Table M sets out the fees in criminal trials for the Trial Counsel Development Program and where Senior Counsel is briefed as trial counsel.
These fees are effective from 1 January this year. For fees payable prior to this see Archived versions of the Handbook.
Senior Counsel
Post com mittal
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Post-committal negotiations | 3 | $1251 | 3 | $1251 |
| First directions hearing | 2 | $834 | 2 | $834 |
| Directions hearing/mention/callover | 1.25 | $521 | 1.25 | $521 |
| Defence response – first directions hearing | 2 | $834 | 2 | $834 |
| Application for discontinuance of proceedings | 2.5 | $1042 | 2.5 | $1042 |
Plea fees
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $3841 | n/a | $3841 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $2138 | n/a | $2138 |
| Sentence (if on a different day) | n/a | $631 | n/a | $631 |
Special hearing
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $4708 | n/a | $4708 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $3210 | n/a | $3210 |
Sentence indication
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee (includes conferences) | n/a | $2995 | n/a | $2995 |
Trial
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Defence response – final directions hearing | 2 | $834 | 2 | $834 |
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $5978 | n/a | $6822 |
| Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences) | n/a | $7173 | n/a | $8186 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $3210 | n/a | $3210 |
| Plea hearing | n/a | $2572 | n/a | $2572 |
| Plea hearing – subsequent days | n/a | $2138 | n/a | $2138 |
| Sentence (if on different day) | n/a | $631 | n/a | $631 |
| Conference with junior counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only) | 3 | $1251 | 3 | $1251 |
Senior Junior Counsel
Post committal
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Post-committal negotiations | 3 | $684 | 3 | $933 |
| First directions hearing | 2 | $456 | 2 | $622 |
| Directions hearing/mention/callover | 1.25 | $285 | 1.25 | $388 |
| Defence response – first directions hearing | 2 | $456 | 2 | $622 |
| Application for discontinuance of proceedings | 2.5 | $570 | 2.5 | $777 |
Plea fees
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1751 | n/a | $2390 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $610 | n/a | $957 |
| Sentence (if on a different day) | n/a | $341 | n/a | $469 |
Special hearing
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $2387 | n/a | $3254 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $1308 | n/a | $2097 |
Sentence indication
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee (includes conferences) | n/a | $1288 | n/a | $1755 |
Trial
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Defence response – final directions hearing | 2 | $456 | 2 | $622 |
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $2846 | n/a | $4521 |
| Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences) | n/a | $3415 | n/a | $5425 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $1308 | n/a | $2097 |
| Plea hearing | n/a | $1056 | n/a | $1440 |
| Plea hearing – subsequent days | n/a | $610 | n/a | $957 |
| Sentence (if on different day) | n/a | $341 | n/a | $469 |
| Conference with junior counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only) | 3 | $684 | 3 | $933 |
Junior Counsel
Post committal
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Post-committal negotiations | 3 | $420 | 3 | $474 |
| First directions hearing | 2 | $280 | 2 | $316 |
| Directions hearing/mention/callover | 1.25 | $175 | 1.25 | $197 |
| Defence response – first directions hearing | 2 | $280 | 2 | $316 |
| Application for discontinuance of proceedings | 2.5 | $350 | 2.5 | $395 |
Plea fees
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1037 | n/a | $1331 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $479 | n/a | $702 |
| Sentence (if on a different day) | n/a | $341 | n/a | $469 |
Special hearing
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1193 | n/a | $1591 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $720 | n/a | $1042 |
Sentence indication
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee (includes conferences) | n/a | $745 | n/a | $998 |
Trial
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Defence response – final directions hearing | 2 | $280 | 2 | $316 |
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1339 | n/a | $2409 |
| Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences) | n/a | $1606 | n/a | $2890 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $720 | n/a | $1042 |
| Plea hearing | n/a | $600 | n/a | $840 |
| Plea hearing – subsequent days | n/a | $479 | n/a | $702 |
| Sentence (if on different day) | n/a | $341 | n/a | $469 |
| Conference with senior/lead counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only) | 3 | $420 | 3 | $474 |
Practitioners can claim these fees using ATLAS or submitting a tax invoice.
Reviewed 31 December 2023
