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 | $1203 | 3 | $1203 |
| First directions hearing | 2 | $802 | 2 | $802 |
| Directions hearing/mention/callover | 1.25 | $501 | 1.25 | $501 |
| Defence response – first directions hearing | 2 | $802 | 2 | $802 |
| Application for discontinuance of proceedings | 2.5 | $1002 | 2.5 | $1002 |
Plea fees
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $3693 | n/a | $3693 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $2055 | n/a | $2055 |
| Sentence (if on a different day) | n/a | $607 | n/a | $607 |
Special hearing
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $4526 | n/a | $4526 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $3086 | n/a | $3086 |
Sentence indication
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee (includes conferences) | n/a | $2880 | n/a | $2880 |
Trial
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Defence response – final directions hearing | 2 | $802 | 2 | $802 |
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $5746 | n/a | $6558 |
| Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences) | n/a | $6895 | n/a | $7869 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $3086 | n/a | $3086 |
| Plea hearing | n/a | $2473 | n/a | $2473 |
| Plea hearing – subsequent days | n/a | $2055 | n/a | $2055 |
| Sentence (if on different day) | n/a | $607 | n/a | $607 |
| Conference with junior counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only) | 3 | $1203 | 3 | $1203 |
Senior Junior Counsel
Post committal
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Post-committal negotiations | 3 | $660 | 3 | $897 |
| First directions hearing | 2 | $440 | 2 | $598 |
| Directions hearing/mention/callover | 1.25 | $275 | 1.25 | $373 |
| Defence response – first directions hearing | 2 | $440 | 2 | $598 |
| Application for discontinuance of proceedings | 2.5 | $550 | 2.5 | $747 |
Plea fees
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1684 | n/a | $2298 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $587 | n/a | $921 |
| Sentence (if on a different day) | n/a | $329 | n/a | $451 |
Special hearing
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $2295 | n/a | $3129 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $1258 | n/a | $2016 |
Sentence indication
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee (includes conferences) | n/a | $1239 | n/a | $1688 |
Trial
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Defence response – final directions hearing | 2 | $440 | 2 | $598 |
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $2737 | n/a | $4346 |
| Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences) | n/a | $3284 | n/a | $5215 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $1258 | n/a | $2016 |
| Plea hearing | n/a | $1016 | n/a | $1385 |
| Plea hearing – subsequent days | n/a | $587 | n/a | $921 |
| Sentence (if on different day) | n/a | $329 | n/a | $451 |
| Conference with junior counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only) | 3 | $660 | 3 | $897 |
Junior Counsel
Post committal
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Post-committal negotiations | 3 | $408 | 3 | $456 |
| First directions hearing | 2 | $272 | 2 | $304 |
| Directions hearing/mention/callover | 1.25 | $170 | 1.25 | $190 |
| Defence response – first directions hearing | 2 | $272 | 2 | $304 |
| Application for discontinuance of proceedings | 2.5 | $340 | 2.5 | $380 |
Plea fees
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $997 | n/a | $1280 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $461 | n/a | $676 |
| Sentence (if on a different day) | n/a | $329 | n/a | $451 |
Special hearing
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1147 | n/a | $1530 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $693 | n/a | $1002 |
Sentence indication
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Brief fee (includes conferences) | n/a | $717 | n/a | $960 |
Trial
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|
| Defence response – final directions hearing | 2 | $272 | 2 | $304 |
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1288 | n/a | $2316 |
| Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences) | n/a | $1545 | n/a | $2779 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $693 | n/a | $1002 |
| Plea hearing | n/a | $578 | n/a | $808 |
| Plea hearing – subsequent days | n/a | $461 | n/a | $676 |
| Sentence (if on different day) | n/a | $329 | n/a | $451 |
| Conference with senior/lead counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only) | 3 | $408 | 3 | $456 |
Practitioners can claim these fees using ATLAS or submitting a tax invoice.
