Victoria Legal Aid Handbook for Lawyers

Table S – Expert reports and court attendances by psychologists and psychiatrists in criminal matters

Table S sets out the fixed fees payable by Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) for expert reports and court attendances by psychologists and psychiatrists in criminal matters.

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

Service provided Fee payable for psychologist Fee payable for psychiatrist
Assessment and report with jail conference $796 $896
Assessment and report without jail conference $698 $796
Treating expert report $445 $541
Supplementary report $390 $491

Evidentiary report to establish:

  • an evidentiary basis for a defence (for example, mental impairment, absence of intent)
    or
  • an evidentiary issue (for example, fitness to plead, a review or leave application).

Before the assisted person incurs the fee, there must be explicit factual material which confirms a reasonable expectation of an organic psychiatric condition.

 $1053 $1053
Attendance at metropolitan court – half day, including travel $491 $598
Attendance at regional court – half day, including travel $698 $796
Non-attendance fee $78 $107

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

Reviewed 31 December 2022

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