s 17 Stay of proceedings upon making of application for legal aid
17.—(1) Where proceedings have been commenced and any party makes an application for legal aid, the Director must, as soon as practicable after the application is made, notify the other party or each of the other parties, and file with the court in which the proceedings are pending, a notification of the making of the application; and no fee is to be payable in respect of the filing of the notification.[6/2013; 50/2018] (2) Where a notification under subsection (1) is filed in respect of any proceedings, the following apply unless the court (before which those proceedings are pending) orders otherwise:(a) all steps in those proceedings are stayed for a period of 14 days after the date on which the notification is filed; (b) during that period, the time fixed by or under any written law, for doing any act or taking any step in those proceedings, does not run.[50/2018] (3) Despite subsection (2), the filing of the notification under subsection (1) does not prevent any of the following:(a) the making of an interlocutory order for an injunction, or for the appointment of a receiver, a manager or a receiver and manager; (b) the making of an order to prevent the lapse of a caveat against dealings with land; (c) the making of any other order which, in the opinion of the court, is necessary to prevent an irremediable injustice; (d) the institution or continuance of proceedings to obtain, enforce or otherwise carry into effect an order mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c), unless the court orders otherwise.[50/2018] (4) The period mentioned in subsection (2)(a) may be reduced or extended by an order of the court.[50/2018]