Singapore legislation
Section 13
Section 13
Deposit in respect of out-of-pocket expenses
(1)
The Director may require any applicant for legal aid or any person to whom a Grant of Aid is issued to deposit with the Director such amounts at such times as the Director may think fit to be used in or towards meeting out‑of‑pocket expenses (not including office expenses) incurred in connection with the application or with any proceedings to which the application or the Grant of Aid relates.
(2)
Any amount deposited under subsection (1) must be used only to pay —
firstly, the out‑of‑pocket expenses referred to in that subsection; and
after the payment of such out‑of‑pocket expenses, any outstanding contribution the applicant is required to pay under section 22A(1).
(3)
After the payments referred to in subsection (2)(a) and (b) have been made, the balance of the amount deposited under subsection (1) (if any) must be refunded to the applicant or the aided person, as the case may be.
(4)
In any case where the Director is satisfied that the making of a deposit under subsection (1) would occasion hardship, the Director may, out of any funds in the Director’s control which are available for the purpose, from time to time, meet any out‑of‑pocket expenses (not including office expenses) or make such advances to meet such out‑of‑pocket expenses as the Director may consider necessary.
(5)
Any advance so made must be used only for payment of such out‑of‑pocket expenses and any part of such amount not so expended must be refunded to the Director.
(6)
Where the Director has made any advance out of the funds in the Director’s control to meet out‑of‑pocket expenses under subsection (4), the Director may require the applicant or the aided person (as the case may be) in respect of whom those expenses are incurred to repay to the Director any amount expended or advanced in any manner that the Director thinks fit.