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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/law/2015/jul/27/criminal-barristers-stop-taking-new-crown-court-cases-legal-aid-protest
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| Criminal barristers stop taking new crown court cases in legal aid protest | Criminal barristers stop taking new crown court cases in legal aid protest |
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| Criminal barristers are refusing to take on new cases at crown courts in protest at legal aid cuts. | |
| Their action on Monday, following a vote by the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), is in support of solicitors who have experienced a 17.5% drop in pay for representing defendants. | |
| Solicitors have been taking action for the past three weeks but have now switched their focus to crown courts where they will not accept work on new cases at the lower rates. | |
| Criminal solicitors have, however, gone back to work in magistrates courts and police stations. The change is aimed at bolstering the solidarity of the action while providing some income to cash-strapped firms working in the lower courts. | Criminal solicitors have, however, gone back to work in magistrates courts and police stations. The change is aimed at bolstering the solidarity of the action while providing some income to cash-strapped firms working in the lower courts. |
| A ballot by the CBA on 15 July saw a narrow majority of 55% in favour of the action. Barristers leaders’ will meet again on Monday evening to review the changing circumstances. | A ballot by the CBA on 15 July saw a narrow majority of 55% in favour of the action. Barristers leaders’ will meet again on Monday evening to review the changing circumstances. |
| A spokesman for the CBA said: “The members of the CBA voted in July to take action against the latest cut in legal aid fees by adopting no returns and not taking instructions and it was recommended that the action starts on Monday 27 July. | A spokesman for the CBA said: “The members of the CBA voted in July to take action against the latest cut in legal aid fees by adopting no returns and not taking instructions and it was recommended that the action starts on Monday 27 July. |
| “The CBA executive is due to meet tonight to discuss a change in the criminal solicitors’ joint protocol, which provides for solicitors resuming work in the magistrates courts and police stations.” | |
| Jon Black, president of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association, said: “We are going to target the crown courts. We are going back to work in the magistrates courts. It was felt there [is] a lot of pressure on firms and they couldn’t take it any longer.” | |
| Those taking part in the protest said steps had been taken to avoid having defendants arrive at court without access to counsel. | |
| The Ministry of Justice has said that the action is not causing widespread disruption. | The Ministry of Justice has said that the action is not causing widespread disruption. |