Services:
Prison Law
If you or a relative is being held in prison you should be aware that the prison authorities are required to work within very strict rules. All prisoners should receive a copy of these rules when they enter prison. Our job is to hold the prison authorities to account and to make sure that the decisions that they make are fair and within the rules. Regardless of the public perception of both remand and serving prisoners, it is during their detention that prisoners are most vulnerable, and we will always endeavour to ensure that our clients are treated fairly, lawfully and with dignity.
Whilst we can advise on all areas of Prison Law matters on a private basis, there have been significant restrictions upon the availability of Legal Aid in Prison Law.
Essentially, those areas where Legal Aid remains available are;
- proceedings before the Parole Board - where direct release is being considered (including Licence Recall)
- Sentence calculations - where there is a legitimate dispute over the date of release
- Minimum term reviews
- Disciplinary & Adjudication Hearings - where additional days may be imposed or where the 'Tarrant Criteria' apply
- Judicial Review (in exceptional circumstances)
Other areas where we can still advise but where Legal Aid is unavailable and our private fees would need to be met include;
- Applications for early release on Home Detention Curfew Orders (HDC) including Appeals
- Recaterisation of Security Status (i.e. from Cat C to Cat D)
- Transfer between establishments
- Variation of Licence Conditions post release
- Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL)
If you feel that either yourself, or a partner, friend, or relative, are being treated unfairly - or the prison are not keeping to the rules - then contact us then contact our Prison Law Team on 0161 227 7777 or complete the online form and send it to us.