Victoria Legal Aid Handbook for Lawyers

Table Z – Fees for applications and reviews in Serious Offenders Act 2018 proceedings and in certain Commonwealth matters

Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) will generally make a grant of legal assistance for an application, review or renewal of a detention order or supervision order pursuant to the Serious Offenders Act 2018 in accordance with the following table. VLA also makes a grant of legal assistance for applications and reviews relating to Commonwealth Continuing Detention Orders, Control Orders and Extended Supervision Orders.

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

Emergency detention orders

Service/proceeding County Court Fee payable Supreme Court Fee payable
Lump sum (preparation) n/a n/a 3.5 hours $980
Daily appearance fee n/a n/a n/a $984
Mention/directions n/a n/a n/a $383
Judgement fee n/a n/a n/a $460

Detention orders / Commonwealth continuing detention orders

Service/proceeding County Court Fee payable Supreme Court Fee payable
Lump sum (preparation) n/a n/a 10 hours $2800
Brief (includes conferences) n/a n/a n/a $4433
Subsequent days n/a n/a n/a $2056
Mention/directions n/a n/a n/a $383
Instructing – per hour (up to a maximum of 5 hours per day) n/a n/a 1 hour $280
Judgement fee n/a n/a n/a $460

Supervision orders / Commonwealth extended supervision orders or control orders

Service/proceeding County Court Fee payable Supreme Court Fee payable
Lump sum (preparation) 5 hours $880 7 hours $1960
Brief (includes conferences) n/a $2341 n/a $3812
Subsequent days n/a $1283 n/a $2056
Mention/directions n/a $280 n/a $383
Instructing – per hour (up to a maximum of 5 hours per day) 1 hour $155 1 hour $280
Judgement fee n/a $335 n/a $460

Application for review brought by a person subject to an order

Service/proceeding County Court Fee payable Supreme Court Fee payable
Lump sum (preparation) 5 hours $880 7 hours $1960
Daily appearance fee n/a $1018 n/a $2128
Mention/directions n/a $280 n/a $383
Judgement fee n/a $335 n/a $460

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

VLA will allow additional claims for fees for additional preparation by counsel with VLA’s advance approval.

Reviewed 31 December 2022