Untitled determination under the Legal Practitioners Act 1893 s. 58W (WA)

16 April 1992] GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, WA 1627

CRONVN LAW

CW301

LEGAL PRACTITIONERS ACT 1893
LEGAL COSTS COMMITTEE
Determination

On 7 and 14 December 1991 the Legal Costs Committee advertised notice of its intention to make a determination with respect to the fees charged by legal practitioners in Western Australia for non-contentious business and for conten- tious business in the following jurisdictions:

Supreme Court of Western Australia

costs scales at this time.

District Court of Western Australia
Workers' Compensation and Assistance Board of W.A.
Local Court of Western Australia

The Court of Petty Sessions in Western Australia

As required, the Law Society of Western Australia Inc., (the "Law Society") and the various tribunals were notified of the Committee's intention to make a determination. In all, fourteen submissions were received and considered by the Committee. In addition, the Committee received oral submissions from the Law Society, the Legal Aid Commission of Western Australia and the State Government Insurance Commission.

The submissions received by the Committee from individuals and organisations generally opposed any across the board increase in the current costs scales at this time. It is noted also that none of the submissions sought a decrease in the current costs scales.

The Committee, having considered the submissions received and having reviewed other information available to the Committee, including relevant consumer price index figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and recent increases in the Federal Court Costs Scales, the Committee is of the opinion that it should determine not to alter the general level of the current

1628 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, WA [16 April 1992

In accordance with section 58W of the Legal Practitioners' Act 1893, the Committee hereby determines that there shall be no change to the following scales for the time being:

Supreme Court Costs Scale 1991
Non-contentious Probate Costs Scale 1991

Solicitors' Remuneration Scale 1991 (formerly called the Solicitors' Remu-

neration Order 1991)

Local Court Costs Scale 1991

Costs Scale 1991 under the Official Prosecutions (Defendants Costs) Act

1973

Workers' Compensation Scale

The Committee is conscious that a number of anomalies exist in the current scales, both as regards the structure of scales and individual items within scales. The Committee is presently in the process of addressing each scale separately and will in due course publish new determinations in respect of each scale.

Dated 31 March 1992.

MICHAEL O'CONNOR, Chairman.
JOHN SYMINTON, Member.
RON BARRETT, Member.
MICHAEL MEGAW, Member.
CLIVE BROWN, Member.

CHRIS PULLIN, Member.