1
2
3
4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
5
6 IN RE:
GENERAL ORDER 07-24
7 DELEGATING REVIEW AND
APPROVAL FOR CERTAIN CRIMINAL
8 JUSTICE ACT COMPENSATION CLAIMS
AND AUTHORIZATION REQUESTS
9
10
11 The Criminal Justice Act of 1964, as amended (18 U.S.C. § 3006A) (the “CJA”), requires
12 the United States District Courts to place in operation a plan for furnishing representation for
13 certain persons who are financially unable to obtain adequate legal representation. The United
14 States District Court for the Western District of Washington ( “the Court”) has established a Plan
15 for Implementation and Administration of the Criminal Justice Act (the “Plan”) consistent with
16 the CJA; the policies and procedures of the Ninth Circuit; and the policies, procedures, and
17 regulations of the Judicial Conference (together, the “CJA Guidelines”). The Plan seeks, inter
18 alia, to incorporate policies and recommendations of the 2017 Report of the Ad Hoc Committee
19 to Review the Criminal Justice Act of the Judicial Conference (the “Cardone Report”).
20 The Court delegates to the CJA Resource Counsel or the CJA Panel Administrator, who
21 are employees of the Federal Public Defender Office, the authority to review, approve, adjust, or
22 deny in accordance with the CJA and the Plan:
23 • CJA compensation claims requesting payment (“vouchers”) for the services of an
24 attorney for up to $25,000 per attorney per case; Requests for funding (“AUTHs”)
-1
1 for interpreters, investigators, paralegals, and other service providers of up to a
2 combined $10,000 per case. Authority to review, approve, adjust, or deny AUTHs
3 in excess of $10,000 per case shall be delegated to a district or magistrate judge
4 selected by the court for this task;
5 • CJA compensation claims requesting payment (“vouchers”) for the services of
6 interpreters, investigators, paralegals, and other service providers for up to a
7 combined $10,000 per case; and
8 • Requests for transcripts and routine travel and all associated vouchers.
9 The Court delegates to the CJA Resource Counsel the authority to review, approve,
10 adjust, or deny in accordance with the CJA and the Plan:
11 • Budgets for criminal cases.
12 • CJA compensation claims requesting payment (“vouchers”) for the services of an
13 attorney in excess of $25,000 per attorney per case; and
14 • CJA compensation claims requesting payment for the services of interpreters,
15 investigators, paralegals, and other service providers for up to $10,000 per case.
16 Individual judges may opt to retain authority to review, approve, adjust, or deny all
17 attorney and service provider vouchers for cases assigned to them, and must inform the CJA
18 Panel Administrator, who is an employee of the Federal Public Defender Office, of their intent to
19 do so.
20 This Order shall be effective on June 17, 2024.
21
22
23
24
-2
1 Dated this 22nd day of May, 2024.
2
A
3
4 David G. Estudillo
Chief United States District Judge
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
-3
