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.
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 | $699 | 3 | $954 |
| First directions hearing | 2 | $466 | 2 | $636 |
| Directions hearing/mention/call over | 1.25 | $291 | 1.25 | $397 |
| Defence response – first directions hearing | 2 | $466 | 2 | $636 |
| Application for discontinuance or proceedings | 2.5 | $582 | 2.5 | $795 |
Plea fees
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 3 | $549 | 8.5 | $2473 |
| Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1790 | n/a | $2443 |
| Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) | n/a | $623 | n/a | $978 |
| Sentence | n/a | $348 | n/a | $479 |
| Advice on appeal | 1 | $318 | 1 | $318 |
Special hearing
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 1 | $183 | 1 | $291 |
| Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $2440 | n/a | $3327 |
| Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) | n/a | $1337 | n/a | $2144 |
Sentence indication
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance fee (includes conferences) | n/a | $1317 | n/a | $1794 |
Intermediaries/ground rules hearings
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground rules hearing | n/a | $1337 | n/a | $2144 |
Section 198A hearings (County Court)
| Service/proceeding | Fee payable |
|---|---|
| Application for hearing | $699 |
| Pre-trial examination | $1337 |
Active Case Management System (County Court)
| Service/proceeding | Fee payable |
|---|---|
| Case Initiation Notice | $466 |
| Preparation for case conference (instructor) | $699 |
| Counsel - preparation for case conference | $1573 |
| Appearance at case conference | $1337 |
| Instructing – per hour (up to maximum of 5 hours per day) | $161 |
| Trial Readiness Questionnaire Certificate | $466 |
| Case assessment hearing | $582 |
Case management (Supreme Court)
| Service/proceeding | Fee payable |
|---|---|
| Application to cross-examine witnesses – s198B | $873 |
| Appearance where witnesses are cross-examined – s198B | $2144 per day |
| Counsel – preparation for administrative callover process | $636 |
| Case conference | $1794 |
Trial
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 10 | $1830 | 15 | $4365 |
| Defence response – final directions hearing | 2 | $466 | 2 | $636 |
| Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $2910 | n/a | $4622 |
| Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $3492 | n/a | $5546 |
| Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) | n/a | $1337 | n/a | $2144 |
| Instructing – per hour (up to a maximum of 5 hours per day) | 1 | $161 | 1 | $291 |
| Plea hearing – first day | n/a | $1079 | n/a | $1472 |
| Plea hearing – subsequent days | n/a | $623 | n/a | $978 |
| Sentence | n/a | $348 | n/a | $479 |
| Advice on appeal | 3 | $954 | 3 | $954 |
Practitioners can claim these fees using ATLAS or submitting a tax invoice.
Updated