There are a variety of online resources to assist in case budgeting. These resources include:
Criminal Justice Act Case Budgeting Worksheets
CJA Guidelines on Case Budgeting:
Eligible Non-Capital Representations [Guide, Vol. 7, § 230.26]
Capital Representations [Guide, Vol. 7, § 640]
Case-Budgeting Techniques and Cost-Containment Policies
For additional information, contact the Office of Defender Services (ODS) Legal and Policy Branch Duty Day Attorney at 202-502-3030.
The Office of the Defender Services, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, has secured the services of expert litigators, who have substantial case-budgeting experience, to help judges assess whether the costs estimated in a case budget submitted by a Criminal Justice Act (CJA) panel attorney are reasonably necessary for the provision of effective representation. Please contact the Office of Defender Services (ODS) Legal and Policy Branch Duty Day Attorney, at 202-502-3030, for contact and other information.
The Office of Defender Services, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, death penalty resource counsel projects are staffed by attorneys with expertise in federal death penalty prosecutions, appeals, and capital post-conviction cases. These include the Federal Death Penalty Resource Counsel Project (capital prosecutions); Federal Capital Appellate Resource Counsel Project (capital appeals); Habeas Assistance and Training Counsel Project (capital 28 U.S.C. § 2254 cases); and the 2255 Project (capital 28 U.S.C. § 2255 cases). Resource counsel are available to advise judges regarding case budgets submitted by panel attorneys for capital representations and to assist counsel in the preparation of budgets. Resource counsel are also available to help judges recruit qualified counsel for appointment in capital cases, advise courts about CJA issues and the defense function, and consult with individual assigned counsel. The death penalty resource counsel projects can be found here, or by contacting the Office of Defender Services (ODS) Legal and Policy Branch Duty Day Attorney, at 202-502-3030.
[Memorandum of the Director, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, July 22, 2008]