The Scottish Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 of the Courts of Law Fees (Scotland) Act 1895[1] and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, hereby make the following Order: Citation and commencement 1. This Order may be cited as the Sheriff Court Fees Amendment Order 2002 and shall come into force on 1st July 2002. Amendment of Fees Order 2. - (1) The Sheriff Court Fees Order 1997[2] shall be amended in accordance with the following paragraphs. (2) For article 7 (exemption of certain persons from fees in simplified divorce applications) substitute-
7. - (1) A fee to which this article applies shall not be payable by a person-
(b) who is in receipt of an income-based jobseeker's allowance (payable under the Jobseekers Act 1995[4]); (c) who is in receipt of civil legal aid within the meaning of section 13(2) of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986[5] in respect of the matter in the Table of Fees in connection with which the fee is payable; (d) where the fee is payable in connection with a simplified divorce application and the person is in receipt of advice and assistance from a solicitor under the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986 in respect of that application; or (e) where the person's solicitor is undertaking work in relation to the matter in the Table of Fees in connection with which the fee is payable on the basis of any regulations made under section 36 of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986 providing for legal aid in a matter of special urgency.
(2) This article applies to all fees regulated by this Order except-
(b) in Part II (sheriff court proceedings) of the Table of Fees, the fee specified in paragraph 19 (petition for removal of disqualification).".
(3) For the Table of Fees in Schedule 1[6] substitute the Table of Fees set out in the Schedule to this Order.
EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Order) This Order amends the Sheriff Court Fees Order 1997 ("the 1997 Order"). The Order amends article 7 of the 1997 Order (exemption of certain persons from fees in simplified divorce actions) so as to provide exemption from certain of the fees payable for persons in receipt of certain forms of benefits and legal aid (article 2(2)). The exemption is also extended to civil sheriff court proceedings generally. The Order also specifies for proceedings in the sheriff court new fee levels in substitution for those applicable since the 1997 Order was last amended on 1st April 1999. Some fee levels remain unchanged and the increases represent an average of approximately 9% except (a) the lodging fee to be paid to the Auditor of Court increases from £12 to £30; and (b) the auditor's fee for taxing the first £400 (formerly £300) of an account increases from £12 to £16 (article 2(3) and the Schedule). Finally, the Order simplifies the fees payable relating to recording, engrossing and copying documents and makes new provision for payment of a fee on cancellation of a diet of taxation (article 2(3) and the Schedule, in particular paragraphs 39 and 41). [1] 1895 c.14; section 2 was amended by the Divorce Jurisdiction, Court Fees and Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1983 (c.12), section 4 and by the Scotland Act 1998 (Consequential Modifications) (No. 2) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1820), article 2 and Schedule 2, paragraph 9. The functions of the Secretary of State were transferred to the Scottish Ministers by virtue of section 53 of the Scotland Act 1998 (c.46).back [2] S.I. 1997/687 as amended by S.I. 1999/754.back [3] 1992 c.4. Section 124, which provides for income support, was amended by the Jobseekers Act 1995 (c. 18), section 41 and Schedules 2 and 3 and by the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30), section 70 and Schedule 8, Part IV, paragraph 28. Section 128, which provides for working families' tax credit, was amended by the Tax Credits Act 1999 (c. 10), section 1(2) and Schedule 1, paragraphs 1(a) and (b) and 2(g) and by the Jobseekers Act 1995, section 41(4) and Schedule 2, paragraph 33. Section 129, which provides for disabled person's tax credit, was amended by the Tax Credits Act 1999, sections 1(2) and 14(1) and (5) and Schedule 1, paragraphs 1(a) and (b) and 2(h), the Social Security (Incapacity for Work) Act 1994 (c. 18), sections 10(2) and (3) and 11(1) and Schedule 1, paragraph 32, the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999, section 88 and Schedule 13, Part IV, the Jobseekers Act 1995, section 41(4) and Schedule 2, paragraph 34 and by the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (c. 14), section 103 and Schedule 9, paragraph 2.back [5] 1986 c.47. Section 13(2) was amended by the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 (c.40), section 74 and Schedule 8, paragraph 36(3).back [6] Schedule 1 was substituted by S.I. 1999/754, article 2(3).back [7] Column 3 shows the fees which were payable under S.I. 1997/687 (as amended by S.I. 1999/754) before the coming into force of this Order. Where there is no entry in column 3 but an entry in column 2 in respect of any particular matter, the matter is new or has been amended such that no direct comparison can be made with the fee formerly payable.back [11] 1982 c.27; section 12 was amended by the Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1991 (c.12), Schedule 2, paragraph 7 and section 18 was amended by the Insolvency Act 1985 (c.65), Schedule 8, paragraph 36, the Insolvency Act 1986 (c.45), Schedule 14, the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c.41), Schedule 16, paragraph 41, the Criminal Justice Act 1993 (c.36), section 24, the Drug Trafficking Act 1994 (c.37), Schedule 1, paragraph 6, the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1995 (c.20), Schedule 6, paragraph 183 and the Criminal Procedure (Consequential Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1995 (c.40), Schedule 4, paragraph 42.back [13] See Schedule 1 to the Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1907 (c.51).back
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