Target reached!
Appeal Finished at 16:24 25 July 2017 but we are continuing to ask for legal funds a...
Sheffield Street Strees Legal Fund
Sheffield, England, United Kingdom
Aim
We need money to cover the legal costs of tree campaigners who are subjected to action in a civil or criminal court
NOW Closed (from 16:24 25 July 2017), But we are continuing to appeal for legal funds at
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/sheffield-street-trees-legal-fund-continuation
Earlier this year we fought off attempts to use the criminal law and the police against us, largely through the efforts of our supporters and the work of Howell's Solicitors and barrister, Paul Powlesland.
Sheffield City Council are determined to beat us and have come up with some new legal schemes, including threatening protestors with injunctions and claims for damages. We will need money to defend our supporters against these threats and get legal advice. We are starting with an appeal for £5000 for legal advice and support but we will need more than that if this gets to court so please give even if we get beyond out target.
The fund will be administered by Chris Rust and Rebecca Hammond, as Co-Chairs of Sheffield Tree Action Groups. Banking and accounting services to look after the fund will be provided by the Nether Edge Tree Fund who also look after our current legal funds. The Nether Edge Tree Fund is a legally constituted group separate from other campaign groups in the city, set up to manage moneys collected to help protect and develop our street trees across the city.
All money contributed will be spent on legal costs and court charges incurred by Sheffield Tree Action Groups (STAG) or our supporters, if they are not eligible for legal aid, engaged in campaign actions. Decisions on how to spend the money will be made by the administrators who will seek advice from the STAG steering group. Any money left when there is no further forseeable need for legal funding will be donated to a legal aid charity.
If we are unsuccessful in our current case, adverse costs could, in some circumstances, be sought from donors who have supported a case. The advice from the 'Crowd Justice' website, which deals with many legalcrowdfunding appeals, is: UK Case Law indicates that pure funders - Backers who don't have a personal interest in the Case, don't stand to benefit from it and don't control the course of the Case - will not typically have any liability beyond their pledge.
This project successfully funded on 25th July 2017