Voucher Checklist

Use the Correct Form

Attorney services should be claimed on CJA Form 20 (or CJA 30 for capital habeas petitioners and death-eligible defendants). These forms should be created in eVoucher.

Service provider compensation should be claimed on CJA Form 21 (or CJA 31 for capital habeas petitioners and death-eligible defendants). Requests for service provider funds can be downloaded from the CJA forms page. For additional information on funding and billing for experts, please review Information for Experts and Other Service Providers.

Use the Correct Rate for the Service Period

Current and historical rates for appointed counsel can be found on the CJA Compensation Rates page. If your services cover more than one rate period, please submit a separate voucher for each rate period.

One Voucher Per Attorney

A separate voucher is required for each attorney.

One Appointment Per Voucher

A separate voucher is required for each appointment.

Do Not Bill For Services Performed Before the Appointment Date

Either submit a request for nunc pro tunc authorization or delete those entries that precede your date of appointment.

If Appropriate, Request Authorization to Submit Interim Vouchers

This may be necessary if your case is extended and/or complex.

Insure the Correct Authorizations Have Been Obtained When Appropriate

• If your services exceed the statutory maximum, please review the current case compensation maxiums and submit a CJA 26 (.pdf) and memorandum (.pdf) if applicable.
• If your case is extended and/or complex, you may request authorization to submit interim payments.
• If you require the services of one or more experts that will exceed a total of $800, you must obtain prior funding approval. Information on the correct procedure can be found here.
• If your work on the case involves travel for yourself or your expert.

Provide Document/Record Review Quantification

Please indicate Bates ranges or number of pages reviewed for all claims for document review that exceed one hour.

Provide Sufficient Detail and Do Not “Bundle” Tasks

Please separate work for each date into discrete tasks with detail sufficient to permit meaningful review. If, on one day, you worked two hours on research/writing, three hours on reviewing discovery, half an hour on phone calls, and one hour writing correspondence, there should be four separate entries for that day, with each task corresponding to its appropriate category. Example:

Include Any Necessary Expense Receipts

In general, you must submit receipts for all expenses that exceed $50. Itemized receipts are always required for the following expenses:

• Any individual item costing more than $25.00
• Outside copying, regardless of amount
• Travel expenses such as lodging, meals, car rental, phone calls. Note: Funding authorizations cover expenses for the authorized traveler ONLY; unless expressly authorized, expenditures for the defendant or a witness are NOT covered.
• Premium delivery and messenger services such as Federal Express, UPS, etc.
• Taxi fares, airport and/or regular parking fees, ferries, shuttles, and toll fees over $25.00
• Phone charges over $50.00 per month
• Postage over $50.00 per incident.