Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986

20 Provisions supplementary to sections 18 and 19

(1) For the purposes of sections 18 and 19 of this Act, civil proceedings are finally decided in favour of an unassisted party—

(a) if no appeal may be made against the decision in his favour;

(b) if an appeal may be made against the decision with leave, and the time limit for applications for leave expires and either no application has been made, or leave has been refused;

(c) if leave to appeal against the decision is granted or is not required and no appeal is made within the time limit for appeals; or

(d) if an appeal is made but is abandoned before it is determined.

(2) Where an appeal is allowed to be made late, the court by which the appeal (or any further appeal in those proceedings) is determined may make an order for the repayment by the unassisted party to the Fund of the whole or any part of any sum previously paid to him under section 19 of this Act in respect of those proceedings.

(3) Where a court decides any proceedings in favour of the unassisted party and an appeal may be made (with or without leave) against that decision, the court may, if it thinks fit, make or refuse to make an order under section 19 of this Act, but any order so made shall not take effect unless—

(a) where leave to appeal is required, the time limit for applications for leave to appeal expires and no application has been made or leave is refused ;

(b) where leave to appeal is granted or is not required, the time limit for appeals expires without an appeal being made; or

(c) an appeal is made but is abandoned before it is determined.

(4) It shall be competent, at any time within such period after the making of an award of expenses to which section 18(2) of this Act applies as may be prescribed by regulations made under this section, for any party concerned with the award to apply to the court or tribunal which made the award for re-assessment of its amount, on the ground that since the award was made there has been a relevant change of circumstances, and on such application the court or tribunal may make such re-assessment of the amount of the award as seems to them proper.