Martin Smalley Solicitors Arnold, Nottingham - wills, probate, LPA's, conveyancing, matrimonial, child care, criminal law, employment, public funding

We can offer public funding (often known as "Legal Aid" which is when the government pays for your legal cost if you are unable to afford it) to clients for most family matters and occasionally for other disputes (e.g. contested probate) to clients who qualify financially.

The Legal Services Commission (LSC) directly funds legal services for clients that qualify. Since April 2nd 2001, only organisations with a contract with the LSC have been able to provide advice or representation funded by the LSC.

We are specialists in criminal and family law and accredited as such by the Legal Services Commission.

More information
If you want more information on whether you qualify for Legal Aid, please visit the Legal Services Commission website (http://www.legalservices.gov.uk), and click on the tab 'Community Legal Service' which will provide further assistance.

CRIMINAL

When you are at the Police Station you can ask for Mr Smalley to advise you before you are interviewed and this advice is free. If you are charged to appear at court he will ask you to complete an application for representation which enables you to have Legal Aid for your court case, if you satisfy the interests of justice test and the means test. Anyone on Income Support, Income Based JSA, under 18 years of age or with a gross annual adjusted income under £12,007 automatically qualifies. Anyone with a gross annual income over £21,487 will not qualify as there is a calculation of housing, childcare and maintenance between those figures.

Representation orders are not normally granted for traffic offences that are non-imprisonable.