Victoria Legal Aid Handbook for Lawyers

Table RR – Counsel’s circuit fees

Table RR sets out the circuit fees payable to counsel for appearances in criminal trials in the Supreme Court or in the County Court of the gazetted circuit towns. The circuit fees which apply to pleas are contained in Table NN.

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

Each circuit fee in Table RR applies to each five days, or part of each five days, of a trial. If the trial lasts longer than five sitting days, then an additional circuit fee is payable.

If a trial is interrupted by a weekend or by some other cause, then the circuit fee is payable only for each five sitting days of the court.

If counsel or a lawyer advocate appears in a number of matters during any five-day period, then one circuit fee only is payable. Counsel or the lawyer advocate must share that one circuit fee equally between or among each of the matters.

If counsel or a lawyer advocate must stay overnight in the circuit town, then the overnight fee in Table NN is also payable for:

  • accommodation
  • meals
  • sundry expenses.
Gazetted circuit townCircuit/appearance fee for each 5-day period or part of trial
Ararat$715
Bairnsdale$1074
Ballarat$356
Bendigo$537
Colac$537
Geelong$179
Hamilton$1074
Horsham$1165
Kerang$1074
Korumburra$356
Mildura$1384
Morwell$537
Sale$805
Shepparton$626
Wangaratta$896
Warragul$356
Warrnambool$985
Wodonga$1165

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

Reviewed 31 December 2023