On this page:
- Stage 1A – preparation and first appearance (ICL)
- Entitlements and conditions
- Stage 1B – subsequent hearing or compliance and readiness hearing or trial management hearing (ICL)
- Procedural appearances
- Entitlements and conditions
- Stage 1C – interim contest hearing (ICL)
- Entitlements and conditions
- Stage 1D – litigation intervention FDRS or Dispute Resolution Conference (DRC) or private mediation
- Litigation intervention FDRS
- Court-based DRCs
- Private mediation
- Entitlements and conditions
Where an independent children’s lawyer (ICL) is in receipt of a stage 1 grant, the following fees are available (where applicable):
- Stage 1A – preparation and first appearance
- Stage 1B – subsequent hearing or compliance and readiness hearing or trial management hearing
- Stage 1C – interim contest hearing
- Stage 1D – litigation intervention FDRS or Dispute Resolution Conference (DRC) or private mediation
This fee table is effective from 1 January this year. For fees prior to this, see Archived versions of the Handbook.
Stage 1A – preparation and first appearance (ICL)
Under a stage 1A grant, fees are available to an independent children's lawyer (where applicable).
Service/proceedings | Court | Fee |
---|---|---|
Stage 1A – preparation and first appearance (ICL) | FCFCOA | $2040 (includes $634 appearance fee) |
Distance allowance | N/A | $204 |
Entitlements and conditions
- The stage 1A grant is a broadband grant. The grant covers:
- preparation
- conference
- communications
- court attendance
- filing and service
- taking judgement.
- An ICL in receipt of a stage 1A grant will be entitled to:
- one subsequent hearing, one compliance and readiness hearing and one trial management hearing stage 1B grants without an extension. An extension is required for a stage 1C and 1D grants
- If counsel is briefed for stage 1A court attendance, counsel’s fees (see Fee table 4.3) are payable out of this fee, subject to the following conditions:
- Counsel’s fees are not payable where a matter is in the list but not reached
- Instructing fees are not payable.
- Where the ICL appears at any of the procedural events, those fees are available without an extension of assistance.
- A grant for disbursements for assessment reports may be available in certain circumstances. Refer to Table Q.
- The distance fee is available where the ICL's office is more than 50 km from court and the ICL is required to travel for the court event. The fee covers either the lawyer’s travel or briefing an agent.
Stage 1B – subsequent hearing or compliance and readiness hearing or trial management hearing (ICL)
Under a stage 1B grant, fees are available to an independent children's lawyer (where applicable):
Service/proceedings | Court | Fee |
---|---|---|
Stage 1B – preparation and subsequent appearance - subsequent hearing or compliance and readiness hearing or trial management hearing | FCFCOA | $1020 (includes $634 appearance fee) |
Procedural appearances
Service/proceedings | Court | Fee |
---|---|---|
Inspecting subpoenaed documents (see table note) | FCFCOA | $408 |
Appearance at defended subpoena list | FCFCOA | $612 |
Telephone mention | FCFCOA | $204 |
Mention, directions hearing or callover | FCFCOA | $408 |
Distance allowance | N/A | $204 |
Table note: The fee to attend court to inspect subpoenaed documents is payable per attendance, not per document. Lawyers are expected to minimise the need for multiple attendances to inspect documents. This is because the inspection of documents is considered to be preparation for trial and should primarily be covered by the 3A lump sum fees.
Entitlements and conditions
- The stage 1B grant is lump sum grant.
- The distance fee is available where the ICL's office is more than 50 km from court and the ICL is required to travel for the court event. The fee covers either the ICL's travel or briefing an agent.
Stage 1C – interim contest hearing (ICL)
Under a stage 1C grant, fees are available to an independent children's lawyer (where applicable):
Service/proceedings | Court | Fee |
---|---|---|
Stage 1C – preparation for an interim contest hearing (ICL) | FCFCOA | $1020 |
Entitlements and conditions
- The stage 1C grant is a lump sum grant.
- The term ‘interim contest hearing’ covers court events where the parties are not in agreement about what arrangements should be in place until the matter can be finally determined, and the court conducts a hearing in order to make interim orders pending final hearing. The interim contest hearing fee is only available when the matter is listed for an interim contest hearing or interim defended hearing.
- Procedural hearings in the FCFCOA, such as callovers, mentions and directions hearings (sometimes referred to as interim hearings), cannot be characterised as an interim contest hearing and do not attract the stage 1C fee. For these court events, fees set out in stage 3B – procedural hearings, Federal Circuit and Family Court (FCFCOA) are available.
- Where a matter is listed as a procedural hearing and the matter is dealt with as an interim contest hearing, the ICL can apply for an uplift to a stage 1C fee on the day or shortly after the hearing date. The interim orders made on the day must be provided to us in support of the request.
- The fee for taking judgement is available where the appearance is required on a separate day to receive the judgement.
- Circuit fees (see fee table 4.3) or distance fees can be requested where appropriate.
- If counsel is briefed for stage 1C court attendance, counsel’s fees (see fee table 4.3) are payable in addition to this fee, subject to the following conditions:
- Counsel’s fees are not payable where a matter is in the list but not reached
- Instructing fees are not payable
- Conference fees are not payable.
Stage 1D – litigation intervention FDRS or Dispute Resolution Conference (DRC) or private mediation
Under a stage 1D grant, fees are available to an independent children's lawyer (where applicable):
Litigation intervention FDRS
Service/proceedings | Forum | Fee |
---|---|---|
1D.1 – preparation for litigation intervention FDRS conference (ICL) | FDRS | $204 |
1D.2 – representing client at litigation intervention FDRS conference (ICL) | FDRS | $816 |
1D.3 – attendance at litigation intervention FDRS when the conference does not proceed (ICL) | FDRS | $204 |
Preparing and filing consent orders | Any court | $408 |
Distance allowance | N/A | $204 |
Court-based DRCs
Service/proceedings | Court | Fee |
---|---|---|
1D.4 – preparation for court-based DRC (ICL) | FCFCOA | $204 |
1D.5 – representing client at court-based DRC (ICL) | FCFCOA | $816 |
Distance allowance | N/A | $204 |
Private mediation
Service/proceedings | Forum | Fee |
---|---|---|
1D.6 – preparation for private mediation (ICL) | Private mediation | $204 |
1D.7 – representing client at private mediation conference (ICL) | Private mediation | $816 |
Preparing and filing consent orders | Any court | $408 |
Distance allowance | N/A | $204 |
Entitlements and conditions
- The stage 1D grant is a broadband grant. In all matters attending private mediation, ICLs can claim one conference attended without further extension of assistance. In matters attending litigation intervention FDRS or court-based DRC, except international child abduction matters, ICLs can claim for up to two conferences attended, without a further extension of assistance. In international child abduction matters, ICLs can claim for up to three conferences attended without a further extension of assistance.
- Where the ICL attends the litigation intervention FDRS conference but it is adjourned, the stage 1D.3 fee is payable.
- The ICL can only claim the consent orders fee where they prepare the consent orders and the orders are filed with the court.
Reviewed 31 December 2022