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Department raises appointed-counsel rates, will publish billing guidelines and host trainings
Summary
The Department of Indigent Defense said appointed counsel rates increased Jan. 1, 2025 to $175/hour for non-death cases and $223/hour for capital cases, and announced new billing guidelines and training to standardize submissions and speed reviews.
The Department of Indigent Defense told its board on Feb. 6 that the standard hourly rates for appointed counsel were increased Jan. 1, 2025 to $175 an hour for non-death cases and $223 an hour for capital cases.
Director Peter Handy said the department has been working with attorneys to develop billing guidelines to reduce confusion over what is appropriate to bill and what requires additional documentation. "We intend to reach out to create some uniformity so they understand what things will be approved and what might require additional information or details," Handy said, adding that the department will change some forms to collect better data and host training sessions for attorneys and their staffs.
Vice Chair Kate Thomas and board members were invited to review the proposed guidelines; Handy said the department hopes to promulgate them and hold training sessions later in the month. The goal, Handy said, is to expedite billing reviews and to create a reliable archive of data for future oversight and analysis.
The rate change and billing-guideline initiative are departmental administrative actions; no implementing regulation or additional appropriation was proposed at the meeting.
