Claims
Explanation of claims policies and link to statewide claims manual.
Walkthrough
A walkthrough of how to start and complete a claim through ADI’s claims portal is available for attorneys new to the ADI’s panel.
Visit our MCLE videos to view the three-part series: Getting Paid For Your Work: Navigating Claims
- Part 1: Intro
- Part 2: Hours
- Part 3: Expenses
The Claims Handout is an additional resource for submitting a claim.
Guidelines
Official statewide standard compensation guidelines for the court-appointed counsel program in the Court of Appeal.
In 1991, standard compensation guidelines for the court-appointed counsel program were adopted by a judicial committee, using guidelines developed in the mid-1980s as a baseline. Since that time, there have been slight modifications and clarifications. The guidelines serve as benchmarks, not absolutes. The ultimate test is “reasonableness” – what an experienced appellate attorney would find reasonably necessary for handling the case appropriately. This is an individualized judgment for each case.
ADI encourages attorneys to claim the time actually spent, even it if is over guidelines and is likely to be cut. The judiciary needs to have a realistic understanding of the time required to perform services.
Compensation Rate
Rates for work on court-appointed cases in the California Courts of Appeal.
* A case is upper tier if it is:
- independent, and
- in one of these classes:
- murder conviction after jury trial, with appointment on or after 7/1/95, or
- LWOP sentence after jury trial, with appointment on or after 10/1/95, or
- a specified sex crime (Pen. Code, §§ 209(b), 220, 261-269, 281-294), conviction after jury trial or
- record of 3000 pages or more (including augmentations) or
- a People’s appeal of a motion for new trial, where criterion (a) and one or more of the criteria (b)(1) through (b)(4) are met.
JCC Contact Policy
Inquiries on status of claims and processing timelines.
Panel attorneys with questions about the status of payment on claims should contact Omar Palacio. Please wait to contact Mr. Palacio about the status of the claim until the applicable time period has passed. Do not contact the JCC directly. ADI will contact the JCC on behalf of the panel attorney after the timeline for payment of the claim has passed. The JCC’s timeline for payment of claims is 20 business days from tagging for claims under $10,000 and 30 business days for claims of $10,000 and above. ADI endeavors to transmit claims within 14 calendar days of submission by the panel attorney.