There are no fees associated with the filing of an application to the Tribunal and a lawyer cannot charge an applicant costs in respect of an application, unless the Tribunal approves those costs.
Pursuant to section 48 of the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 1996 the costs of, and incidental to, all proceedings in the Tribunal are in the discretion of the Tribunal and it has full power to determine by whom, to whom and to what extent the costs are to be paid.
Where an Application for Assistance is successful, the reasonable legal costs incurred by the applicant will usually be paid by the Tribunal, directly to the applicant’s legal representative.
If an applicant is legally represented, the legal representative must complete the ‘Amounts Payable to Solicitor’ section of your Statement of Claim form prior to submitting it to the Tribunal. Legal representatives should also attach any receipts and invoices for solicitors disbursements claimed.
Legal Cost Guidelines
The Chief Magistrate has published the below guidelines to aid the Tribunal in determining the amount of legal costs to be paid, for both preparation and appearance fees. See Guideline 1 of 2023
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Finding a Lawyer
The Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) online Directory Service and Legal Referral Service can assist you to locate legal professionals in your area or within a specific area of law. The LIV's phone and online Legal Referral Service provides free referrals to solicitors all over Victoria. Referrals are made according to practice area, geographic location, preferred language and other specific requirements.