Singapore legislation
Section 17
Section 17
Endorsement and filing of certificate
(1)
Where a legal aid certificate is granted pursuant to section 11 or 12, the Director may act for the aided person or may assign a solicitor to be selected by the aided person, if he so desires, or otherwise by the Director from the appropriate panel maintained pursuant to section 4 so to act, and in such case shall endorse on the legal aid certificate the name of the solicitor so assigned:Provided that in any case where a solicitor is assigned to act after such certificate is filed in court, or in any case where a new assignment is made in lieu of a solicitor assigned previously, the Director shall not be required to endorse on the certificate the name of the solicitor so assigned, or newly assigned, as the case may be, but may, instead, give notice of such assignment or new assignment by letter to the proper officer of the court in which proceedings are pending.
(2)
Before taking any other step in the proceedings, the Director or the solicitor so assigned shall file the legal aid certificate in the registry of the court in which the proceedings are pending or are to be taken and no court fee shall be charged in respect of the filing of the certificate.
(3)
Where any legal aid certificate is so filed, the aided person —
shall not be liable in respect of any proceedings to which the certificate relates for court fees or for such fees payable for the service of process or for any fees due to the Sheriff in connection with the execution of process;
shall be entitled to be supplied free of charge with a copy of the judge’s notes of evidence in any proceedings to which the certificate relates; and
shall not, except where express provision is made in this Act, be liable for costs to any other party in any proceedings to which the certificate relates.
(4)
Subject to sections 14 and 18, no person who, pursuant to any reference under this Act, makes any investigation or report or gives any opinion or who pursuant to any assignment under this Act conducts any proceedings, shall take or agree to take or seek from an aided person any fee, profit or reward (pecuniary or otherwise) in respect thereof.