Table M – Guide to fees for counsel in criminal trials

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/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Post-committal negotiations3$12513$1251
First directions hearing2$8342$834
Directions hearing/mention/callover1.25$5211.25$521
Defence response – first directions hearing2$8342$834
Application for discontinuance of proceedings2.5$10422.5$1042

Plea fees

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$3841n/a$3841
Subsequent dayn/a$2138n/a$2138
Sentence (if on a different day)n/a$631n/a$631

Special hearing

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$4708n/a$4708
Subsequent dayn/a$3210n/a$3210

Sentence indication

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Brief fee (includes conferences)n/a$2995n/a$2995

Trial

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Defence response – final directions hearing2$8342$834
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$5978n/a$6822
Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences)n/a$7173n/a$8186
Subsequent dayn/a$3210n/a$3210
Plea hearingn/a$2572n/a$2572
Plea hearing – subsequent daysn/a$2138n/a$2138
Sentence (if on different day)n/a$631n/a$631
Conference with junior counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only)3$12513$1251

Senior Junior Counsel

Post committal

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Post-committal negotiations3$6843$933
First directions hearing2$4562$622
Directions hearing/mention/callover1.25$2851.25$388
Defence response – first directions hearing2$4562$622
Application for discontinuance of proceedings2.5$5702.5$777

Plea fees

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$1751n/a$2390
Subsequent dayn/a$610n/a$957
Sentence (if on a different day)n/a$341n/a$469

Special hearing

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$2387n/a$3254
Subsequent dayn/a$1308n/a$2097

Sentence indication

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

Trial

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Defence response – final directions hearing2$4562$622
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$2846n/a$4521
Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences)n/a$3415n/a$5425
Subsequent dayn/a$1308n/a$2097
Plea hearingn/a$1056n/a$1440
Plea hearing – subsequent daysn/a$610n/a$957
Sentence (if on different day)n/a$341n/a$469
Conference with junior counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only)3$6843$933

Junior Counsel

Post committal

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Post-committal negotiations3$4203$474
First directions hearing2$2802$316
Directions hearing/mention/callover1.25$1751.25$197
Defence response – first directions hearing2$2802$316
Application for discontinuance of proceedings2.5$3502.5$395

Plea fees

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$1037n/a$1331
Subsequent dayn/a$479n/a$702
Sentence (if on a different day)n/a$341n/a$469

Special hearing

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$1193n/a$1591
Subsequent dayn/a$720n/a$1042

Sentence indication

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Brief fee (includes conferences)n/a$745n/a$998

Trial

Service/proceedingCounty Court hoursFee payableSupreme Court hoursFee payable
Defence response – final directions hearing2$2802$316
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences)n/a$1339n/a$2409
Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences)n/a$1606n/a$2890
Subsequent dayn/a$720n/a$1042
Plea hearingn/a$600n/a$840
Plea hearing – subsequent daysn/a$479n/a$702
Sentence (if on different day)n/a$341n/a$469
Conference with senior/lead counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only)3$4203$474

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

Updated