TWO new in-house Legal Aid NSW lawyers will make access to justice faster across the Northern Tablelands, local State MP Adam Marshall announced today.
Mr Marshall said Legal Aid NSW would appoint eight more in-house criminal lawyers at its regional offices who would undertake committals in serious indictable matters, like robberies and sexual assault matters at Local Courts across NSW.
He said that the appointment of two additional in-house Legal Aid lawyers in the region from January next year would greatly benefit Armidale and Moree Local Courts.
“This is great news for Armidale and Moree that will mean an increase in the efficient running of the court and result in fewer delays for our criminal justice system,” Mr Marshall said.
“Appointing more Legal Aid NSW lawyers is a practical solution that will no doubt help encourage early guilty pleas, cut the backlog and ensure people get access to justice faster, particularly victims of crime.”
Legal Aid NSW provides representation, either through in-house or via private lawyers, to eligible defendants appearing in criminal proceedings at all Local Courts in NSW.
Mr Marshall said analysis of case outcomes indicated that matters dealt with by in-house Legal Aid lawyers are more likely to be resolved at an early stage, compared to those legally aided matters by panel lawyers.
For more information about Legal Aid NSW, visit www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au