Victoria Legal Aid Handbook for Lawyers

Table F sets out the fees payable by Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) for all indictable crime matters at the County Court or Supreme Court stage.

See also Principles applying to payment of fees for the County or Supreme Court stage of an indictable crime matter.

These fees are effective from 1 January this year. For fees payable prior to this see Archived versions of the Handbook.

General fees

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Counsel – post-committal negotiations 3 $672 3 $915
First directions hearing 2 $448 2 $610
Directions hearing/mention/call over 1.25 $280 1.25 $381
Defence response – first directions hearing 2 $448 2 $610
Application for discontinuance or proceedings 2.5 $560 2.5 $762

Plea fees

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Preparation 3 $528 8.5 $2380
Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $1717 n/a $2344
Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) n/a $598 n/a $939
Sentence n/a $335 n/a $460
Advice on appeal 1 $305 1 $305

Special hearing

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Preparation 1 $176 1 $280
Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $2341 n/a $3191
Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) n/a $1283 n/a $2056

Sentence indication

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Appearance fee (includes conferences) n/a $1263 n/a $1721

Intermediaries/ground rules hearings

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Ground rules hearing n/a $1283 n/a $2056

Section 198A hearings (County Court)

Service/proceeding Fee payable
Application for hearing $672
Pre-trial examination $1283

Active Case Management System (County Court)

Service/proceeding Fee payable
Case Initiation Notice $448
Preparation for case conference (instructor) $672
Counsel - preparation for case conference $1508
Appearance at case conference $1283
Instructing – per hour (up to maximum of 5 hours per day) $155
Trial Readiness Questionnaire Certificate $448
Case assessment hearing $560

Case management (Supreme Court)

Service/proceeding Fee payable
Application to cross-examine witnesses – s198B $840
Appearance where witnesses are cross-examined – s198B $2056 per day
Counsel – preparation for administrative callover process $610
Case conference $1721

Trial

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Preparation 10 $1760 15 $4200
Defence response – final directions hearing 2 $448 2 $610
Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $2791 n/a $4433
Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $3349 n/a $5319
Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) n/a $1283 n/a $2056
Instructing – per hour (up to a maximum of 5 hours per day) 1 $155 1 $280
Plea hearing – first day n/a $1036 n/a $1412
Plea hearing – subsequent days n/a $598 n/a $939
Sentence n/a $335 n/a $460
Advice on appeal 3 $915 3 $915

Practitioners can claim these fees using ATLAS or submitting a tax invoice.

Reviewed 31 December 2022