Department of Justice

1. The Legal Profession register

The department keeps the Legal Profession register. Every lawyer on it holds one of three statuses:

• Practising: may appear for an accused and take duty lawyer requests.
• Suspended: may not appear while the suspension lasts.
• Struck off: removed from practice.

Only a practising lawyer on the register may appear for an accused. Lawyers are not department staff, and holding a practising certificate gives no power on the Justice tablet.

2. Admission

To be admitted, apply through the help desk in the DOJ Discord. The department decides every application. In our practice the department looks for a working knowledge of the Criminal Procedure Guide, the Bail Guide and Courtroom Procedure and Etiquette, and a record of good conduct in the city.

3. Suspension and striking off

The department admits, suspends and strikes off lawyers. A lawyer may be suspended or struck off for breaching this code. In our practice the lawyer is told why and given the chance to answer before a decision is made, except where the conduct is serious enough to need immediate suspension.

4. Rules of conduct

• Act in your client’s interest, within the rules. Never mislead the court.
• Keep what your client tells you confidential, in character and out.
• Do not appear in a matter where you have a personal interest, or for two people whose interests conflict.
• Be on time. If you cannot attend a hearing, tell the registry and your client before it starts.
• Treat the bench, the prosecution, police and witnesses with courtesy.
• No metagaming: use only what your character has learned in the city.

5. The duty lawyer scheme

Anybody before the court can ask Legal Aid for a duty lawyer, either on the phone in MyServices or by pressing Duty lawyer at the help desk in the DOJ Discord. A practising lawyer takes the request and represents the person.

If you take a request, see it through: meet the client before the hearing, explain the options, and appear at each step until the matter is closed or you hand it to another practising lawyer.

6. The duty lawyer fee

Legal Aid pays the duty lawyer $500 once the matter is closed. The fee is for the whole matter, not each hearing, and it is paid by Legal Aid: a duty lawyer must not ask the client for money.