Government cuts to Legal Aid for domestic violence sufferers ‘legally flawed’

The Court of Appeal has declared that Government changes to the rules which allow victims of domestic abuse to obtain legal aid are legally flawed.

The changes, introduced in 2013 by former Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Chris Grayling were introduced as part the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. The Act stipulated, for example, that an application for legal aid could only be made if evidence of domestic violence had been given within a two year period. Such changes have now been ruled invalid.

This judgement will now be considered by the Ministry of Justice.