Legal Services Board Instructions The Legal Services Board gives notice that on the 28th day of September 1999 it issued the following instructions to come into force on the 15th day of November 1999. Copies of these instructions can be obtained from the board's offices on the First Floor, Landcorp House, 101 Lambton Quay, or through P.O. Box 5333, Wellington. Telephone inquiries: (04) 472 5045. Facsimile: (04) 472 5046. Instructions: Legal Services Board (Criminal Legal Aid Remuneration) Instructions 1999 These instructions deal with the remuneration of practitioners for all criminal legal aid applications for which an assignment is made on or after 15 November 1999. Hourly rates for both civil and criminal matters are reduced by an overall average of around 5 percent. The instructions revoke the Legal Services Board (Criminal Legal Aid Remuneration) Instructions 1998 that were issued by the board on 11 June 1998. Matters for which a practitioner was assigned before 15 November 1999 will remain subject to the old instructions. Extensions of that aid will however be subject to the new instructions. Summary of Changes: Some existing guideline fees are increased. New guideline fees are included which remunerate lawyers for: Attendance at a restorative justice conference ordered by the Court. Court of Appeal interlocutory matters. ``High Court only'' bail matters. Sentencing ``as a separate exercise'' in the High or District Court. Legal Services Board (Civil Legal Aid Remuneration) Instructions 1999 These instructions deal with the remuneration of practitioners in civil legal aid cases for which aid is granted on or after 15 November 1999. The instructions revoke the Legal Services Board (Civil Legal Aid Remuneration) Instructions 1998 which were issued by the board on 11 June 1998. However, proceedings or matters for which civil legal aid was granted before 15 November 1999 continue to be subject to those instructions. Extensions of that aid will, however, be subject to the new instructions. Summary of Changes: Aid is now available for mediation for all civil matters except Employment Tribunal/Court matters. Family Court matters including custody/access disputes, can therefore be referred for private ``mediation as a disbursement''. Many guideline fees, in particular those relating to the Domestic Violence Act 1995, have been raised and some lowered. New guideline fees have been prescribed for refugee matters as a result of the recent changes in the immigration laws. D. M. SMITH, Executive Director.