22 July 2016
R (on the application of The Public Law Project) v Lord Chancellor [2016] UKSC 39, [2016] All ER (D) 53 (Jul)
The Supreme Court, in allowing the appellant’s appeal, held that a draft order excluding a specific group of people from the right to receive civil legal services in relation to an issue, on the ground of personal circumstances or characteristics (namely those not lawfully resident in the UK, Crown Dependencies or British Overseas Territories) which had nothing to do with the nature of the issue or services involved or the individual’s need, or ability to pay, for the services, was not within the scope of the power accorded to the respondent Lord Chancellor and was therefore ultra vires.
