Caps on legal aid fees are to continue after a High Court judge dismissed an attempt by the Criminal Bar Association to remove restrictions.
In his judgement issued on Friday, Justice Simon France said: "I do not consider whether the lawyers are being paid enough for this work is a justiciable question that a court should address."
He dismissed all points made by the Criminal Bar Association after it filed for a judicial review of the rules.
France said the Secretary of Justice was entitled to set overall rates as he had done; it was not possible to say that the new scheme wouldn't work well; and lawyers were available to represent accused people.
President of the Criminal Bar Association, Tony Bouchier said the outcome was disappointing and a legal counsel was considering the next step, which could be an appeal to the Supreme Court.
