- The Justice Committee has warned that up to half of defendants facing prison in magistrates' courts may appear without legal representation, creating an "unacceptably high risk of miscarriages of justice".
- The financial eligibility threshold for criminal legal aid is deemed “shockingly low”, with the means-test threshold having not been uprated since 2009, despite prices rising by 64 per cent, meaning even someone earning the national minimum wage may be deemed ineligible.
- The committee has urged the Government to increase these thresholds to reflect inflation and the current cost of living.
- Andy Slaughter, Chair of the Justice Committee, said: “The committee’s report lays bare stark evidence that too many individuals who need legal advice and representation are simply unable to obtain it.”
- Separately, a UK artificial intelligence-powered law firm, Garfield AI, secured a landmark court victory in a civil claim. Dominic Li, who served as the human barrister in court, said: “The potential this unlocks for access to justice in civil claims that would otherwise not be worth litigating is immense and exciting.”
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