A DOUBLE murder trial has been halted, with a Supreme Court judge warning many more will be delayed until cash-strapped Victoria Legal Aid eases its cuts to help guidelines.

This is the second serious criminal trial delayed for this reason in a week.

Justice Terence Forrest ordered on Monday that the trial be postponed until Legal Aid could provide an instructing solicitor for the defendant for the duration of the trial. Justice Forrest said that the case, which involved up to 78 prosecution witnesses, was complex and that the court could not ensure a fair trial for the accused man with his present legal team.

The judge said that other criminal trials that needed an instructing solicitor to proceed fairly should not begin ''until the unfairness is cured''.

''If I am correct, the unfortunate effect of VLA's cost constraints is that many criminal trials will be postponed for as long as the cost-cutting protocol survives. This is incompatible with the proper, timely and just administration of criminal justice,'' he said.