Table Q sets out the fixed fees which Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) will pay for expert reports and court attendances in family law matters.
These fees are effective from 1 January this year. For fees payable prior to this see Archived versions of the Handbook.
VLA expects assisted people to get family reports from the Court Counselling Section, unless it is impractical or inappropriate.
In exceptional circumstances, the fees may be increased.
| Services provided | Fees paid |
|---|---|
| Family assessment and report | $2494 total cost In the event that there is an independent children’s lawyer VLA will only pay what would have been the assisted person’s or self-represented person’s appropriate share of this total amount. |
| Supplementary report (ie any second or later report by an expert): if prepared within nine months after the first report. | $1386 total cost In the event that there is an independent children’s lawyer VLA will only pay what would have been the assisted person’s or self-represented person’s appropriate share of this total amount. |
| Supplementary report (ie any second or later report by an expert): if prepared more than nine months after the first report | $2080 total cost In the event that there is an independent children’s lawyer VLA will only pay what would have been the assisted person’s or self-represented person’s appropriate share of this total amount |
| Interview of a third party (eg a grandparent) who has intervened in a dispute | $416 additional fee on top of total cost |
| Attending court, including travel: half day | $620 Note: If the person attending court is the writer of the family report, then the fee is payable out of the grant of legal assistance made to the child representative/independent children’s lawyer. |
| Attending court, including travel: full day | $914 Note: If the person attending court is the writer of the family report, then the fee is payable out of the grant of legal assistance made to the child representative/independent children’s lawyer. |
A person is engaged to write a family report but does not need to complete the report:
| The report writer may claim a fee for the actual work done. |
| Individual reports | Fee payable to psychiatrist or psychologist |
| Assessment and report | $1177 |
| Treating expert’s report | $495 |
| Supplementary report (ie any second or later report by an expert) | $580 |
| Attending court, including travel: half day | $620 |
| Attending court, including travel: full day | $914 |
| If the assisted person does not attend a firm appointment made with the expert | $112 |
Reviewed 21 February 2022