is personally liable for any repayment required under it; and

• (b) is personally liable for any costs that the court orders the person to pay; and

• (c) may, unless the court directs otherwise, sue or be sued without a guardian ad litem or next friend.

(2) An application for legal aid in respect of a civil matter for a person who is aged under 16 or is mentally disordered must be made by a person of full age and capacity.

(3) If the rules of court require proceedings to be brought or defended by a next friend or guardian ad litem, then an application for legal aid in respect of a civil matter for a person who is aged under 16 or is mentally disordered must be made by the person's next friend or guardian ad litem, or by a person intending to act in that capacity.

(4) An application for civil legal aid in respect of a person who is aged under 16 or is mentally disordered must be accompanied by an undertaking by the person making the application that he or she will pay any repayment required to be paid under the grant.

(5) The Commissioner may waive any of the requirements or conditions set out in subsections (2) to (4).

(1) On an application for legal aid, the Commissioner may, in respect of the whole or any part of the proceedings or appeal,—

• (a) grant legal aid to the applicant; or

• (b) grant legal aid on an interim basis until a decision is made under paragraph (a) or (d); or

• (c) request further information from the applicant or the proposed lead provider, or both; or

• (d) decline the application.

(2) When granting legal aid under subsection (1)(a) or (b), the Commissioner—

• (a) must specify the conditions, as described in section 18, attaching to the grant; and

• (b) must identify the lead provider; and

• (c) may specify a maximum grant.

(3) If the Commissioner grants legal aid on an interim basis to a person,—

• (a) payments made under the grant cease—

  • (i) when the Commissioner decides the application under subsection (1)(a) or (d); or

  • (ii) if the Commissioner considers it appropriate that the payments should cease; and

• (b) if payments made under the grant have ceased under paragraph (a)—

  • (i) section 31 does not apply to it; and

  • (ii) section 32 applies to it with any necessary modifications and a reference to withdrawal of legal aid under that section must be read as a reference to the grant ceasing.

(4) This section does not apply to applications under section 47 for legal aid in respect of certain proceedings before the Waitangi Tribunal.

If the Commissioner has declined an application for legal aid under this Act, the Commissioner must, in writing, advise the applicant of the decision and of his or her right to seek—

• (a) a reconsideration of the decision, under section 51; and

• (b) a review of any reconsideration of that decision under section 52.

(1) A grant of legal aid may be subject to a condition that the aided person must pay to the Commissioner an interim repayment of a specified amount determined in accordance with section 20.

(2) Every grant of legal aid is subject to the condition that the aided person must pay to the Commissioner a repayment determined in accordance with section 21.

(3) A grant of legal aid may be subject to the condition that the aided person must authorise a charge to be registered in favour of the Commissioner over specified property of the aided person as security for the interim repayment or the repayment, or both.

(4) The Commissioner may lodge a caveat under section 137 of the Land Transfer Act 1952 on property over which a charge could be registered in favour of the Commissioner, regardless of whether the aided person has complied with any condition imposed under subsection (3).

(5) Subsection (1), the provisions of subsection (3) relating to a charge as security for payment of an interim repayment required by a condition referred to in subsection (1), and subsection (4)—

• (a) do not apply to the maximum grant under section 23(4) of legal aid in respect of victims' claims proceedings; but

• (b) apply to an amendment under section 28(4) of the maximum grant under section 23(4) of legal aid in respect of proceedings of that kind.

(6) The condition in subsection (2) does not apply to a grant of legal aid made on an interim basis if the Commissioner considers that the grant should not be subject to that condition.

(7) This section does not apply to—

• (a) applications for legal aid under section 47 in respect of certain proceedings before the Waitangi Tribunal; or

• (b) applications for legal aid by the patient or proposed patient in proceedings under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992; or

• (c) applications for legal aid by the care recipient or proposed care recipient in proceedings under the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003; or

• (d) applications for legal aid by a victim in respect of—

  • (i) an inquest held by a coroner for the purposes of Part 3 of the Coroners Act 2006; or

  • (ii) a hearing of the New Zealand Parole Board (other than one in a proceeding specified in section 6(c)(i)) that concerns an offender and is a hearing at which the victim may appear as of right or with the Board's leave; or

• (e) applications for legal aid by a person of a class specified in regulations as exempted from the application of this section; or

• (f) applications for legal aid in respect of a proceeding of a class specified in regulations as exempted from the application of this section; or

• (g) applications for legal aid by a person who is charged with or convicted of a prescribed offence and to whom section 9(2) does not apply.

(1) In this section, person A means a person who is a party to proceedings (which includes appeals) that in any way relate to, or arise out of, an application by or on behalf of, or a grant in favour of, the person for a protection order under Part 2, or an order relating to property under Part 3, of the Domestic Violence Act 1995.

(2) A grant of legal aid made to person A is not subject, and may not be made subject, to any of the conditions referred to in subsections (1), (2), or (3) of section 18, unless subsection (3) or (4) of this section applies.

(3) The Commissioner may impose any of the conditions in subsections (1), (2), or (3) of section 18 on a grant of legal aid made to person A if the Commissioner considers there are exceptional circumstances that justify the imposition of 1 or more of those conditions.

(4) If a grant of legal aid to person A is in respect of proceedings that involve matters in addition to proceedings under the Domestic Violence Act 1995, then the Commissioner may impose conditions on the part of the grant that relates to those additional matters.

(5) If the Commissioner proposes to impose conditions under subsection (4), he or she must—

• (a) consider any representations by person A concerning the proportion of the grant that should not be subject to conditions; and

• (b) determine what proportion of the grant is subject to conditions, and what those conditions are; and

• (c) advise person A of the Commissioner's decision, and explain how he or she decided what proportion of the grant should be subject to conditions.

(1) If an interim repayment is payable under a grant of legal aid, the Commissioner must determine the amount of the interim repayment by having regard to the prescribed repayment amount set by regulations.

(2) The Commissioner may require an aided person to start making interim repayments at any time after legal aid has been granted.

(1) This section sets out the repayment payable by an aided person under section 18(2).

(2) The repayment payable if the proceeds of proceedings are less than the cost of services is determined by—

• (a) adding the proceeds of proceedings and the prescribed repayment amount; and

• (b) subtracting from the amount obtained under paragraph (a)—

  • (i) the amount (if any) by which it exceeds the cost of services; and

  • (ii) any interim repayment paid by the aided person; and

  • (iii) any deductions allowed by the Commissioner in accordance with this Act or the regulations.

(3) The repayment payable if the proceeds of proceedings equal or exceed the cost of services is the cost of services minus—

• (a) any interim repayment paid by the aided person; and

• (b) any deductions allowed by the Commissioner in accordance with this Act or the regulations.

(4) The repayment payable if there are no proceeds of proceedings is the lesser of—

• (a) the cost of services minus—

  • (i) any interim repayment paid by the aided person; and

  • (ii) any deductions allowed by the Commissioner in accordance with this Act or the regulations:

• (b) the prescribed repayment amount minus the amounts referred to in paragraph (a)(i) and (ii).

(5) The prescribed repayment amount referred to in subsection (2)(a) is zero in respect of victims' claims proceedings.

(6) Subsection (4) does not apply to victims' claims proceedings.

(7) If an aided person was granted legal aid for a prescribed offence and the Commissioner is required by section 9(2) to redetermine the person's means, the cost of services for the purposes of calculating a repayment under subsection (4), includes the cost of services calculated under the grant before the aided person's means were redetermined.

If more than 1 provider provides services under a grant of legal aid, any obligation of the Commissioner to pay or to communicate with a person providing services under the grant is owed only to the lead provider, and not to any other provider.

(1) A grant of legal aid may specify a maximum grant, which is the amount of legal aid that is authorised under the grant.

(2) A maximum grant may be expressed in any way. For example, it may refer to a total dollar amount, or a maximum number of hours, or a period within which the aid must be provided, or any combination of these or any other specifications.

(3) When determining a maximum grant, the Commissioner may take into account any delay on the part of the applicant in applying for legal aid and the reason for the delay.

(4) However, every grant of legal aid in respect of victims' claims proceedings (as defined in section 4(1)) must specify a maximum grant of the amount prescribed for the purposes of this subsection by regulations.

(1) When a party to civil proceedings is granted legal aid, the provider under the grant must at once give notice of that fact to every other party to the proceedings, and to the Registrar of the relevant court.

(2) If any other person subsequently becomes a party to the proceedings, the provider must give an equivalent notice to the new party.

(3) If the grant of legal aid is withdrawn, the provider under the grant must notify all other parties to the proceedings of that fact.

(1) An aided person (and any person acting for an aided person as a lawyer, next friend, guardian ad litem, or in any other capacity) must notify the Commissioner of the following:

• (a) any increase in the income or disposable capital of (or being treated as being of) the aided person by an amount that could affect the aided person's eligibility for legal aid:

• (b) any change to the address of the aided person (and the person acting for the aided person, if applicable).

(2) A person applying for legal aid (in this section, the applicant) must notify the Commissioner of the following:

• (a) any increase in the income or disposable capital of (or being treated as being of) the applicant by an amount that could affect the applicant's eligibility for legal aid:

• (b) any change to the applicant's address.

(3) A person who is no longer an aided person, but who becomes aware that he or she, while an aided person, received an increase in his or her income or disposable capital that could have affected his or her eligibility for legal aid, must notify the Commissioner of that fact as soon as practicable.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (1), an aided person is deemed to have waived any legal professional privilege that might otherwise prevent a person acting for the aided person from complying with subsection (1).

(1) The Commissioner must give notice to an aided person of the conditions of his or her grant of legal aid—

• (a) when the grant is first made; and

• (b) when an amendment is made to the maximum grant of legal aid; and

• (c) whenever any material change is made to the conditions; and

• (d) when the repayment payable (as determined under section 21) is settled by the Commissioner; and

• (e) whenever the aided person asks for such a notice.

(2) Every notice under subsection (1) must include—

• (a) a statement of any amounts currently owing by the aided person, whether as an interim repayment or a repayment; and

• (b) details of any charges held, or to be taken, by the Commissioner over property of the aided person; and

• (c) advice to the person about how to seek—

  • (i) a reconsideration of the Commissioner's decision under section 51; and

  • (ii) an examination of the cost of services under section 90; and

  • (iii) a review of the Commissioner's decision under section 52.

(1) In this section, private mediation means any mediation other than mediation that is—

• (a) ordered by a court; or

• (b) part of a court process or proceeding; or

• (c) part of a dispute resolution process under any enactment.

(2) The Commissioner may fund legal services related to private mediation in respect of any matter for which legal aid may be granted under section 7 if the Commissioner is satisfied that—

• (a) the matter is suitable for private mediation; and

• (b) there is a reasonable likelihood that private mediation will resolve the dispute or part of the dispute.

(1) An application for an amendment to a grant of legal aid—

• (a) must be made by either the aided person or the provider; and

• (b) must be made in the prescribed manner to the Commissioner; and

• (c) must, subject to subsection (2), be made before the final disposition.

(2) An application for an amendment to a grant of legal aid may be made after the final disposition only if—

• (a) the Commissioner receives the application within 15 working days from the date of the final disposition; and

• (b) the Commissioner is satisfied that—

  • (i) the application was delayed because of circumstances beyond the control of the applicant and the provider, and those circumstances could not have been reasonably anticipated; and

  • (ii) the applicant and the provider took all reasonable steps to apply before the final disposition.

(3) Following an application for amendment to a grant of legal aid, the Commissioner may confirm the grant or amend it in a manner consistent with this Act and any regulations.

(4) However, the Commissioner may, on an application under this section, amend the maximum grant under section 23(4) of legal aid in respect of victims' claims proceedings only if satisfied that the aided person would, if section 11(2) applied to his or her application for legal aid in respect of those proceedings, be granted legal aid.

(5) The Commissioner may, in either or both of the following circumstances, refuse to amend under subsection (4) the maximum grant under section 23(4) of legal aid in respect of victims' claims proceedings:

• (a) if the Commissioner is unable to obtain full information concerning the applicant's financial affairs, because of the default or failure of the applicant:

• (b) if, in the opinion of the Commissioner, the prescribed repayment amount will exceed the likely cost of the proceedings.

(6) In this section, final disposition means the final disposition of the matter to which the application relates, by a court, tribunal, or any other means.

In relation to a criminal matter, the Commissioner may at any time—

• (a) withdraw legal aid from, or amend a grant of legal aid to, an aided person if—

  • (i) the Commissioner is satisfied that the aided person has sufficient means to enable the person to obtain legal assistance and representation; or

  • (ii) the Commissioner considers that the interests of justice no longer require that legal aid be given to the person; or

  • (iii) the aided person requests it; or

• (b) amend the conditions on a grant of legal aid (other than the condition referred to in section 18(2)) if the Commissioner considers that the conditions of the grant of legal aid are no longer appropriate.

(1) The Commissioner must withdraw legal aid granted in respect of a civil matter in any of the following circumstances:

• (a) the grant of legal aid includes a condition that the aided person pay an interim repayment, and payment of that interim repayment is—

  • (i) more than 21 days in arrears; or

  • (ii) unpaid by any date to which the Commissioner has extended the time for paying the interim repayment:

• (b) the grant of legal aid is subject to a condition that the aided person authorises a charge to be registered over specified property, and the aided person has not so authorised the charge within 15 working days of the date on which the Commissioner asked the person to do so:

• (c) the Commissioner becomes aware that the aided person was not entitled to legal aid because section 12(1) applies and section 12(2) does not.

(2) In relation to a civil matter, the Commissioner may at any time withdraw legal aid from, or amend a grant of legal aid to, an aided person in any of the following circumstances:

• (a) the aided person is no longer a person who would be entitled to that grant of legal aid, by virtue of any of the provisions of sections 10, 11, 12, or 13:

• (b) the Commissioner is satisfied that the proceedings in respect of which legal aid was granted have been disposed of:

• (c) the Commissioner is satisfied that the aided person has required the proceedings to be conducted unreasonably so as to incur an unjustifiable expense to the Commissioner, or has required unreasonably that the proceedings be continued:

• (d) the Commissioner considers that the aided person no longer has reasonable grounds for taking, defending, or being a party to the proceedings, or that it is unreasonable or undesirable in the particular circumstances for the person to continue to receive legal aid:

• (e) the Commissioner is satisfied that the aided person has, in relation to any application by that person relating to legal aid,—

  • (i) intentionally or negligently made an untrue statement about that person's resources, or has failed to disclose any material fact concerning them, whether the statement was made or the failure occurred before or after the aid was granted; or

  • (ii) intentionally contravened or failed to comply in any respect with this Act or regulations:

• (f) the aided person requests that the grant of legal aid be withdrawn.

(3) In relation to a civil matter, the Commissioner may at any time amend the conditions on a grant of legal aid (other than the condition referred to in section 18(2)) if the Commissioner considers that the conditions of the grant of legal aid are no longer appropriate.

(1) This section applies when the Commissioner proposes (other than with the agreement, or at the request, of the aided person) to withdraw a grant of legal aid, under section 29 or 30, in such a way that the aided person is likely to be detrimentally affected.

(2) A grant of legal aid must not be withdrawn until—

• (a) notice of intention to withdraw the grant has been given to the aided person and the lead provider; and

• (b) the aided person has been given a reasonable opportunity under the notice to make submissions on why the grant should not be withdrawn in the manner indicated; and

• (c) the Commissioner has considered any submission by or on behalf of the aided person.

(3) If a grant is withdrawn, the Commissioner must immediately notify the aided person and the lead provider of—

• (a) the date on which the withdrawal takes effect, which must be a date on or after the date on which the Commissioner reasonably believes the aided person will receive the notice; and

• (b) the reasons for the withdrawal; and

• (c) the aided person's rights to seek a reconsideration under section 51 and a review under section 52.

(4) This section does not apply to legal aid granted on an interim basis.

(1) The withdrawal of legal aid does not affect—

• (a) the aided person's obligations arising out of the conditions of the grant; or

• (b) the Commissioner's rights to enforce those obligations; or

• (c) the Commissioner's obligation to pay for the services provided under the grant before the date of its withdrawal.

(2) If legal aid is withdrawn from an aided person because of an increase in the person's income or disposable capital, the Commissioner may recover from the aided person any amount paid or payable by the Commissioner under the grant (less any interim repayment already paid by the person) in respect of—

• (a) the period beginning on or after the date on which the person first received the increase to the person's income or disposable capital that has affected entitlement to legal aid; and

• (b) the date of withdrawal of legal aid.

(3) Any amount recoverable by the Commissioner under subsection (2) is to be treated for all purposes as if it were a repayment payable by the aided person to the Commissioner.

(4) If legal aid is withdrawn from a person who was receiving aid from a provider, the provider has the right to recover from the aided person the difference between the amount paid or payable by the Commissioner under this Act and the full amount of that provider's fees and disbursements.

(5) The Commissioner is not obliged to pay for any services provided to an aided person after the date on which legal aid is withdrawn.

At any time, the total amount payable to the Commissioner by an aided person under the conditions of a grant is—

• (a) the amount of interim repayments outstanding (if any); and

• (b) if the proceedings have concluded, the amount of repayment payable (if any), determined in accordance with section 21.

(1) An amount payable to the Commissioner as a condition of a grant of legal aid (whether as an interim repayment or a repayment) is a debt due to the Commissioner, and may be recovered in any court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction.

(2) Interest that is payable under section 40 is a debt due to the Commissioner, and may be recovered in any court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction.

(3) The Commissioner may, by agreement with the aided person, make whatever arrangements (including any adjustments to those arrangements) that the Commissioner considers appropriate for the payment by the aided person of any amount payable under a grant of legal aid, or any other debt payable to the Commissioner by the aided person.

(4) In making any arrangements under subsection (3), the Commissioner must have regard to the following principles:

• (a) any debt that is to be paid from the aided person's income should be paid by the aided person within 5 years from when the debt arises:

• (b) any debt that is to be paid from the aided person's income and capital should be paid by the aided person within 7 years from when the debt arises.

(5) Despite subsection (4), the Commissioner may, after having regard to the principles in that subsection, make whatever arrangements the Commissioner considers appropriate in the circumstances.

(1) The Commissioner may, in accordance with this section,—

• (a) adjust the rate of payment of a debt by an aided person; or

• (b) require an aided person to commence or recommence payment of a debt.

(2) The Commissioner must not make a decision under subsection (1)(a) or (b) unless—

• (a) the Commissioner considers, in light of new information, that the decision is justified; and

• (b) reasonable efforts to reach agreement with the aided person have failed.

(3) No adjustment to the rate of payment of a debt may be made until the Commissioner—

• (a) notifies the aided person in writing of his or her intention to make the adjustment; and

• (b) provides the aided person with reasons for the proposed adjustment; and

• (c) gives the aided person a reasonable opportunity to make submissions on why the adjustment should not be made in the manner indicated; and

• (d) considers any submissions by the aided person.

(4) The Commissioner may not require an aided person to commence or recommence payment of a debt until the Commissioner—

• (a) notifies the aided person in writing of his or her intention to require the aided person to commence or recommence payment of the debt; and

• (b) provides the aided person with reasons why payment of the debt should commence or recommence; and

• (c) gives the aided person a reasonable opportunity to make submissions on why the person should not commence or recommence payment of the debt in the time indicated; and

• (d) considers any submissions by the aided person.

(5) If the Commissioner decides to adjust the rate of payment of a debt or require an aided person to commence or recommence payment of a debt, the Commissioner must notify the aided person in writing of—

• (a) the Commissioner's decision; and

• (b) the aided person's right to seek a reconsideration under section 51 or a review under section 52; and

• (c) the date on which the decision takes place (which must be no earlier than the day after the date that the Commissioner reasonably believes the aided person will receive notice under this subsection).

(1) The proceeds of proceedings to which a grant of legal aid relates are subject to a charge in favour of the Commissioner for the amount of the repayment payable under the grant.

(2) Subsection (1) operates to create a charge even if the grant of legal aid in respect of the relevant proceedings has been withdrawn.

(3) A charge created by this section on any damages or costs does not prevent a court from allowing these to be set off against other damages or costs in a case where a solicitor's lien for costs would not prevent it.

(4) A charge created by this section may be registered,—

• (a) in the case of land, against that land in accordance with the Statutory Land Charges Registration Act 1928; or

• (b) in the case of any other property, against that property in accordance with the Chattels Transfer Act 1924, the Personal Property Securities Act 1999, or the Motor Vehicle Securities Act 1989, as appropriate.

(5) Subsection (1) does not apply to property returned, transferred, or granted to an aided person as a result of proceedings before the Waitangi Tribunal.

(1) The Commissioner may, on application by an aided person, exempt any property that is part of the proceeds of proceedings from being subject to a charge under section 36.

(2) The Commissioner may exercise his or her power under subsection (1) if the Commissioner considers that, having regard to the value or nature of the property and all other relevant circumstances, it would be just and equitable to do so.

(3) Any application for exemption must be made within 20 working days (or such longer time as the Commissioner, on application, allows) of the date of the judgment or out-of-court settlement giving rise to the proceeds of proceedings.

(4) On receipt of an application for exemption, the Commissioner must—

• (a) decide whether to exempt the whole or any part of the property specified in the application, or any other property; and

• (b) advise the aided person of the decision, and of the aided person's right to apply for a reconsideration under section 51 and a review under section 52.

(1) If any property of an aided person is subject to a charge, the Commissioner may, if he or she considers that it would be unjust or unreasonable to require immediate payment of the amount charged, enter into an agreement with the aided person for the release of all or part of the property from all or part of the charge.

(2) The agreement may provide for all or part of the charge to attach to any other property of the aided person, and may be subject to conditions.

(3) The agreement has the effect of—

• (a) releasing from the charge any property agreed to be released from the charge; and

• (b) subjecting any property agreed to be subject to a charge to the charge as agreed.

(1) In order to recover a debt due under a grant of legal aid, the Commissioner may enforce, in any manner that would be available if the charge had been given between the parties, a charge—

• (a) registered in compliance with a condition of the grant imposed under section 18(3); or

• (b) arising by operation of section 36, whether it is registered or not.

(2) A transfer or act done with the intention, or having the effect, of defeating a charge referred to in subsection (1) is void as against the Commissioner, except where the transfer or act is to or in favour of a purchaser in good faith for value who, at the time of the transfer or act, had no notice of the charge.

(1) The Commissioner may require an aided person who defaults on the payment of a debt due to the Commissioner, to pay interest on the entire unpaid debt in respect of the period during which the aided person is in default.

(2) Any interest charged by the Commissioner under subsection (1) must be at the rate specified in regulations.

(1) An aided person must take all steps necessary to enforce a judgment or out-of-court settlement in order to recover the proceeds of proceedings.

(2) If the aided person fails to take such steps, the Commissioner may enforce the judgment or out-of-court settlement as if it were in favour of the Commissioner, and may recover the costs of doing so from the aided person.

(1) The Commissioner may decide not to recover any debt due to the Commissioner under a grant of legal aid if—

• (a) the enforcement of the debt would cause serious hardship to the aided person:

• (b) the cost to the Commissioner of enforcing the debt is likely to exceed the amount of the debt that is likely to be repaid:

• (c) the Commissioner considers that it would be just and equitable not to recover the debt.

(2) The Commissioner may make a decision under subsection (1) at the time that legal aid is granted, or at any time after it is granted.

(3) If the Commissioner decides not to recover a debt,—

• (a) the debt must be treated as being written off for the purposes of section 43; and

• (b) section 43(2) to (5) apply accordingly.

(4) In subsection (1), serious hardship means significant financial difficulties that arise because of—

• (a) the aided person's inability to meet minimum living expenses according to normal community standards; or

• (b) the cost of medical treatment of an illness or injury of the aided person or the aided person's dependant; or

• (c) a serious illness suffered by the aided person or the aided person's dependant.

(1) The Commissioner may write off all or any part of any repayment, interim repayment, interest, or any other debt payable to the Commissioner by an aided person in any of the following circumstances:

• (a) the enforcement of the debt would, in the opinion of the Commissioner, cause serious hardship to the aided person:

• (b) the cost to the Commissioner of enforcing the debt is likely to exceed the amount of the debt that is likely to be repaid:

• (c) the Commissioner considers that it would be just and equitable to write off the debt.

(2) When a debt has been written off under this section, the Commissioner must give notice to the debtor of the write-off.

(3) When a debt is written off under this section, the debtor is, from the date of the write-off, no longer liable to pay the debt.

(4) If, despite the write-off, a debtor repays some or all of a written-off debt, the Commissioner must return the amount that was written off.

(5) The write-off of a debt does not affect the Commissioner's obligation to pay any person who provided legal services under the relevant grant of legal aid.

(6) In subsection (1), serious hardship has the meaning given in section 42(4).

The Commissioner must refund any amount paid by an aided person to the Commissioner that is—

• (a) more than the aided person is or was required to pay; or

• (b) more than the cost of services.

(1) If an aided person receives legal aid for civil proceedings, that person's liability under an order for costs made against him or her with respect to the proceedings must not exceed an amount (if any) that is reasonable for the aided person to pay having regard to all the circumstances, including the means of all the parties and their conduct in connection with the dispute.

(2) No order for costs may be made against an aided person in a civil proceeding unless the court is satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances.

(3) In determining whether there are exceptional circumstances under subsection (2), the court may take account of, but is not limited to, the following conduct by the aided person:

• (a) any conduct that causes the other party to incur unnecessary cost:

• (b) any failure to comply with the procedural rules and orders of the court:

• (c) any misleading or deceitful conduct:

• (d) any unreasonable pursuit of 1 or more issues on which the aided person fails:

• (e) any unreasonable refusal to negotiate a settlement or participate in alternative dispute resolution:

• (f) any other conduct that abuses the processes of the court.

(4) Any order for costs made against the aided person must specify the amount that the person would have been ordered to pay if this section had not affected that person's liability.

(5) If, because of this section, no order for costs is made against the aided person, an order may be made specifying what order for costs would have been made against that person with respect to the proceedings if this section had not affected that person's liability.

(6) If an order for costs is made against a next friend or guardian ad litem of an aided person who is a minor or is mentally disordered, then—

• (a) that next friend or guardian ad litem has the benefit of this section; and

• (b) the means of the next friend or guardian ad litem are taken as being the means of the aided person.

(1) This section applies if an order is made under section 45 that specifies that an aided person would have incurred a liability, or a greater liability, for costs if that section had not affected his or her liability.

(2) If this section applies, the party to the proceedings who is prejudiced by the operation of section 45 (in this section, the applicant) may apply to the Commissioner in the prescribed manner for payment by the Commissioner of some or all of the difference between the costs (if any) actually awarded to that party against the aided person and those to which that party would have been entitled if section 45 had not affected the aided person's liability.

(3) In considering any such application, the Commissioner must have regard to the following matters:

• (a) the conduct of the parties to the proceedings:

• (b) the court's findings under section 45(2):

• (c) the hardship that would be caused to the applicant if the costs were not paid by the Commissioner.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3)(c), the Commissioner may require any person to furnish information on the financial circumstances and needs of the applicant.

(5) If, having regard to the matters specified in subsection (3) and to any information received under subsection (4), and to all relevant circumstances, the Commissioner considers that any payment should be made by the Commissioner to the applicant, the Commissioner may determine accordingly and must make the payment.

(6) The Commissioner may recover any payment made under this section from the aided person as a debt due to the Commissioner, unless the payment relates to an order made under section 45(5).

(7) The Commissioner may make a payment under this section to a lawyer who is not a provider under this Act.

(1) This section and sections 48 to 50 apply to an application for legal aid made in respect of any proceedings before the Waitangi Tribunal where—

• (a) the application is made by a Māori; and

• (b) the claim to which the application relates is submitted, or is to be submitted, by that Māori for the benefit of a group of Māori of which the applicant is a member.

(2) The Commissioner may grant an application to which this section applies only if the Commissioner is satisfied—

• (a) that the case is one that requires legal representation, having regard to the nature of the proceedings and to the interest of the group of Māori for whose benefit the claim is submitted or is to be submitted; and

• (b) that the group of Māori would suffer substantial hardship if aid were not granted; and

• (c) that the interest of that group of Māori is not sufficiently protected by any other claim.

(3) The Commissioner must take into account the information supplied by the Waitangi Tribunal under section 49 when determining whether or not to grant legal aid to the applicant and may, in the light of that information,—

• (a) grant legal aid to the applicant subject to such conditions as he or she thinks fit relating to the purposes for which that aid is granted, or the period for which that aid is granted, or both; or

• (b) defer his or her determination of the application for any period he or she thinks fit; or

• (c) decline the application.

(4) Nothing in this section prevents an applicant from making a further application for legal aid in respect of the proceedings to which the first application relates.

(1) In determining whether the group of Māori for whose benefit the claim to which the application relates is made would suffer substantial hardship if aid were not granted, the Commissioner may take into account not only the financial resources of those members of the group who are immediately involved in making the claim, but also the extent to which other members of the group, or any incorporated body that represents the members of the group, or both, might reasonably be expected to contribute towards the costs of the proceedings.

(2) The Commissioner may, in his or her discretion, refuse to grant the application if the applicant does not supply sufficient information concerning the financial resources of such persons and bodies as the Commissioner may specify for the purposes of making a determination referred to in subsection (1).

(3) In determining whether to refuse to grant an application on the ground specified in subsection (2), the Commissioner must consider and have regard to the following matters:

• (a) whether the applicant has made all reasonable endeavours to obtain the information required to be supplied to the Commissioner under that subsection:

• (b) whether the matter in respect of which the application is made is of sufficient importance or complexity to warrant the granting of the application even though that information has not been supplied:

• (c) whether it would be unjust to refuse to grant the application merely because that information has not been supplied.

(4) In subsection (1), incorporated body includes—

• (a) a Māori Trust Board (within the meaning of section 2(1) of the Maori Trust Boards Act 1955):

• (b) a Māori incorporation (within the meaning of section 4 of Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993):

• (c) a trust constituted under Part 12 or section 338 of Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993:

• (d) a trust continued as an ahu whenua trust by section 354 of Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993.

(1) Before determining an application to which this section applies, the Commissioner must refer the application to the Waitangi Tribunal for the purpose of obtaining a report containing information required by regulations.

(2) If, at any time, the Commissioner believes that the circumstances of the applicant or the application have changed, the Commissioner may seek an up-to-date report from the Waitangi Tribunal.

(3) The Waitangi Tribunal must supply to the Commissioner the information sought under this section.

(1) A condition requiring repayment of an amount under a grant of legal aid made under section 47 may be made only in accordance with this section.

(2) The applicant, or any person or body whose resources are taken into account for the purposes of making a determination referred to in section 48(1), or both, may be required to make a repayment towards the cost of legal services.

(3) The total of the repayment required to be paid under a grant of legal aid made under section 47 must not exceed an amount that is fair and reasonable, having regard to—

• (a) the resources of the applicant and the financial resources of those persons and bodies whose resources are so taken into account; and

• (b) the likely cost of the proceedings.

(4) Every repayment required in accordance with this section under a grant of legal aid is recoverable in the same way as any other repayment required to be paid under this Act.

(1) A person (who may be an aided person or an applicant for legal aid) who is aggrieved by a decision of the Commissioner that affects that person, may apply in the prescribed manner to the Commissioner for a reconsideration of the decision.

(2) The application must, subject to subsection (3), be made within 20 working days after the date on which notice of the relevant decision is given to the person.

(3) The Commissioner may accept a late application no later than 3 months after the date on which notice of the relevant decision was given to the person, if—

• (a) the person who applied was not represented by a lawyer on the date on which notice was given or within 20 working days after the date on which notice was given; or

• (b) the Commissioner is satisfied that exceptional circumstances prevented the application from being made within 20 working days after the date on which notice was given.

(3) The Commissioner may accept a late application no later than 3 months after the date on which notice of the relevant decision was given to the person if the Commissioner is satisfied that exceptional circumstances prevented the application from being made within 20 working days after the date on which notice was given.

(4) A failure by the Commissioner to advise a person of his or her right to seek a reconsideration does not of itself establish exceptional circumstances for the purposes of subsection (3)(b) (3).

(5) The Commissioner must delegate the responsibility for reconsidering the decision to a person other than the one who made the original decision.

(6) The Commissioner may decline to reconsider a decision if the Commissioner has already reconsidered that decision or a decision relating to substantially the same issue.

(7) A person must not, other than under section 52(3), apply for a review of a decision of the Commissioner unless the person has first sought and obtained a reconsideration of that decision under this section.

(1) An aided person or an applicant for legal aid may apply to the Tribunal for a review of the Commissioner's reconsideration of a decision referred to in subsection (2) on the grounds that it is—

• (a) manifestly unreasonable; or

• (b) wrong in law.

(2) The decisions that may be reviewed are decisions that affect the applicant for review, and relate to any 1 or more of the following:

• (a) an application for legal aid:

• (b) any conditions imposed under section 18 or 47 on a grant of legal aid:

• (c) any amount payable by an aided person, whether as an interim repayment or a repayment, under a grant of legal aid:

• (d) the maximum grant under a grant of a legal aid:

• (e) the withdrawal of, or amendment to, a grant of legal aid:

• (f) the enforcement of any condition imposed under section 18 or 47 on a grant of legal aid:

• (g) any changes to, or dealings with, a charge on property arising out of a grant of legal aid:

• (h) an application under section 46.

(3) A party who has applied to the Commissioner for payment of costs under section 46 may apply to the Tribunal for a review of the Commissioner's decision under that section on the grounds that the decision is—

• (a) manifestly unreasonable; or

• (b) wrong in law.

(4) In this section, decision includes a failure or refusal to make or reconsider a decision.

(1) An application for review must, subject to subsection (2), be made in the prescribed manner to the chairperson of the Tribunal within 20 working days after the date on which notice of the relevant decision is given to the applicant.

(2) The chairperson of the Tribunal may accept a late application no later than 3 months after the date on which notice of the relevant decision was given to the applicant if the chairperson is satisfied that exceptional circumstances prevented the application from being made within 20 working days after the date on which notice was given.

(3) In deciding whether to accept a late application for review under subsection (2), the chairperson must have regard to whether the applicant made a late application for reconsideration of the original decision, and the applicant’s reasons for that late application.

On receipt of an application for review, the chairperson of the Tribunal—

• (a) may require the Commissioner or any other person to provide any information relating to the original decision, the reconsideration, or the application for review; and

• (b) must assign 1 member of the Tribunal (who may be the chairperson or another member) to review the Commissioner's reconsideration of the decision; and

• (c) must provide a copy of the application for review to the Commissioner.

(1) For the purposes of conducting and determining a review, the Tribunal consists of 1 member of the Tribunal.

(2) The Tribunal may require the Commissioner to provide either or both of the following:

• (a) all information held by the Commissioner relating to the reconsideration and the original decision:

• (b) a written report setting out the considerations to which the Commissioner had regard in making the decision and when reconsidering it.

(3) The Tribunal may receive and obtain from any person any submission, statement, document, information, or matter that may, in its opinion, assist it to deal effectively with the review before it.

(4) The review must be conducted on the papers, with all reasonable speed.

(1) The Tribunal may determine a review by confirming, modifying, or reversing the decision under review.

(2) Every determination by the Tribunal must be accompanied by a brief summary of the reasons for it.

(1) The Tribunal may, instead of determining a review, give a direction to the Commissioner to reconsider all or any part of the decision to which the review relates.

(2) If the Tribunal gives a direction under subsection (1),—

• (a) the Tribunal must give reasons for the direction and may set out the matters that the Commissioner must take into account when reconsidering the decision; and

• (b) the Commissioner must reconsider the decision, taking into account the reasons for the direction and any matters set out by the Tribunal.

The chairperson of the Tribunal may direct such publication of decisions of the Tribunal as the chairperson considers necessary or desirable in the public interest.

If the Commissioner or an applicant considers that the Tribunal's determination is wrong in law, the Commissioner or the applicant (as the case may be) may appeal to the High Court on the question of law, and the appeal must be dealt with in accordance with the rules of court.

Sections 144 to 144B of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957 (which provide for appeals to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court) apply to determinations of the High Court on an appeal under section 59 of this Act as if they were determinations under section 107 of that Act.

The chairperson of the Tribunal may state a case for the opinion of the High Court on any point of law that arises on a review under this subpart of a decision of the Commissioner.

(1) This section establishes the Legal Aid Tribunal.

(2) The Tribunal consists of the chairperson and other members appointed under section 64.

The functions of the Tribunal are to—

• (a) consider applications for review made to it under section 53:

• (b) conduct and determine reviews of decisions it has jurisdiction to review under this Act.

(1) The Governor-General must, on the recommendation of the Minister,—

• (a) appoint members of the Tribunal of sufficient number to deal promptly with all reviews and who between them have experience in a range of legal areas and types of proceedings; and

• (b) appoint one of the members as the chairperson of the Tribunal.

(2) A person must not be appointed as a member of the Tribunal who—

• (a) is not a lawyer; or

• (b) is, or has been within the past 5 years, an employee of the Legal Services Agency, a member of the Board of the Agency (within the meaning of the former Act), or an employee of the Ministry.

(3) A person must not be appointed chairperson unless he or she has held a practising certificate as a barrister or solicitor for at least 7 years.

(4) If the person to be appointed chairperson is a provider, his or her approval to provide legal aid services under this Act ceases when the person assumes office as chairperson.

(1) The primary function of the chairperson is to ensure that the Tribunal performs its functions in accordance with this Act in an efficient and effective manner.

(2) The chairperson has all the powers necessary in order to perform his or her functions, including the power to—

• (a) make the arrangements necessary to ensure each member of the Tribunal is able to perform his or her functions as a member of the Tribunal:

• (b) issue practice notes (not inconsistent with this Act or the regulations) for regulating the practice and procedure of the Tribunal:

• (c) develop a code of conduct for members of the Tribunal:

• (d) require particular members of the Tribunal to determine particular reviews.

(1) The chairperson of the Tribunal may delegate any of the chairperson's functions, duties, and powers to a member of the Tribunal who the chairperson is satisfied has the capability, skills, and experience to perform and exercise those functions, duties, and powers.

(2) A delegation—

• (a) must be in writing; and

• (b) must be to a named person; and

• (c) is revocable at any time, in writing; and

• (d) does not prevent the performance or exercise of a function, duty, or power by the chairperson.

(3) A person to whom any functions, duties, or powers are delegated may perform and exercise them in the same manner and with the same effect as if they had been conferred directly by this Act and not by delegation.

(4) A person who appears to act under a delegation is presumed to be acting in accordance with its terms in the absence of evidence to the contrary.

(5) A person to whom any functions, duties, or powers are delegated must be paid remuneration and expenses (if any) determined in accordance with clause 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 3 for work undertaken in that capacity.

Part 1 of Schedule 3 contains further provisions that apply to the Tribunal.

(1) The functions of the Secretary under this Act are—

• (a) to establish, maintain, and purchase high-quality legal services in accordance with this Act:

• (b) to perform any functions that are conferred or imposed on the Secretary by or under this Act:

• (c) to perform any other functions relating to legal services that are conferred or imposed on the Secretary by or under any other Act.

(2) For the purposes of performing his or her functions, the Secretary may—

• (a) assess and determine the need for legal services by people with insufficient means; and

• (b) specify legal services to which subpart 2 applies; and

• (c) determine the method or methods for the delivery of legal services; and

• (d) determine the allocation of legal services—

  • (i) on the basis of the method or methods of delivery that the Secretary considers appropriate for the type of legal service to be provided; or

  • (ii) in any other manner that the Secretary considers appropriate; and

• (e) subject to this Act, disestablish any legal services established under this Act; and

• (f) deliver any legal services established under this Act; and

• (fa) undertake or fund law-related research and education; and

• (g) exercise any other power conferred on the Secretary by this Act or any other enactment.

Without limiting section 68(2)(c), the methods of delivery of legal services may include—

• (a) arranging making arrangements, subject to the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006, for the services of non-lawyers to be made available:

• (b) entering into agreements with individual lawyers, groups of lawyers, or law firms for the provision of legal services:

• (c) employing salaried lawyers to provide legal services:

• (d) entering into contracts with community law centres to provide community legal services.

(1) A person must be appointed under the State Sector Act 1988 to hold office as Legal Services Commissioner.

(2) The person to be appointed Commissioner must be an existing employee of the Ministry or be appointed an employee of the Ministry when appointed Commissioner.

(3) The Commissioner must, except to the extent that section 71(2) applies, act under the direction of the Minister and the Secretary.

(1) The Commissioner has the following functions:

• (a) to grant legal aid in accordance with this Act and the regulations:

• (b) to determine legal aid repayments where legal aid is granted:

• (c) to assign a provider of legal aid services or specified legal services to an aided person:

• (d) in relation to salaried lawyers,—

  • (i) to decide the allocation of cases among salaried lawyers:

  • (ii) to oversee the conduct of legal proceedings conducted by salaried lawyers:

  • (iii) to manage the performance of salaried lawyers:

• (e) to carry out any other function conferred on the Commissioner by the Minister, by the Secretary, or by or under this Act or any other enactment.

(2) The Commissioner must act independently when performing any function stated in subsection (1)(a) to (d).

(1) The Commissioner may, as he or she thinks fit, delegate to any person any of his or her powers, functions, or duties under this Act or any other enactment.

(2) A delegation under subsection (1)—

• (a) must be in writing; and

• (b) may be made subject to any conditions or restrictions that the Commissioner thinks appropriate, including any factors that must be taken into account when the delegation is exercised; and

• (c) may be made generally or in any particular case; and

• (d) is revocable at will; and

• (e) does not affect or prevent the exercise of any power or the performance of any function or duty by the Commissioner; and

• (f) does not affect the responsibility of the Commissioner for the actions of any person acting under delegation; and

• (g) continues according to its tenor despite any change in the person holding office as the Commissioner.

(1) A person who is delegated any powers, functions, or duties under section 72—

• (a) may, with the prior written approval of the Commissioner, delegate those powers, functions, or duties to any other person:

• (b) may, subject to any conditions or restrictions, exercise or perform those powers, functions, or duties in the same manner and with the same effect as if they had been conferred on that person directly by this Act and not by delegation.

(2) Every person purporting to act under any delegation under section 72 is, in the absence of proof to the contrary, presumed to be acting in accordance with the terms of the delegation.

This subpart applies to—

• (a) every provider of legal aid services; and

• (b) every provider of specified legal services; and

• (c) every person who applies for approval to provide legal aid services or specified legal services.

A person must not provide a legal aid service or specified legal service unless—

• (a) the person is approved by the Secretary to provide that service; and

• (b) the person complies with the conditions (if any) of that approval.

An application for approval to provide legal aid services or specified legal services must be made to the Secretary in the prescribed manner.

(1) The Secretary may give a person approval to provide 1 or more legal aid services or specified legal services if the Secretary is satisfied that the person meets the criteria prescribed in regulations.

(2) The Secretary may impose any conditions on the approval. The conditions that may be imposed are those prescribed in regulations.

(3) The approval—

• (a) must be in writing:

• (b) must state the conditions, if any, of the approval:

• (c) must state the duration of the approval:

• (d) must state the particular legal aid services or specified legal services that the provider is approved to provide:

• (e) does not confer an entitlement on the provider to provide the services to which the approval relates.

(3A) The Secretary must provide reasons for his or her decision to give or decline approval.

(4) The Secretary may give a person a temporary approval to provide 1 or more legal aid services or specified legal services if—

• (a) the person has applied for approval to provide those services; and

• (b) the Secretary considers that giving the temporary approval is necessary to meet a need for those services.

(5) Subsections (2) and (3) apply to a temporary approval as if it were an approval.

(6) The Secretary must, after giving an approval or temporary approval, give a copy of it to the New Zealand Law Society.

(1) The Secretary may establish 1 or more selection committees to—

• (a) assess applications for approval to provide legal aid services or specified legal services; and

• (b) advise the Secretary of the suitability of those applicants.

(2) The Secretary—

• (a) must appoint a representative from the Ministry as chairperson of the committee; and

• (b) must appoint to the committee a lawyer—

  • (i) from a group of lawyers nominated by the New Zealand Law Society as being suitable for appointment to the committee; and

  • (ii) who the Secretary is satisfied is suitable for appointment and has expertise in the areas of law relevant to the committee's work; and

• (c) may appoint any other suitably qualified people to the committee whom the Secretary thinks fit.

(1) The Secretary must establish a performance review committee.

(2) The function of the committee is to investigate assess and advise the Secretary of any matter referred to the committee by the Secretary relating to the performance of a provider.

(3) The Secretary may make a referral to the committee if—

• (a) the Secretary reasonably believes that a provider of legal aid services or specified legal services has failed to comply with any condition of his or her approval, or any provision of this Act or the regulations; and

• (b) the Secretary considers that the person's failure, if proven, is serious enough to would justify a review of his or her performance as a provider cancellation or modification of the person's approval.

(4) The members of the committee must be appointed by the Secretary.

(5) The Secretary must appoint a member with at least 7 years' legal experience as chairperson of the committee.

(6) The Committee must consist of members who, collectively,—

• (a) have expertise in the areas of law in which the provider is providing legal aid services or specified legal services; and

• (b) understand the needs and interests of courts, aided persons, and the legal profession; and

• (c) have expertise in financial management in the State sector.

Part 2 of Schedule 3 contains further provisions that apply to selection committees and the performance review committee.

(1) The fact that a provider provides legal aid services or specified legal services under this Act does not in any way affect that provider's obligations under any rules or codes of conduct of any professional body to which that provider belongs.

(2) The fact that a lawyer provides legal aid services or specified legal services under this Act does not in any way affect—

• (a) his or her rights, obligations, responsibilities, or duties as a lawyer; or

• (b) the relationship between, or the rights of, the lawyer and his or her client or any privilege arising out of that relationship.

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) are subject to any express provisions of this Act.

(1) A person who is affected by a decision of the Secretary may apply to the Review Authority for a review of a decision of the Secretary in respect of that person—

• (a) declining a the person's application for approval to provide 1 or more legal aid services or specified legal services:

• (b) revoking or modifying a person's approval to provide 1 or more legal aid services or specified legal services:

• (c) imposing any condition on the person's approval to provide 1 or more legal aid services or specified legal services:

• (d) imposing any interim restriction on the person under section 101:

• (e) imposing any sanction on the person under section 102:

• (f) cancelling the person's approval under section 103.

(2) An application for review must be lodged with the Review Authority within 20 working days from the date of notice of the Secretary’s decision.

(3) The Review Authority may accept a late application no later than 3 months after the date on which notice of the relevant decision was given to the person, if the Review Authority is satisfied that exceptional circumstances prevented the application from being made within 20 working days after the date on which notice is given.

(1) A person may not apply for judicial review of any decision made under this subpart until the person has sought and obtained a review of the Secretary's decision under section 82.

(2) An application for judicial review of the Review Authority’s decision must be made within 20 working days from the date of notice of that decision.

(1) This section establishes the Review Authority.

(2) The Minister must appoint 1 person to be the Review Authority.

(3) The person appointed as the Review Authority must be enrolled as a lawyer barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand with and must have at least 7 years' legal experience.

(1) The function of the Review Authority is to review decisions of the Secretary—

• (a) declining an application by a person to provide legal aid services or specified legal services:

• (b) revoking or modifying a provider's approval:

• (c) imposing any condition on the provider's approval to provide legal aid services or specified legal services.

(1) The function of the Review Authority is to review decisions of the Secretary set out in section 82(1).

(2) The Review Authority may review a decision of the Secretary only on the application of a person who is affected by the Secretary's decision in respect of whom the decision is made.

(1) The Review Authority may determine a review by confirming, modifying, or reversing the decision under review.

(2) Every determination by the Review Authority must be accompanied by a brief summary of the reasons for it.

(2) The Review Authority must provide reasons for its decision.

(3) The Review Authority's decision is binding on the Secretary and the person to whom the decision applies.

Part 3 of Schedule 3 contains further provisions that apply to the Review Authority.

The Ministry may carry out quality assurance checks on providers of legal aid services or specified legal services to ensure that the services are being provided delivered in an effective and efficient a manner consistent with the purpose of this Act.

The Commissioner may examine a claim or part of a claim by a provider of legal aid services or specified legal services if—

• (a) it appears excessive:

• (b) the aided person to whom the claim relates has requested the examination:

• (c) the Commissioner has received information that suggests the services for which the claim is made have not been provided.

(1) An aided person may request the Commissioner to examine the cost of services under a grant of legal aid to the person if he or she considers that the lead provider—

• (a) has claimed in respect of more time than was actually spent providing services under the grant; or

• (b) has claimed for disbursements that were not in fact used in providing these services.

(2) The aided person may request an examination at any time before the 20th day (or such longer time as the Commissioner, on application, allows) after the person has received notice of the cost of services.

(1) The Secretary may at any time audit any provider of legal aid services or specified legal services.

(2) Every audit must be conducted by an auditor.

(3) The purpose of the audit is to enable the Secretary to assess and review the quality and value of the services provided by the provider that have been, or may be, paid for by the Secretary.

(4) The audit may, without limitation, include an assessment of—

• (a) the provider's compliance with—

  • (i) practice standards:

  • (ii) any conditions imposed on the provider's approval:

  • (iii) the terms and conditions of the service contract:

  • (iv) guidelines and policies issued or made by the Secretary; and

• (b) any substantial or unresolved complaints concerning delivery of legal aid services or specified legal services.

(1) A provider who is subject to an examination or audit must co-operate with the auditor and, in particular, must—

• (a) ensure that the auditor is given access at all reasonable times to all documents under the control of the provider that relate to the claim under examination, or to matters for which the provider has claimed or may claim payment from the Secretary (as the case may require); and

• (b) use his or her best endeavours to ensure that questions relating to the claim being examined, or to any matter to which the audit relates, are answered fully, frankly, promptly, and in the form (written or oral) required by the auditor; and

• (c) permit, and if necessary assist, the auditor to copy any document or to reproduce, in usable form, information recorded or stored in a document.

(2) A provider is not obliged to comply with subsection (1) until the auditor shows the provider a copy of the auditor's authority from the Secretary to conduct the examination or audit.

(3) If an auditor considers that a provider who is being examined or audited is not complying, or has not adequately complied, with subsection (1), the auditor must notify the Secretary and the provider.

(4) On receipt of a notice, the Secretary may suspend payments of any claim currently lodged with the Secretary by the provider, and the payments may remain suspended until such time as the Secretary is satisfied that the provider is co-operating with the auditor.

(5) Continuing failure to co-operate may be an offence under section 113.

(6) Section 109 applies to the disclosure of privileged communications under this section.

(1) For the purposes of this Act, a community law centre is a body whose function includes the provision of community legal services.

(2) A body may, for the purposes of this Act, be a community law centre even if it performs functions in addition to those described in subsection (1).

(1) The Secretary may enter into a contract with 1 or more community law centres to purchase community legal services as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(2) The money provided by the Secretary to a community law centre under a contract under this section must come from either or both—

• (a) the Special Fund; or

• (b) any other money.

(1) At the end of each financial year, the Secretary must provide a report to the Minister on—

• (a) the amount of money received from the Special Fund for that financial year; and

• (b) how the money from the Special Fund was spent in that financial year; and

• (c) the amount of money received from the Special Fund that has not been used.

(2) The Secretary must ensure that any money received from the Special Fund that is not spent in the financial year is retained and transferred for the future funding of community law centres.

(1) The Secretary may, at any time, audit the services provided by a community law centre under a contract for services.

(2) The audit must be conducted by an auditor.

(3) The purpose of the audit is to enable the Secretary to assess and review—

• (a) the quality and value of the services provided by the community law centre that have been, or may be, funded by the Secretary; and

• (b) any other matter that the Secretary or auditor considers relevant to the provision of community legal services that have been funded or partially funded under this Act.

(4) Section 109 applies to the disclosure of privileged information for the purposes of an audit taken under this section.

(1) Claims for payment in respect of legal aid services or specified legal services provided must be made by the lead provider to the Secretary in the prescribed manner and within the time frame referred to in section 98.

(2) A claim for payment must show—

• (a) the fees claimed by, or the charges attributable to, the lead provider; and

• (b) the fees claimed by, or the charges attributable to, any other provider who acted on the matter; and

• (c) the disbursements claimed by the lead provider and any other provider who acted on the matter.

(1) The time frame for claiming for payment for legal aid services or specified legal services is the time frame set by regulations unless the Secretary, in relation to an individual matter, specifies that a different time frame applies.

(2) Nothing in section 14 or 28 affects this section.

(1) On receiving a claim for payment from a lead provider, the Secretary must refer the claim to the Commissioner.

(2) The Commissioner may—

• (a) approve the claim or any part of it; or

• (b) defer payment of all or part of the claim in order that the deferred party part may be examined; or

• (c) decline payment of the claim or any part of it.

(3) A payment may be deferred and a claim, or part of a claim, examined if—

• (a) the claim or part of the claim appears to the Commissioner to be excessive in light of the Secretary's standard rates for payment or the Commissioner's experience with comparable claims; or

• (b) an aided person has requested an examination of the cost of services under section 90.

(4) The Commissioner may decline some or all of a claim on any 1 or more of the following grounds:

• (a) the claim exceeds the maximum grant specified in the grant:

• (b) the claim or part of a claim is for disbursements of a type not approved for payment by the Commissioner:

• (c) an examination of the claim or part of a claim under subsection (2) has determined that the claim is excessive or inaccurate:

• (d) the claim was not made in accordance with the time frame referred to section 98.

(1) The Secretary must pay the lead provider in respect of every claim or part of a claim that is approved by the Commissioner for payment.

(2) The Secretary must not withhold payment of part of a claim on the ground that another part of the claim has been deferred for examination or declined.

(1) This section applies to any matter relating to a provider's performance being investigated by the performance review committee.

(2) The Secretary may—

• (a) place a hold on any payments to be made to the provider that relate to the matter being investigated if the Secretary considers it necessary to do so; and

• (b) notify the Commissioner of the pending investigation by the performance review committee if the Secretary considers it appropriate to do so.

(3) On receiving a notice under subsection (2)(b), the Commissioner must cease assigning the provider to aided persons and assign another provider to the aided persons that the provider is currently assigned to.

(4) A person’s approval to provide legal aid services or specified legal services is not affected by any act done under subsection (2) or (3).

(1) In deciding any matter that has been investigated by the performance review committee, the Secretary may, after considering the committee's advice, do any 1 or more of the following:

• (a) modify or cancel a person’s approval to provide legal aid services or specified legal services:

• (b) require that a provider be supervised by another provider approved by the Secretary:

• (c) bar a person from applying for approval to provide legal aid services or specified legal services for any period of a duration that is between 3 months and 2 years.

(2) The Secretary may, instead of imposing any sanction, decide to take no further action in relation to the matter.

(1) The Secretary must cancel a provider's approval if—

• (a) the provider has made a false or misleading representation in any application for approval—

  • (i) that has led to the approval being granted:

  • (ii) that has led to the approval being granted on more favourable conditions than would otherwise have been imposed:

• (b) the provider is convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment and the conviction reflects on his or her fitness to practise, or tends to bring his or her profession into disrepute:

• (c) the provider takes unauthorised payments from a legally aided person in relation to a legal aid matter:

• (d) the provider is no longer entitled to hold a practising certificate:

• (e) the Disciplinary Tribunal has made any of the following orders under section 242(1) of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006:

  • (i) striking a practitioner off the roll:

  • (ii) suspending the practitioner from practice:

  • (iii) terminating the practitioner’s employment or prohibiting the practitioner from employment by any practitioner or incorporated firm:

• (f) the Secretary is satisfied that the approval was given by mistake.

(2) The effect of a cancellation is that the person ceases to be approved to provide the relevant service, and the Secretary is not obliged to pay for any services of that kind provided after the date on which the cancellation takes effect.

(3) The Secretary must give written notice of the cancellation to the person to whom it applies.

(4) The written notice must specify—

• (a) when the cancellation takes effect, which must be a date on or after the date on which the Secretary reasonably considers the person will receive the notice; and

• (b) the grounds of the cancellation.

Every provider must, when doing any thing required by or under this Act, do so in the prescribed manner (if any) unless this Act or the regulations provide otherwise.

No provider may take payments from or in respect of a person to whom legal aid services or specified legal services are provided unless the payments are—

• (a) authorised by or under this Act; or

• (b) authorised by the Commissioner acting under the authority of this Act or the regulations.

Except as otherwise authorised by the Secretary, providers must pay all disbursements relating to a legally aided matter, but may claim for reimbursement of those costs under section 97.

(1) This section applies to every person who provides legal aid services or specified legal services under a grant of legal aid.

(2) Every person to whom this section applies—

• (a) must take all reasonable steps to protect the interests of the Commissioner under a charge in favour of the Commissioner, whether the charge—

  • (i) is approved in accordance with a condition imposed under section 18(3); or

  • (ii) arises by operation of section 36; and

• (b) has a duty not to do or permit anything that would or might effect the transfer of property subject to a charge in favour of the Commissioner; and

• (c) must advise the Commissioner if he or she is aware that the aided person has avoided, is avoiding, or is attempting to avoid making payments to the Commissioner from proceeds of proceedings.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2)(c), an aided person is deemed to have waived any legal professional privilege that might otherwise prevent a person to whom this section applies from complying with subsection (2)(c).

(4) If a person to whom this section applies fails to fulfil his or her duties under this section, the money that should have been paid to the Commissioner under a charge or from proceeds of proceedings may be deducted from any money owing by the Commissioner to that person.

(1) In relation to an application for legal aid for a civil matter, or for the payment of costs under section 46, every person has the same privileges in relation to giving information, answering questions, and producing documents, papers, and things, as witnesses have in any court.

(2) Except as provided in this section, neither the Commissioner nor the Tribunal may require any person who is bound or privileged by an enactment or a rule of law to maintain secrecy about a matter to breach secrecy by supplying information or answering questions about the matter or producing documents or things relating to it.

(3) Despite subsection (2), the Commissioner and the Tribunal are both allowed to require a person who is bound or privileged by an enactment or a rule of law to maintain secrecy to breach that secrecy if—

• (a) the breach relates to an applicant for legal aid for a civil matter; and

• (b) the applicant has given consent in writing to the breach.

(4) A person required to breach secrecy under subsection (3) must comply with the requirement made under that subsection.

(5) Despite subsection (2), a person may disclose to the Commissioner any communication between the aided person and his or her lawyer, or sent to or by the aided person or his or her lawyer (whether or not the communication is marked “confidential” or “without prejudice”), if—

• (a) the aided person's grant of legal aid is in respect of a civil matter; and

• (b) the purpose of the disclosure is to inform the Commissioner of matters relevant to the withdrawal or amendment of legal aid on the grounds set out in section 30(2)(d).

(6) The Commissioner may advise any person who disclosed a communication under subsection (5) whether the grant has been withdrawn or amended.

(1) No rule of law conferring any privilege on communications of a professional character between a lawyer and his or her client may prevent, limit, or affect the production of a file, record, document, or statement or the giving of information under section 92 or 96.

(2) The production of a file, record, document, or statement or the giving of information under section 92 or 96 does not subsequently affect any legal professional privilege to which the file, record, document, statement, or information may be subject, except for the purposes of—

• (a) an audit taken under section 92 or 96; or

• (b) evidence in an investigation by the performance review committee.

(3) Information produced for the purposes stated in subsection (2)(a) or (b) that is protected by legal professional privilege must not be used—

• (a) in any proceedings against the client; or

• (b) in any way that is detrimental to the client.

(1) The Commissioner may require an aided person or applicant for legal aid to provide up-to-date information about the person's financial means if the Commissioner requires the information to make any decision under this Act.

(2) The Commissioner may seek verification from a third party of any information provided under this section, but must not seek verification until it has notified the aided person or applicant that it intends to do so.

(1) Every aided person or applicant for legal aid commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 who—

• (a) fails without reasonable excuse to comply with any provision of this Act, or the regulations requiring the person to furnish information or answer questions or produce any document or thing; or

• (b) knowingly provides false or misleading information, or knowingly answers any question in a false or misleading way; or

• (c) intentionally avoids payment of the Commissioner's interest in any proceeds of proceedings.

(2) If a person is convicted of an offence under subsection (1), the Commissioner may recover from that person, as a debt due to the Commissioner, any amount paid under a grant of legal aid.

(3) Despite section 14 of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957, an information for an offence under this section may be laid at any time within 2 years from the time when the matter of the information arose.

Every provider commits an offence, and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000, who makes a false or misleading representation in relation to any application for, or that relates to an approval to provide, legal aid services or specified legal services.

Every provider or former provider commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 who, having received a notice under section 92(3), fails to comply with section 92(1) to such a degree that the auditors conducting the examination or audit to which the notice relates are unable to satisfactorily conclude the examination or audit.

(1) The Governor-General may, by Order in Council, make regulations for all or any of the following purposes:

• (a) determining the amount or amounts payable by an aided person (other than as a repayment under section 50) by—

  • (i) prescribing the amount or amounts, or a method of calculating an amount or amounts, payable by an aided person as an interim repayment:

  • (ii) prescribing the amount or amounts, based on income and capital, payable by an aided person as a repayment:

  • (iii) prescribing a method of calculating an amount or amounts, based on income and capital, payable by an aided person as a repayment:

• (b) prescribing a method or methods for calculating what maximum grant, if any, should be set under a grant of legal aid in respect of proceedings other than victims' claims proceedings:

• (c) prescribing for the purposes of section 23(4) the amount of the maximum grant to be specified for every grant of legal aid in respect of victims' claims proceedings:

• (d) determining whether a person is eligible for legal aid by—

  • (i) prescribing maximum levels of income and disposable capital:

  • (ii) prescribing a method of assessing financial means:

• (e) prescribing allowances for use in calculating a person's disposable capital:

• (f) prescribing deductions that may be made from the cost of services for the purpose of determining the repayment payable by an aided person under a grant of legal aid:

• (g) prescribing the manner in which applications for, and grants of, legal aid in respect of minors, and other people with special requirements, are to be dealt with:

• (h) making provision, in respect of the calculation of the income, disposable capital, or capital of an applicant for legal aid, for all or any of the following:

  • (i) taking into account fluctuations of income:

  • (ii) determining the value of any property:

  • (iii) including in the resources of the applicant any property that has been disposed of:

  • (iv) excluding from the resources of the applicant any liabilities incurred by the applicant for no consideration, or for a grossly inadequate consideration:

  • (v) taking into account any benefit to which the applicant is entitled or that the applicant might receive in connection with property held on trust:

• (i) prescribing matters relating to the way in which the Commissioner administers charges, including prescribing maximum rates of interest that may be charged:

• (j) prescribing amounts or methods for calculating the cost of services:

• (k) prescribing the rate of interest that may be charged for the purposes of section 40:

• (l) increasing, or prescribing a method for increasing, the maximum amount of income or disposable capital for the purposes of determining a person's eligibility for legal aid:

• (m) adjusting, or prescribing a method for adjusting, the maximum amount of repayments for the purposes of section 20:

• (n) prescribing the information that must be contained in a report of the Waitangi Tribunal under section 49:

• (o) exempting, in accordance with subsection (8), any specified class or classes of person or proceeding from the application of—

  • (i) section 10(2) and (4)(a) and (b):

  • (ii) section 18:

• (p) in relation to an approval to provide legal aid services or specified legal services,—

  • (i) prescribing the criteria that must be met by a person applying for approval:

  • (ii) prescribing the conditions that the Secretary may impose on an approval:

• (q) prescribing the procedure for—

  • (i) a selection committee or 1 or more selection committees:

  • (ii) the performance review committee:

  • (iii) the Review Authority:

• (r) prescribing any act or thing necessary to supplement or render more effectual the provisions of this Act in relation to the operation of the Tribunal, such as its administration and the procedure for reviews conducted by the Tribunal:

• (s) prescribing the types of offences that are prescribed offences for the purposes of section 9:

• (t) prescribing definitions of capital, income, and disposable capital to be applied for prescribed offences:

• (u) in relation to a prescribed offence,—

  • (i) setting out the manner in which the Commissioner must determine whether the applicant has sufficient means for the purposes of section 9(1):

  • (ii) prescribing the maximum amount of legal aid that may be granted:

  • (iii) prescribing the circumstances in which the Commissioner must, under section 9(2), determine or redetermine an applicant's means in accordance with section 8(3):

• (v) prescribing transitional or savings provisions relating to the coming into force of this Act:

• (w) prescribing the time frame in which a claim for payment for legal aid services or specified legal services may be made:

• (x) providing for any other matters contemplated by this Act, necessary for its administration, or necessary for giving it full effect.

(2) When prescribing amounts, or methods of calculating amounts, regulations made under this section may—

• (a) distinguish between applicants for legal aid on any grounds, for example, the type of proceedings to which the application relates, or the level of income or disposable capital of the applicant; or

• (b) distinguish between aided persons on any grounds, for example, the type of proceedings to which the grant relates, or the level of income, disposable capital, or capital of the aided person.

(3) When prescribing an amount or method of calculating the cost of services, regulations may distinguish between applicants for legal aid or aided persons on the basis of the contract held by the provider.

(4) When prescribing maximum levels of income for the purpose of determining an applicant's eligibility for legal aid or when prescribing the maximum amount of repayments payable by an aided person, regulations may take into account whether the applicant or aided person has—

• (a) a spouse or partner:

• (b) any dependent children, and the number of dependent children.

(5) If regulations made under subsection (1) prescribe maximum levels of income and disposable capital for the purpose of determining an applicant's eligibility for legal aid, the limits so prescribed must be adjusted, by regulations made under subsection (1), by an amount equal to the percentage movement referred to in paragraph (a) or (b), as the case requires, if—

• (a) the total percentage increase in the movements in the quarterly all groups index number of the New Zealand Consumers Price Index from that applying on the date that this Act comes into force is 5% or more:

• (b) the total percentage increase in the movements in the quarterly all groups index number of the New Zealand Consumers Price Index from that applying on the date when the requirement to make the immediately preceding adjustment under this subsection arose is 5% or more.

(6) For the purposes of any adjustment required under subsection (5), the amount of any increase must be rounded up to the nearest whole dollar amount, but any subsequent adjustment must be calculated on the amount of the increase without the rounding.

(7) Any adjustment required by subsection (5) contained in regulations made under subsection (1) takes effect on the first day of April following the making of those regulations.

(8) No regulations may be made for the purposes of subsection (1)(o) unless the Minister is satisfied that the proposed exemption is justified on 1 or more of the following grounds:

• (a) the proposed exemption is in the public interest:

• (b) the proposed exemption facilitates access to justice:

• (c) the proposed exemption is just and equitable in the circumstances.

(9) Any transitional or savings provisions prescribed in regulations made under subsection (1)(v) are in addition to the provisions of sections 117 to 137.

(10) All regulations made under subsection (1)(v) that are still in force on the day that is 3 years after the commencement of this section expire at the close of that day.

(1) Any notice or other communication required to be given to any person under this Act or the regulations may be given by delivering it to that person, and may be delivered—

• (a) personally; or

• (b) by leaving it at that person's usual or last known place of residence in New Zealand; or

• (c) by posting it in a letter addressed to the person at his or her usual or last known place of residence in New Zealand.

(2) If a notice or any other communication is sent to a person by post, then, in the absence of proof to the contrary, the notice or other communication is deemed to have been given to that person when the letter would have been delivered in the ordinary course of post.

(3) In proving delivery, it is sufficient to prove that the letter was properly addressed and posted.

Any rights or liabilities of an aided person under this Act do not affect—

• (a) the rights or liabilities of other parties to the proceedings; or

• (b) the principles on which the discretion of any court or tribunal is normally exercised.

The Crown entity that, immediately before the commencement of this Act, was known as the Legal Services Agency is disestablished.

(1) The Public Advisory Committee established under section 104 of the Legal Services Act 2000 is disestablished.

(2) No member of the Public Advisory Committee is entitled to compensation as a result of the Committee ceasing to exist.

(1) On the commencement of this Act, all assets, records, liabilities, and debts of the Legal Services Agency vest in the Ministry.

(2) This section is subject to sections 124 and 125.

(1) On the commencement of this Act, all employees of the Legal Services Agency are transferred to the Ministry.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to any employee who does not consent to being transferred.

(1) The employment of a transferred employee must be on terms and conditions no less favourable to the transferred employee than those applying to the employee immediately before his or her transfer.

(2) Subsection (1)—

• (a) continues to apply to the terms and conditions of employment of a transferred employee until those terms and conditions are varied by agreement between the transferred employee and the Ministry; but

• (b) does not apply to a transferred employee who, after the transfer, receives any subsequent appointment within the Ministry.

(1) Every transferred employee becomes an employee of the Ministry on his or her transfer.

(2) However, for the purposes of this Act and every enactment, law, determination, contract, and agreement relating to the employment of the transferred employee,—

• (a) the contract of employment of that employee is deemed to have been unbroken; and

• (b) that employee's period of service with Legal Services Agency, and every other period of service of that employee that is recognised as continuous service by the Legal Services Agency, is deemed to have been a period of service with the Ministry.

(1) An employee of the Legal Services Agency is not entitled to receive any payment or other benefit from the Legal Services Agency or the Ministry on the ground that his or her position with the Legal Services Agency has ceased to exist if—

• (a) the position ceases to exist as a result of changes made by this Act; and

• (b) in connection with the transfer of employees under this Act,—

  • (i) the transfer of the employee would result in substantially equivalent employment in the Ministry (whether or not the employee consents to the transfer); or

  • (ii) the employee consents to a transfer that will result in other employment in the Ministry.

(2) In this section, substantially equivalent employment to the employee's employment with the Legal Services Agency is employment in the Ministry that is—

• (a) in substantially the same position; and

• (b) on terms and conditions of employment that are no less favourable than those that apply to the employee immediately before the offer of equivalent employment (including any service-related, redundancy, and superannuation conditions); and

• (c) on terms that treat the period of service with the previous employer (and any other service recognised by the previous employer as continuous service) as if it were continuous service with the Ministry.

(1) All charges created by or under the Legal Aid Act 1969, the Legal Services Act 1991, or the Legal Services Act 2000 are vested in the Commissioner.

(2) Neither the Registrar-General of Land nor any other person charged with keeping any records or registers is obliged, solely by reason of this section, to change the name in those records or registers or in any document.

(3) It is sufficient proof, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, that a charge is vested in the Commissioner if a person presents to a registrar or any other person a document purporting to be a charge or copy of a charge created by or under any of the Acts specified in subsection (1).

(4) A charge created by or under any of the Acts specified in subsection (1) must be treated as if it were a charge created by or under section 36 of this Act.

(5) The provisions of this Act, so far as they are applicable and with any necessary modifications, apply to the charge; and the Commissioner may, for the purposes of subsection (1),—

• (a) transfer the charge in accordance with section 38; and

• (b) enforce the charge in accordance with section 39; and

• (c) write off the amounts secured by the charge in accordance with section 43.

On and after the commencement of this Act, every reference in any enactment (other than this Act), or in any instrument or register, to the Legal Services Board or the Legal Services Agency must, if the context requires, be construed as a reference to the Secretary, unless the reference relates to a matter that falls within the Commissioner's functions set out in section 71(1)(a) to (d), in which case it must be construed as a reference to the Commissioner.

In sections 127 to 131,—

(1) Despite the repeal of the former Act, until the close of the final transition day,—

• (a) the Review Panel continues for the purpose of determining remaining applications for review; and

• (b) the members of the Review Panel remain members of the Review Panel unless or until they cease to be members in accordance with section 62(6), (7), or (9) of the former Act; and

• (c) sections 55 to 57, 59, 61 to 63, and 64A of the former Act continue in effect as if they had not been repealed.

(2) The Ministry must provide the resources and administrative support necessary to enable the Review Panel to perform its functions for the purposes of this section.

(1) From the close of the final transition day,—

• (a) the Review Panel is disestablished, and the term of appointment of every member of the Review Panel expires:

• (b) all assets and liabilities of the Review Panel, and all records of the Review Panel, vest in the Ministry.

(2) No member of the Review Panel is entitled to compensation as a result of the expiry under this section of his or her term of office.

From the day after the final transition day, the Tribunal is responsible for determining any remaining applications for review.

Despite the repeal of the former Act, a provider or former listed provider may, after the final transition day, apply to the Tribunal for a review under section 54(3) of the former Act of a decision relating to the amount payable by the Legal Services Agency to that provider in respect of any services provided before the commencement of this Act.

(1) The following proceedings must be determined in accordance with subsection (2):

• (a) any remaining applications for review:

• (b) any application for review under section 54(3) of the former Act.

(2) For the purpose of any proceedings that must be determined in accordance with this subsection,—

• (a) the provisions of the former Act and the Legal Services Regulations 2006 continue to apply to the matter that is the subject of the proceeding as if those enactments had not been repealed or revoked:

• (b) the provisions of this Act and the regulations apply only to the manner in which the proceeding must be conducted or processed (for example, matters relating to procedure).

(1) Legal aid granted under the former Act is not affected by the repeal of that Act; but after the commencement of this Act, this Act applies to that aid as if it had been granted under this Act.

(2) On and after the commencement of this Act, an application that was properly made before that date under the former Act must, to the extent that it was not dealt with before that date, be dealt with as if the application had been properly made under this Act.

(3) A repayment obligation (including any requirement to pay an interim repayment) under a grant of legal aid made under the former Act must be treated as if it were a repayment obligation under a grant of legal aid made under this Act.

(4) This section does not apply to a grant of legal aid that is the subject of a remaining application for review within the meaning of section 126, until after that application has been determined.

(1) This section applies to any application or grant of legal aid made before the commencement of this Act in respect of proceedings before the Waitangi Tribunal for the purposes of funding the provision of legal advice and representation to assist the applicant or group—

• (a) with resolving the dispute other than by legal proceedings:

• (b) with taking steps preliminary or incidental to any proceeding:

• (c) in arriving at or giving effect to any out-of-court settlement that avoids or brings to an end any proceedings.

(2) Until the close of the expiry day, every application or grant to which this section applies must be dealt with by the Commissioner as if the applicable provisions of the former Act and the Legal Services Regulations 2006 had not been repealed or revoked.

(3) Despite section 132, the Commissioner must on the close of the expiry day cease funding any grant to which this section applies, or any grant arising out of an application to which this section applies.

(4) To avoid doubt, the expiry of a grant of legal aid under this section—

• (a) is not a withdrawal of the grant under section 31; and

• (b) does not affect—

  • (i) the aided person's obligations arising out of the conditions of the grant; or

  • (ii) the Commissioner's rights to enforce those obligations; or

  • (iii) the Commissioner's obligation to pay for the services provided under the grant before the expiry date.

(5) In this section, expiry day means the day that is 6 months after the commencement of this Act.

Any funding arrangement in place on the day before the commencement of this Act between the Legal Services Agency and a community law centre continues, on and after the commencement of this Act, until the earlier of—

• (a) the date of commencement of a contract entered into under section 94(1); or

• (b) the date on which, in accordance with the terms of the arrangement, the funding arrangement ends.

(1) A person who, immediately before the commencement of this Act, was a listed provider within the meaning of the former Act is, on the commencement of this Act, approved as a provider of legal aid services for a period of 6 months after the commencement of this Act.

(1) A person who, immediately before the commencement of this Act, was a listed provider within the meaning of the former Act is, on the commencement of this Act, approved to provide the services that he or she was listed as approved to provide under the former Act for a period of 6 months after the commencement of this Act.

(1A) If the person makes an application within that 6-month period for approval to provide legal aid services or specified legal services, the approval conferred by subsection (1) continues until the Secretary decides the application.

(1B) An approval conferred by subsection (1) is subject to the provisions of this Act as if the approval had been granted under this Act.

(2) If, immediately before the commencement of this Act, a listed provider's approval is cancelled or temporarily suspended under the former Act, sections 72A and 73 of the former Act continue, despite the repeal of the former Act, to apply to that approval.

(3) A contract between a listed provider and the Legal Services Agency that is in force immediately before the commencement of this Act, is deemed to be a contract between the provider and the Secretary.

(1) Legal aid granted under the Legal Services Act 1991 is not affected by the repeal of that Act; but, subject to section 137, after the commencement of this Act, this Act applies to that aid as if it had been granted under this Act.

(2) On and after the commencement of this Act, an application that was properly made before that date under the Legal Services Act 1991, must, to the extent that it was not dealt with before that date, be dealt with as if the application had been properly made under this Act.

(1) This section applies if legal aid was granted under the Legal Services Act 1991 in respect of civil proceedings, but—

• (a) the proceedings were not commenced; or

• (b) the proceedings were commenced but not completed; or

• (c) there are no proceeds of the proceedings; or

• (d) the proceeds of the proceedings are not enough to cover the repayment payable (by virtue of section 18(2)) calculated under section 21.

(2) The Commissioner may give the applicant concerned notice requiring the applicant to contribute a further amount if—

• (a) this section applies; and

• (b) a further contribution could have been required under the Legal Services Act 1991.

(3) The further amount required to be contributed under subsection (2) must be no greater than the further contribution that could have been required under the Legal Services Act 1991.

(4) This Act applies to a further amount required to be contributed under subsection (2) as if it were an interim repayment under this Act.

(5) This section applies in respect of completed proceedings—

• (a) whether they were completed before or after the commencement of this Act; and

• (b) whether or not a repayment has previously been made or was required to be made (before or after the commencement of this Act) under the former Act.

Sections 139 to 143 amend the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006.

Section 154 is amended by adding the following subsection as subsection (2):

Section 158 is amended by adding the following subsection:

Section 212 is amended by adding the following subsection:

Section 213 is amended by adding the following subsection:

Section 255 is amended by adding the following subsection:

The Acts listed in Schedule 4 are amended in the manner indicated in that schedule.

The Legal Services Act 2000 (2000 No 42) is repealed.

The Legal Services Regulations 2006 (SR 2006/180) are revoked.