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 | $684 | 3 | $933 |
| First directions hearing | 2 | $456 | 2 | $622 |
| Directions hearing/mention/call over | 1.25 | $285 | 1.25 | $388 |
| Defence response – first directions hearing | 2 | $456 | 2 | $622 |
| Application for discontinuance or proceedings | 2.5 | $570 | 2.5 | $777 |
Plea fees
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 3 | $537 | 8.5 | $2422 |
| Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1751 | n/a | $2390 |
| Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) | n/a | $610 | n/a | $957 |
| Sentence | n/a | $341 | n/a | $469 |
| Advice on appeal | 1 | $311 | 1 | $311 |
Special hearing
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 1 | $179 | 1 | $285 |
| Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $2387 | n/a | $3254 |
| Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) | n/a | $1308 | n/a | $2097 |
Sentence indication
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance fee (includes conferences) | n/a | $1288 | n/a | $1755 |
Intermediaries/ground rules hearings
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground rules hearing | n/a | $1308 | n/a | $2097 |
Section 198A hearings (County Court)
| Service/proceeding | Fee payable |
|---|---|
| Application for hearing | $684 |
| Pre-trial examination | $1308 |
Active Case Management System (County Court)
| Service/proceeding | Fee payable |
|---|---|
| Case Initiation Notice | $456 |
| Preparation for case conference (instructor) | $684 |
| Counsel - preparation for case conference | $1538 |
| Appearance at case conference | $1308 |
| Instructing – per hour (up to maximum of 5 hours per day) | $158 |
| Trial Readiness Questionnaire Certificate | $456 |
| Case assessment hearing | $570 |
Case management (Supreme Court)
| Service/proceeding | Fee payable |
|---|---|
| Application to cross-examine witnesses – s198B | $855 |
| Appearance where witnesses are cross-examined – s198B | $2097 per day |
| Counsel – preparation for administrative callover process | $622 |
| Case conference | $1755 |
Trial
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 10 | $1790 | 15 | $4275 |
| Defence response – final directions hearing | 2 | $456 | 2 | $622 |
| Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $2846 | n/a | $4521 |
| Appearance fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $3415 | n/a | $5425 |
| Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) | n/a | $1308 | n/a | $2097 |
| Instructing – per hour (up to a maximum of 5 hours per day) | 1 | $158 | 1 | $285 |
| Plea hearing – first day | n/a | $1056 | n/a | $1440 |
| Plea hearing – subsequent days | n/a | $610 | n/a | $957 |
| Sentence | n/a | $341 | n/a | $469 |
| Advice on appeal | 3 | $933 | 3 | $933 |
Practitioners can claim these fees using ATLAS or submitting a tax invoice.
Updated