A woman assigned a solicitor under the Free Legal Aid Scheme was told it was not like the National Lottery and she could not choose her solicitor when she appeared before Navan District Court yesterday.
A solicitor, Mr Paul Brady, told Judge John Brophy he had been assigned but she had then requested another solicitor.
Judge Brophy told Ms Nicola Smith, of Claremount, Estate, Navan, the taxpayer was paying for the service.
She was before the court in relation to two summonses for a common assault in Navan in July 1995. He adjourned all charges until December and requested reports from the Probation and Welfare services.