CHAPTER 4
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ADMINISTRATION
PART 4-2
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LEGAL ASSISTANCE
SECTION 293
Payments to legal aid commissions for representing suspects and other persons
293(1)
This section applies if:
(a)
a *legal aid commission incurred (before, on or after the commencement of this subsection) legal costs for:
(i)
representing a person whose property was, at the time of the representation, covered by a *restraining order in proceedings under this Act; or
(ii)
representing a person, who was a *suspect at the time of the representation and whose property was at that time covered by a restraining order, in proceedings for defending any criminal charge against the person; and
(b)
the commission has given (before, on or after the commencement of this subsection) the *Official Trustee a bill for the costs; and
(c)
the Official Trustee is satisfied that the bill is true and correct.
History
S 293(1), (2), (2A) and (3) substituted for s 293(1), (2) and (3) by No 3 of 2010, s 3 and Sch 2 item 69, applicable in relation to costs that:
(a) were incurred by legal aid commissions before, on or after 19 May 2010; and
(b) if they were incurred before that commencement, had not been paid to the commissions before that commencement.
S 293(1) formerly read:
293(1)
The
*
Official Trustee must pay to a
*
legal aid commission, out of the
*
Confiscated Assets Account, legal costs mentioned in section
292
if:
(a)
the Official Trustee certifies that the costs exceed the value of the property of the person that is covered by the
*
restraining order; and
(b)
the costs have been certified by:
(i)
the Attorney-General; or
(ii)
a
*
senior Departmental officer authorised by the Attorney-General for the purposes of this section; and
(c)
the Minister consents to the payment.
The amount that the Official Trustee must pay is the amount of the excess.
293(2)
The *Official Trustee must pay the legal costs (according to the bill) to the *legal aid commission out of the *Confiscated Assets Account, subject to subsection (2A).
History
S 293(1), (2), (2A) and (3) substituted for s 293(1), (2) and (3) by No 3 of 2010, s 3 and Sch 2 item 69, applicable in relation to costs that:
(a) were incurred by legal aid commissions before, on or after 19 May 2010; and
(b) if they were incurred before that commencement, had not been paid to the commissions before that commencement.
S 293(2) formerly read:
293(2)
The
*
Official Trustee must pay to a
*
legal aid commission, out of the
*
Confiscated Assets Account, legal costs mentioned in section
292
if:
(a)
the Official Trustee is satisfied that it will take considerable time to dispose of the property of the person that is covered by the
*
restraining order in order to pay the costs; and
(b)
the value of the property has been assessed; and
(c)
the costs have been certified by:
(i)
the Attorney-General; or
(ii)
a
*
senior Departmental officer authorised by the Attorney-General for the purposes of this section; and
(d)
the Minister consents to the payment.
However, the Official Trustee must not pay the legal aid commission more than the assessed value of the property.
293(2A)
If the *Official Trustee is satisfied that:
(a)
the balance of the *Confiscated Assets Account is insufficient to pay the legal costs; and
(b)
property of the person is covered by the *restraining order;
the Official Trustee must pay the legal costs (according to the bill) to the *legal aid commission out of that property covered by the order, to the extent possible.
History
S 293(1), (2), (2A) and (3) substituted for s 293(1), (2) and (3), by No 3 of 2010, s 3 and Sch 2 item 69, applicable in relation to costs that:
(a) were incurred by legal aid commissions before, on or after 19 May 2010; and
(b) if they were incurred before that commencement, had not been paid to the commissions before that commencement.
293(3)
If the *Official Trustee pays an amount to the *legal aid commission under this section and property of the person is covered by a *restraining order, the person must pay the Commonwealth an amount equal to the lesser of the following (or either of them if they are the same):
(a)
the amount paid to the legal aid commission;
(b)
the value of the person's property covered by the restraining order.
History
S 293(1), (2), (2A) and (3) substituted for s 293(1), (2) and (3), by No 3 of 2010, s 3 and Sch 2 item 69, applicable in relation to costs that:
(a) were incurred by legal aid commissions before, on or after 19 May 2010; and
(b) if they were incurred before that commencement, had not been paid to the commissions before that commencement.
S 283(3) formerly read:
293(3)
If the Commonwealth pays an amount to a
*
legal aid commission under subsection (2), the person whose property is covered by the
*
restraining order must pay to the Commonwealth an amount equal to that amount.
293(4)
The person's obligation to pay the amount is discharged if there is forfeited to the Commonwealth under this Act:
(a)
all of the property that is covered by the
*
restraining order; or
(b)
some of the property that is so covered, being property of a value that equals or exceeds the amount.