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Section history

Section 357 — Costs against defence counsel

As in force on 1 July 2020.

Timeline 5 versions
  1. 2 January 2011 Enacted
  2. 31 October 2018 Act 19 of 2018, S 724 of 2018
  3. 1 July 2020 You are here
  4. 2 January 2021 Act 40 of 2019
  5. 31 December 2021 Revised edition
  6. 17 August 2026 Latest
357.Costs against defence counsel

(1)Where it appears to a court that costs have been incurred unreasonably or improperly in any proceedings (for example, by commencing, continuing or conducting a matter the commencement, continuation or conduct of which is an abuse of the process of the Court) or have been wasted by a failure to conduct proceedings with reasonable competence and expedition, the court may make against any advocate whom it considers responsible (whether personally or through an employee or agent) an order —

(a)disallowing the costs as between the advocate and his client; or

(b)directing the advocate to repay to his client costs which the client has been ordered to pay to any person.

(1A)If the Court of Appeal or the High Court makes an order under subsection (1)(a) or (b) in respect of any proceedings for a matter under Division 1B of Part XX, and the prosecution has applied to the Court for an order for the costs of that matter to be paid to the prosecution on the ground that the commencement, continuation or conduct of that matter was an abuse of the process of the Court, the Court must state whether it is satisfied that the commencement, continuation or conduct of that matter was an abuse of the process of the Court.

(2)No order under this section shall be made against an advocate unless he has been given a reasonable opportunity to appear before the court and show cause why the order should not be made.