Victoria Legal Aid Handbook for Lawyers

Archived 21 July 2022

Table RR – Counsel’s circuit fees

Table RR sets out the circuit fees payable to counsel for appearances in criminal trials in the Supreme Court or in the County Court of the gazetted circuit towns. The circuit fees which apply to pleas are contained in Table NN.

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

Each circuit fee in Table RR applies to each five days, or part of each five days, of a trial. If the trial lasts longer than five sitting days, then an additional circuit fee is payable.

If a trial is interrupted by a weekend or by some other cause, then the circuit fee is payable only for each five sitting days of the court.

If counsel or a lawyer advocate appears in a number of matters during any five-day period, then one circuit fee only is payable. Counsel or the lawyer advocate must share that one circuit fee equally between or among each of the matters.

If counsel or a lawyer advocate must stay overnight in the circuit town, then the overnight fee in Table NN is also payable for:

  • accommodation
  • meals
  • sundry expenses.
Gazetted circuit town Circuit/appearance fee for each 5-day period or part of trial
Ararat $688
Bairnsdale $1033
Ballarat $343
Bendigo $517
Colac $517
Geelong $173
Hamilton $1033
Horsham $1121
Kerang $1033
Korumburra $343
Mildura $1331
Morwell $517
Sale $775
Shepparton $602
Wangaratta $862
Warragul $343
Warrnambool $947
Wodonga $1121

Practitioners can claim these fees using ATLAS ==REPACE TEXT HERE== or submitting a tax invoice.

Reviewed 15 February 2022