The following is a summary of the changes. For full details, please refer to the Criminal Tariff.
Sentencing — Introduced a new, higher block fee when sentencing occurs in a recognized First Nations Court.
- First Nations Court is a specialized court of the BC Provincial Court. Currently, the court sits in Duncan, Kamloops, Merritt, New Westminster, North Vancouver, and Prince George (locations may expand in the future). First Nations Court is usually held once a month at each location. For more information, see the Provincial Court website.
Gladue fee — Added a new tariff item for preparing and making Gladue submissions for bail or sentencing.
- Billable once per representation contract with or without a Gladue report. You must prepare and, where appropriate, make Gladue submissions in court in order to bill this item. Where there is no Gladue report, your preparation must include interviewing your client, contacting extended family and other supports, and preparing restorative justice options.
- To assist with preparing Gladue submissions, refer to the Gladue Report Guide, Gladue Submission Guide, and other resources on the LSS website at legalaid.bc.ca (under Lawyers — Practice Resources — Aboriginal) and in LSS Online under Resources.
Note: When you submit your invoices, LSS will ask you some brief questions to monitor how these changes are being used and how they are helping clients.
If you have any questions, please contact lawyer.support@lss.bc.ca.