48Costs

48 Costs S. 48(1) amended by No. 48/1995 s. 10(zk). (1) Where— S. 48(1)(a) amended by Nos 10/1986 s. 22, 38/1992 s. 11(a). (a) legal assistance is provided under this Act to a person in relation to a proceeding (including a cross-proceeding) in a court or before a tribunal; and (b) the court or tribunal makes an order in the proceeding directing the assisted person to pay costs incurred by another party to the proceeding— either the assisted person or that other party may request VLA to pay to that other party on behalf of the assisted person an amount representing the whole or a part of the costs that the assisted person was so directed to pay. S. 48(2) amended by No. 48/1995 s. 10(zk). (2) Subject to subsection (3), VLA shall pay so much (if any) of the amount requested to be paid as VLA considers just and equitable. S. 48(3) amended by No. 48/1995 s. 10(zk). (3) VLA shall not pay an amount in respect of costs incurred in a proceeding at first instance unless it appears to VLA that the person who made the request will suffer substantial hardship if that amount is not paid by VLA. S. 48(4) amended by Nos 61/1989 s. 14(1), 48/1995 s. 10(zk). (4) Subject to subsection (6), any amount paid by VLA under this section shall be deemed to have been paid by the assisted person. (5) Where a person is legally assisted in connexion with part only of any proceeding, the reference in this section to the costs of the other party in that proceeding is a reference to so much of those costs as is attributable to that part. S. 48(6) inserted by No. 61/1989 s. 14(2), amended by No. 48/1995 s. 10(zk). (6) If VLA agrees to pay an amount in respect of costs under subsection (2), VLA may require the assisted person— S. 48(6)(a) amended by No. 48/1995 s. 10(zk). (a) to reimburse VLA for the whole or part of the amount paid under subsection (2); and S. 48(6)(b) amended by Nos 38/1992 s. 11(b), 48/1995 s. 10(zk). (b) to secure the reimbursement in any manner that VLA thinks fit. S. 48(6)(c) inserted by No. 38/1992 s. 11(b), amended by No. 48/1995 s. 10(zk). (c) pay interest on the reimbursement at any time and upon any terms and conditions determined by VLA. S. 48(7) inserted by No. 38/1992 s. 11(c), amended by No. 48/1995 s. 10(zk). (7) VLA may not require the payment of interest under subsection (6)(c) at a rate which exceeds 70% of the rate fixed under section 2 of the **Penalty Interest Rates Act 1983**. S. 48A inserted by No. 10/1986 s. 23, repealed by No. 38/1992 s. 10(2).[[3]](#endnote-4) S. 48B inserted by No. 10/1986 s. 23, amended by Nos 48/1995 s. 10(zl)(i)(ii), 15/2018 s. 35.