United States District Court
For the Southern District of Indiana
Criminal Justice Act Plan
DEVELOPMENTAL PANEL PROCEDURES
Guidelines effective May 14, 2025
A. Purpose of the Program: The District Court Judges, in conjunction with the
Magistrate Judges, and the Indiana Federal Community Defender (the "Federal
Defender"), oversee a program wherein attorneys who do not have the requisite
experience for membership on a Criminal Justice Act ("CJA") Panel (see, 18
U.S.C. § 3006A) are eligible to assist or be mentored by the Federal Community
Defender, an Assistant Federal Defender, or (as to cases pending in the Evansville
Division) a member of the CJA Panel. The program is designed to allow
Developmental Panel members to gain the experience required to provide high
quality representation to indigent defendants in federal court cases and eventually
join a CJA Panel.
B. Administration of the CJA Developmental Panel
1. Indianapolis, Terre Haute, New Albany: Management of the Indianapolis,
Terre Haute, and New Albany CJA Developmental Panels is centralized at the
office of the Federal Defender. More information about the Developmental
Panel is available at www.indianafederaldefender.org. The Federal Defender
will provide CJA Developmental Panel Members with training and
supervision.
2. Evansville: The Evansville CJA Developmental Panel is coordinated through
the District Court Clerk’s Office. Evansville CJA Panel members will provide
CJA Developmental Panel members with learning opportunities and
experience.
C. The Selection Process
1. Application:
a. Indianapolis, Terre Haute and New Albany: Attorneys seeking
membership on the CJA Developmental Panels for Indianapolis, Terre
Haute, and New Albany must be in good standing in the Southern District
of Indiana. Each applicant must demonstrate a strong interest in providing
criminal defense services for the indigent. Applications, including a resume
and cover letter, should be submitted to the Federal Community Defender.
The application is available at: www.indianafederaldefender.org.
Applications may be submitted at any time but are assessed yearly in the
fall. All qualified attorneys are encouraged to apply and selection will be
made without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation,
age, national origin or disability condition. The responsibility for reviewing
application materials and making recommendations to the District Court
Judges regarding membership on the Indianapolis, Terre Haute and New
Albany CJA Developmental Panels will reside with the CJA Committee.
b. Evansville: Attorneys seeking membership on the CJA Developmental
Panel for the Evansville Division must be in good standing in the Southern
District of Indiana. Each applicant must demonstrate a strong interest in
providing criminal defense services for the indigent. Applications,
including a resume and cover letter, should be submitted via email to:
[email protected] (or printed materials may be submitted by
mail to: Kristine L. Seufert, Clerk of Court, United States District Court, 46
E. Ohio Street, Room 105, Indianapolis, IN 46204). All qualified attorneys
are encouraged to apply and selection will be made without regard to race,
color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability
condition. The District Judges are responsible for reviewing application
materials and determining membership on the Evansville CJA
Developmental Panel.
2. Approval: The District Court Judges will appoint individuals to the CJA
Developmental Panels.
3. Terms: Once appointed, a member on the CJA Developmental Panel will
serve a term of three years beginning in January, unless or until the member is
appointed to a CJA Panel or is reappointed to the CJA Developmental Panel.
However, all CJA Developmental Panel attorneys will serve at the pleasure of
the District Court Judges.
D. Obligations of the CJA Development Panel Members
CJA Development Panel members are expected to enter an appearance as a
member of the Developmental Panel on at least two cases per year.
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In addition, CJA Developmental Panel members are expected to keep current with
developments in federal criminal defense law, practice and procedure. Members
should attend continuing legal education (“CLE”) seminars sponsored by the
Indiana Federal Community Defender’s Office or the Defender Services Office of
the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. In addition, all CJA Development
Panel Members agree to read and abide by the Seventh Circuit Standards of
Professional Conduct, consistent with S.D. Indiana Local Rule 83-5, and
familiarize themselves with the Criminal Justice Act resources available on the
court's website, at https://www.insd.uscourts.gov/criminal-justice-act-cja-
resources.
E. Removal
The expectation is that a member of a CJA Developmental Panel will remain on
the Panel long enough to develop a comfort level and competency with federal
criminal defense work. The amount of time that will take may vary, based upon
the number and complexity of cases worked. After a member's three-year term,
continued membership will be evaluated by the Court. Members of the Panel may
be removed from the program at any time. The decision to remove a member will
rest with the District Court Judges.
F. Assignment of Cases - Appointment Procedures
1. Indianapolis, Terre Haute, and New Albany: CJA Developmental Panel
members will be assigned cases and mentors by the Federal Defender. After
assignment, the CJA Developmental Panel member should file an appearance
with the Court.
a. Lead Attorney - If the Developmental Panel member will be sitting as
the lead attorney for the case, with the Federal Defender (or Assistant)
serving as mentor, the Federal Defender must file a Notice of FCD
Attorney Designation with the Court. This will trigger the Court to treat
the Developmental Panel member as Lead Attorney.
b. Second Chair – If the Developmental Panel member will be sitting as
second chair, the member should file an appearance with the court
specifically noting the capacity as a CJA Developmental Panel member.
2. Evansville: Upon receipt of a new case and after appointment of a CJA Panel
member, the assigned District Judge or Magistrate Judge will review the case
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and determine if it is appropriate to appoint a CJA Developmental Panel
member in a lead or second-chair capacity. If deemed appropriate, the assigned
Judge will direct the divisional Clerk’s Office to contact the appointed CJA
Panel member and inquire: if he/she is willing to allow a CJA Development
Panel member to assist with the case, or if he/she is willing to serve as a
mentor to a CJA Developmental Panel member. After the Lead Attorney has
consented, the Clerk’s Office will provide the CJA Developmental Panel
member with the pertinent information about the case, as well as contact
information for the Lead Attorney/mentor. The CJA Developmental Panel
member should file an appearance with the Court.
G. Compensation and Expenses
1. Compensation: CJA Developmental Panel members serving as Lead Attorney
in a case will be compensated as CJA counsel and will submit their time
through the Court’s eVoucher system for work done on the assigned case(s).
Developmental Panel attorneys may not claim compensation for CLE. At the
conclusion of the case, or such other interval as may be approved by the Court,
counsel shall submit appropriate time and case information for payment,
including the Court’s voucher (Form CJA 20). CJA Developmental Panel
members serving as Second Chair will have compensation managed by the
Lead Attorney.
2. Expenses: For cases in which the Federal Defender (or an Assistant) has
appeared, the office of the Federal Defender will bear expenses incurred in the
case. Expenses incurred by a CJA Developmental Panel attorney assigned a
case in Evansville should be billed by the Lead Attorney/mentor assigned to
the case. Questions regarding whether expenses are reimbursable should be
directed to the District Court Finance Staff, at
[email protected].
3. PACER: CJA Developmental Panel members are eligible to receive, free of
charge, PACER services in CJA related matters. CJA Developmental Panel
members may request that CJA privileges be activated on their PACER
account by emailing
[email protected] and including the Panel
member's PACER account number and the district in which the member has
been appointed.
CJA Developmental Panel members should be aware that PACER services are
monitored and that the use of the free services is for CJA-related matters only.
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4. E-Voucher: Compensation for CJA Developmental Panel members occurs
through the court’s E-Voucher system, at www.insd.uscourts.gov. Upon
appointment, the District Court Finance Staff will initiate access to the CJA E-
Voucher system for the Developmental Panel member.
5. Record Keeping: Appointed CJA Developmental Panel members must
maintain contemporaneous time and attendance records for all work
performed. Such records, which may be subject to audit, must be retained for
three years after approval of the final voucher for appointment.
ENTERED FOR THE COURT on this 14th May
____ day of __________________, 2025.
______________________________________
TANYA WALTON PRATT, CHIEF JUDGE
United States District Court.
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