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/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Counsel – post-committal negotiations3$6843$933
First directions hearing2$4562$622
Directions hearing/mention/call over1.25$2851.25$388
Defence response – first directions hearing2$4562$622
Application for discontinuance or proceedings2.5$5702.5$777

Plea fees

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Preparation3$5378.5$2422
Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$1751n/a$2390
Appearance fee – subsequent day(s)n/a$610n/a$957
Sentencen/a$341n/a$469
Advice on appeal1$3111$311

Special hearing

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Preparation1$1791$285
Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$2387n/a$3254
Appearance fee – subsequent day(s)n/a$1308n/a$2097

Sentence indication

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Appearance fee (includes conferences)n/a$1288n/a$1755

Intermediaries/ground rules hearings

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Ground rules hearingn/a$1308n/a$2097

Section 198A hearings (County Court)

Service/proceedingFee payable
Application for hearing$684
Pre-trial examination $1308

Active Case Management System (County Court)

Service/proceedingFee payable
Case Initiation Notice$456
Preparation for case conference (instructor)$684
Counsel - preparation for case conference$1538
Appearance at case conference$1308
Instructing – per hour (up to maximum of 5 hours per day)$158
Trial Readiness Questionnaire Certificate$456
Case assessment hearing$570

Case management (Supreme Court)

Service/proceedingFee payable
Application to cross-examine witnesses – s198B$856
Appearance where witnesses are cross-examined – s198B$2097 per day
Counsel – preparation for administrative callover process $622
Case conference $1755

Trial

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Preparation10$179015$4275
Defence response – final directions hearing2$4562$622
Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$2846n/a$4521
Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$3415n/a$5425
Appearance fee – subsequent day(s)n/a$1308n/a$2097
Instructing – per hour (up to a maximum of 5 hours per day)1$1581$285
Plea hearing – first dayn/a$1056n/a$1440
Plea hearing – subsequent daysn/a$610n/a$957
Sentencen/a$341n/a$469
Advice on appeal3$9333$933

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

Reviewed 31 December 2023