# The Criminal Aid Certificates Rules (Northern Ireland) 2012, Article 5: Assigning solicitors and counsel: free legal aid in the county court


(1) When granting a criminal aid certificate under Article 30(3) or (4) of the Order, a magistrates' court or county court, as applicable, shall, after taking into account any representations which the applicant may make, assign a solicitor who is practising in Northern Ireland and is willing to undertake the defence of legally aided persons in criminal cases.
(2) The assisted person shall be entitled to the services of any solicitor assigned under paragraph (1).
(3) Except where the court directs under Article 30(8) of the Order that only a solicitor shall be assigned, any member of the Bar who is practising in Northern Ireland and is willing to appear as counsel for legally aided persons in criminal cases may be instructed, on behalf of the assisted person, by the solicitor assigned under paragraph (1).
(4) Any member of the Bar instructed as provided under paragraph (3) shall, for the purposes of The Magistrates' Courts and County Courts Appeals (Criminal Legal Aid) (Costs) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2009 , be regarded as having been assigned in pursuance of a criminal aid certificate under Article 30 of the Order.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2012/135/article/5 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-aid-certificates-rules-northern-ireland-2012/article-5
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.