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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 | $714 | 3 | $978 |
| First directions hearing | 2 | $476 | 2 | $652 |
| Directions hearing/mention/call over | 1.25 | $297 | 1.25 | $407 |
| Defence response – first directions hearing | 2 | $476 | 2 | $652 |
| Application for discontinuance or proceedings | 2.5 | $595 | 2.5 | $815 |
Plea fees
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 3 | $561 | 8.5 | $2533 |
| Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1834 | n/a | $2504 |
| Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) | n/a | $638 | n/a | $1002 |
| Sentence | n/a | $356 | n/a | $491 |
| Advice on appeal | 1 | $326 | 1 | $326 |
Special hearing
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 1 | $187 | 1 | $298 |
| Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $2501 | n/a | $3410 |
| Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) | n/a | $1370 | n/a | $2197 |
Sentence indication
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance fee (includes conferences) | n/a | $1350 | n/a | $1838 |
Intermediaries/ground rules hearings
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground rules hearing | n/a | $1370 | n/a | $2197 |
Section 198A hearings (County Court)
| Service/proceeding | Fee payable |
|---|---|
| Application for hearing | $714 |
| Pre-trial examination | $1370 |
Active Case Management System (County Court)
| Service/proceeding | Fee payable |
|---|---|
| Case Initiation Notice | $476 |
| Preparation for case conference (instructor) | $714 |
| Counsel - preparation for case conference | $1612 |
| Appearance at case conference | $1370 |
| Instructing – per hour (up to maximum of 5 hours per day) | $165 |
| Trial Readiness Questionnaire Certificate | $476 |
| Case assessment hearing | $596 |
Case management (Supreme Court)
| Service/proceeding | Fee payable |
|---|---|
| Application to cross-examine witnesses – s198B | $894 |
| Appearance where witnesses are cross-examined – s198B | $2197 per day |
| Counsel – preparation for administrative callover process | $652 |
| Case conference | $1838 |
Trial
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 10 | $1870 | 15 | $4470 |
| Defence response – final directions hearing | 2 | $476 | 2 | $652 |
| Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $2982 | n/a | $4737 |
| Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $3578 | n/a | $5684 |
| Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) | n/a | $1370 | n/a | $2197 |
| Instructing – per hour (up to a maximum of 5 hours per day) | 1 | $165 | 1 | $298 |
| Plea hearing – first day | n/a | $1106 | n/a | $1508 |
| Plea hearing – subsequent days | n/a | $638 | n/a | $1002 |
| Sentence | n/a | $356 | n/a | $491 |
| Advice on appeal | 3 | $978 | 3 | $978 |
Practitioners can claim these fees using ATLAS or submitting a tax invoice.
Updated