RMNJ Solicitors

Defence representation for people arrested, charged, or facing prosecution, including police station, magistrates court, and Crown Court work.

Criminal legal aid covers the cost of a solicitor when you have been arrested, charged with a crime, or are facing prosecution. The duty solicitor scheme means anyone arrested can ask for a free solicitor at the police station regardless of income, with no means test. Once a case reaches court, eligibility for representation is means and merits tested.

Family law support where there is documented domestic abuse, plus care proceedings, child protection, forced marriage, and international child abduction.

Family legal aid covers domestic abuse, child protection (including care proceedings), forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and international child abduction. Routine divorce and child arrangements are generally not covered by legal aid since the 2013 LASPO reforms unless there is evidence of domestic abuse. Care proceedings are non-means-tested for parents; other family legal aid is means and merits tested.

Specialist representation for people in prison on parole, sentence calculation, adjudications, and conditions.

Prison Law covers the legal needs of serving prisoners, including parole hearings, sentence calculation disputes, prison disciplinary adjudications, and challenges to treatment or conditions inside prison. Solicitors with this contract visit prisons regularly and know prison-specific procedure. It is a specialist add-on to the standard Crime contract; only around 10% of crime firms hold it, so finding a Prison Law specialist can be hard.

Representation at Mental Health Tribunal hearings and related capacity matters.

Mental Health legal aid covers representation at Mental Health Tribunal hearings, where patients detained under the Mental Health Act can challenge their detention and treatment. It also covers Court of Protection cases concerning deprivation of liberty for people who lack capacity. Representation at tribunal is non-means-tested when challenging detention; other contexts are means tested.

Disputes over adult social care, support packages, and care home funding.

Community Care legal aid covers disputes about the social care services a local authority provides to adults with disabilities, mental health needs, or other long-term care needs. Common issues include assessment refusals, inadequate care packages, care home funding decisions, and disputes about ongoing care responsibilities. Cases are usually challenged through judicial review.

Family mediation as a legal aid funded alternative to court, often required before a court application.

Family Mediation legal aid pays for trained mediators to help separating couples and families reach agreement on issues such as living arrangements, finances after separation, and time spent with children. Attending a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) is usually a legal requirement before applying to family court. Where one party qualifies financially, both parties' mediation fees are covered.