Plea of guilty in the District Court, Children’s Court of Queensland or the Supreme Court

Pleas of guilty in the Children’s Court of Queensland, District or Supreme Courts are deemed specified proceedings under guideline 1 – specified and non-specified criminal proceedings and are not subject to the merit test.

For legal aid to be granted for a plea of guilty in the Children’s Court of Queensland, district or supreme courts the following test must be satisfied:

• the applicant meets the means test.

If the applicant has:

• an existing grant of aid for other criminal law matters and the applicant is approved aid with the same law firm, the multiple grants of aid policy must be met.

Documentary requirements

Application received from client

Applicants seeking a grant of legal assistance should forward all of the following documents for assessment:

• A completed and signed Legal Aid Queensland application form.
• Proof of income and assets, if applicable (refer to the means test).
• A copy of the charge or charges such as an indictment, bench charge sheet or Queensland court brief (QP9) material.

Application received from preferred supplier or in-house practitioner

Preferred suppliers seeking a grant of legal assistance should electronically submit an application for aid via the Grants Online system along with:

• the appropriate information request or checklist.
• the "request to represent co-accused submission form" and where the request is submitted from either Legal Aid Queensland or ATSILS a copy of the appropriate internal delegate approval (if applicable).
• Proof of income and assets, if applicable (refer to the means test).

The following documents should be retained on the practitioners file but may be requested by Legal Aid Queensland:

• A completed and signed Legal Aid Queensland application form.
• All documentation as outlined in the case management standards - criminal law.

Grant(s) of aid

Legal aid may not be sought for a matter in the superior courts until the conclusion of the committal proceedings.

• The grant of aid for a plea of guilty in the childrens court of Queensland is CC1.
• The grant of aid for a plea of guilty in the district court is CF.
• The grant of aid for a plea of guilty in the Supreme Court is CJ.

• The grant of aid for ATSILS to engage a barrister for a childrens court of Queensland plea of guilty or sentence review is ACC1.
• The grant of aid for ATSILS to engage a barrister for a district court plea of guilty is ACF.
• The grant of aid for ATSILS to engage a barrister for a Supreme Court plea of guilty is ACJ.

Extension(s) of aid

Contested/part heard plea of guilty

The grant of aid for a contested/part heard plea in the childrens court of Queensland or the district court is CFA.

The grant of aid for a contested plea/part heard plea of guilty in the Supreme Court is CJA.

The grant of aid for ATSILS for a contested plea/part heard plea of guilty in the district court is ACFA.

Further day of sentencing

The grant of aid for a further day of sentencing in the childrens court of Queensland or the district court is CF2.

The grant of aid for a further day of sentencing in the Supreme Court is CJ2.

The grant of aid for ATSILS for a further day of sentencing in the district court is ACF2.

Review of decisions

A decision to refuse legal aid for this type of matter may be appealed to the external review officer (refer to review of decisions).