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/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Post-committal negotiations 3 $1308 3 $1308
First directions hearing 2 $872 2 $872
Directions hearing/mention/callover 1.25 $545 1.25 $545
Defence response – first directions hearing 2 $872 2 $872
Application for discontinuance of proceedings 2.5 $1090 2.5 $1090

Plea fees

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $4025 n/a $4025
Subsequent day n/a $2240 n/a $2240
Sentence (if on a different day) n/a $661 n/a $661

Special hearing

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $4934 n/a $4934
Subsequent day n/a $3364 n/a $3364

Sentence indication

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Brief fee (includes conferences) n/a $3138 n/a $3138

Trial

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Defence response – final directions hearing 2 $872 2 $872
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $6264 n/a $7149
Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences) n/a $7516 n/a $8578
Subsequent day n/a $3364 n/a $3364
Plea hearing n/a $2694 n/a $2694
Plea hearing – subsequent days n/a $2240 n/a $2240
Sentence (if on different day) n/a $661 n/a $661
Conference with junior counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only) 3 $1308 3 $1308

Senior Junior Counsel

Post committal

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Post-committal negotiations 3 $714 3 $978
First directions hearing 2 $476 2 $652
Directions hearing/mention/callover 1.25 $297 1.25 $407
Defence response – first directions hearing 2 $476 2 $652
Application for discontinuance of proceedings 2.5 $595 2.5 $815

Plea fees

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $1834 n/a $2504
Subsequent day n/a $638 n/a $1002
Sentence (if on a different day) n/a $356 n/a $491

Special hearing

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $2501 n/a $3410
Subsequent day n/a $1370 n/a $2197

Sentence indication

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Brief fee (includes conferences) n/a $1350 n/a $1838

Trial

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Defence response – final directions hearing 2 $476 2 $652
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $2982 n/a $4737
Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences) n/a $3578 n/a $5684
Subsequent day n/a $1370 n/a $2197
Plea hearing n/a $1106 n/a $1508
Plea hearing – subsequent days n/a $638 n/a $1002
Sentence (if on different day) n/a $356 n/a $491
Conference with junior counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only) 3 $714 3 $978

Junior Counsel

Post committal

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Post-committal negotiations 3 $438 3 $495
First directions hearing 2 $292 2 $330
Directions hearing/mention/callover 1.25 $182 1.25 $206
Defence response – first directions hearing 2 $292 2 $330
Application for discontinuance of proceedings 2.5 $365 2.5 $412

Plea fees

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $1086 n/a $1395
Subsequent day n/a $501 n/a $735
Sentence (if on a different day) n/a $356 n/a $491

Special hearing

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $1249 n/a $1666
Subsequent day n/a $754 n/a $1091

Sentence indication

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Brief fee (includes conferences) n/a $780 n/a $1045

Trial

Service/proceeding County Court hours Fee payable Supreme Court hours Fee payable
Defence response – final directions hearing 2 $292 2 $330
Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) n/a $1403 n/a $2524
Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences) n/a $1682 n/a $3028
Subsequent day n/a $754 n/a $1091
Plea hearing n/a $628 n/a $880
Plea hearing – subsequent days n/a $501 n/a $735
Sentence (if on different day) n/a $356 n/a $491
Conference with senior/lead counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only) 3 $438 3 $495

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

Updated