What the policy is about
Review of client eligibility decisions
Where to find the policy
Summary of updates
This policy explains how an applicant can appeal if they’re denied coverage. Not much is changing. We’re keeping the same three-step process, with: (1) an initial decision by LAA, (2) an administrative review (usually by a staff lawyer on our assessment team), and (3) an appeal to our Appeals Committee.
1. SCC Coverage Committee
We’re creating an internal Supreme Court of Canada Coverage Committee, with the goal of speeding up our decisions about whether to fund a Supreme Court leave application. In most cases, we’ll still ask a client’s appellate lawyer for a merit opinion. But we’re combining the first two stages of coverage review into a single step, so there’s less delay getting the client an answer.
2. Appeals Committee Rules
We’re streamlining our Appeals Committee rules. These will make it easier to schedule committee meetings, since we’re reducing quorum for the committee from five members to three. We also making it easier to select committee members based on their areas of expertise – so we can try to have family lawyers hear family law coverage appeals, while criminal lawyers hear criminal appeals.
Administrative Policy 5
Case Management and Certificate-Based Matters
Administrative Policy 6
Roster and Panel Management
