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Crime news: contract amendments and new duty solicitor guidance

Update on what duty solicitors can include when calculating required 14 hours of work each week following consultation with rep bodies.

We are updating the 2017 Standard Crime Contract and associated guidance.

This is to help duty solicitors when considering the 14 hours of work duty solicitor requirement.

The changes are being made following consultations with representative bodies and come into effect on 23 July 2018.

What is changing?

We are changing the types of work activity that may be included in the 14-hour calculation.

This now includes Crown Court, courts martial and some privately-funded work.

The duty solicitor guidance expands on these points and explains our approach when dealing with duty solicitor compliance.

Why are you telling us now?

We need to give providers enough time to understand the amendments in time for the CRM12 deadline for the October duty rotas.

This has been extended until the date of the changes – 23 July 2018.

Further information

Standard Crime Contract 2017 – to download amended crime contract and new guidance

CRM12 duty solicitor application when moving firm

Published 29 June 2018