Legal Aid Online
 Keeping you up-to-date
 Highlighting new developments
 Informing you of events
Update
 Providing hints and tips
January 2013
Happy New Year from everyone at Legal Aid Online.
A mailshot has been added to www.slab.org.uk since the last edition of Legal Aid Online Update:
Civil and Children's Legal Assistance Update - 18 January 2013
System Downtime Update
You may be aware that there was some system downtime over the festive period. We apologise for any
inconvenience this may have caused you. Please do not hesitate to contact the helpdesk if downtime is affecting
any urgent cases. In most cases we can provide a workaround.
We are currently exceeding our target for system availability at over 98%. If we do have any performance issues
we run diagnostics to establish the cause and then correct these. All system issues are reported on the LAOL
log-in page.
At the end of December there was system downtime as a result of an earlier web hosting failure. This is now
resolved.
We update the system with new functions and enhancements on a regular basis. After each update, there are
often minor issues which we aim to resolve within two days. This was the case on 9 and 10 January when there
were issues with accounts products. These are now resolved.
Helpdesk Contact Number
Please note that the 0131 240 2037 contact number displayed on LAOL is for the Online helpdesk and should only
be used to report Online issues. If you have a general case related issue please contact the relevant department.
Legal Aid Online Contact
We often receive helpdesk calls about log-in messages saying the account is locked. This message will appear if
your Online password has been entered incorrectly three times. If you receive this message, you can ask your firm
administrator to reset your password which will allow you to choose a new one. You can also call the Online
helpdesk on 0131 240 2037 to unlock your existing password.
Advice and Assistance Applications – Aid Type
When applying for Advice and Assistance, please remember to select the correct aid type - Civil, Criminal or
Children’s. The category code drop down list will show all codes relating to the aid type selected. For
example, if you are giving advice on Children’s Hearings, you should select ‘aid type’, ‘Children’s’ and category
code ‘CHC’. You should only use category code ‘CHCI’ available under ‘Civil Advice and Assistance’ for civil
related family issues. By selecting the correct aid type and category code, you will only be shown the templates
relevant to the type of case. This prevents the wrong templates being used for the work you wish to carry out and
possible refusal of payment of your account.
1
The Scottish Legal Aid Board LAOL Update
Guidance for Submitting Fixed Fee Payments –
Advice and Assistance and Summary Criminal
Ensure you correct/update the applications data
When you create an account the Online system will automatically generate a fee based on the information you
enter. The fee may be incorrect if the wrong court type is entered or ‘duty agent pleading not guilty’ has been
ticked incorrectly, for example. Please check the fee generated. If there is any issue please notify the
Applications department who will correct your application. This ensures that the correct fee is generated at the
accounts stage. (This also applies to Advice and Assistance and ABWOR time and line accounts, where the fee and
work generated depend on the type of case).
Case conclusion
If there is a long deferred sentence you should not select ‘yes’ in the ‘case concluded’ question. When you select
‘no’ you will be prompted to enter details of the long deferred sentence. If this is less than three months the
system will not allow you to submit your claim. You must either wait for the conclusion or another deferred
sentence of over three months to be able to submit this. This also affects making a claim for a Social Enquiry
Report (SER) - now known as the Criminal Justice Social Report (CJSR) - as this should not be claimed for unless
the case is concluded within the first two deferred sentences.
Half core fee payable under summary
If the duty agent has entered the not guilty plea, and the case is deserted pro loco, it is possible that the case
may be re-raised. This could result in a changed plea of guilty before the start of trial. This means payment would
be made in terms of Regulation 4 5(B) of The Criminal Legal Aid (Fixed Payments)(Scotland) Regulations 1999 – a
restricted (half) core fee. This may also apply if the case is not called. In both situations, if you send us a
notification advising us why this matter will not be re-raised, then we will pay your account in full. If we do not
receive this information we will have to ask you for clarification.
Parking charges
If you are claiming for parking charges in a summary criminal case, please do this in the ‘Outlays - Travel Fares
and Hotel Accommodation’ work item.
Stipendiary Court
For cases in Glasgow, we will soon remove the option to change the court type to Stipendiary. In the meantime,
when completing the application please insert the court that the case was set to be heard in. It is essential that
you put in the correct court type to generate the appropriate fee. In some cases the wrong fee has been paid due
to a misunderstanding that if a case was originally set for a JP court, but heard in a Stipendiary court, that the
higher fee was due. In these situations it is the lower fee that is due. Please see Schedule 1 Criminal Legal Aid
(Fixed Payments) Scotland Regulations 1999.
Outlay Vouchers
If you are claiming outlays which require vouched evidence, please scan and attach evidence when you submit
your account. If you are using a barcode you should send this at the same time as the vouchers. This avoids any
unnecessary offers being made as we need to see the vouchers before we can assess your outlays.
If you have any questions or comments about Legal Aid Online, or you would like to be removed from our mailing
list, please contact Diane Ireland by e-mailing [email protected] or by calling 0131 240 2013.
Find out more about Legal Aid Online at: www.slab.org.uk/providers/online/.
2
The Scottish Legal Aid Board LAOL Update