The Magistrates Billing team has put together a list of hints and tips for providers covering the most common issues they see.
Rejects
- CRM18A form not signed or dated.
- Not appearing on LAA Online – the month must be appearing as this is how payment is authorised.
- No file of papers.
- Cost is not tallied on the CRM18A/own ledger for travel, waiting, preparation, attendance, advocacy, letters, calls. If over one page and not tallied this will be returned.
- A lot of missing information so an assessment cannot be carried out.
- If when costs are entered from what is claimed on the CRM18A and they do not reach the Escape threshold (before any assessment is carried out) they will be returned.
Nil Assessments
- If the CRM1 is not completed in full (even with zero’s) then a nil assessment will be put through CWA. The ruling from the Standard Crime Contract 4.24 and CBAM Annex B point 8 is referred to.
- If the signature on the CRM2/CRM3 is not signed or dated, then it will be nil assessed on CWA. The ruling from the Standard Crime Contract 12.15 & 3.4 is referred to.
Assessments
- Representations are now allowed at 12 minutes per page and not 18 minutes per page. These will be assessed down if 18 minutes have been claimed unless detailed justification is provided why 18 minutes should be allowed.
- All letters and calls should be provided on file. The actual letter/email and call needs to be seen and not just stated on a ledger.
- Dossiers should not be read multiple times (usually on Advocacy files) in full. Notes should be made (these should be provided on file) in the first instance that should be referred to when considering again. A lot of work at present is being assessed/removed for this.
- Work claimed for opening/closing files shall be removed. Seeing lots of work relating to opening the file at present. Allowing 6 minutes to consider the Sufficient Benefit at the start of the file.
- Only allow 12 minutes to complete a CRM4 application unless justification for a higher amount is provided.
- If time is being claimed for Subject Access Requests (SAR’s) please provide details as to why it is being considered. Why the dossier does not contain this information and whether a sift has been carried out. Large amounts of time are being seen when this is claimed without a lot of justification.
- Check that emails are not being claimed for twice if multiple copies are within the file.
- Lots of emails just stating ‘thank you’ are being seen. These do not progress the case and will be removed.
- Make sure all work being claimed is within the file and not just itemised on a ledger.
- Need to see evidence of documents/letters drafted but do not necessarily need to see the dossier or documents considered if page counts and a detailed file note is provided. Would need to see any emails that are being considered so please make sure these are on file.
- If the file is in chronological order, it makes the assessment easier to carry out and will reduce the amount of work that may be missed.
- When using own ledgers please make this as easy to read as possible as a lot we are seeing are very small and are hard to decipher.