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3 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
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IN RE:
6 GENERAL ORDER 08-22
UPDATES TO CJA COUNSEL
7 INTERIM VOUCHER SUBMISSION
AND SERVICE PROVIDER FEES
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10 This General Order is being issued to update certain procedures for Criminal Justice
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Act (“CJA”) Panel Attorneys. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, claims for
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13 compensation by CJA Panel Attorneys were generally submitted after the final disposition
14 of a case. Interim vouchers were permitted only when counsel made a showing that the
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case was extended and/or complex in nature. On April 6, 2020, this Court issued General
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17 Order 05-20 authorizing interim vouchers for compensation without prior Court approval,
18 provided that such vouchers exceeded $1,000 and were submitted no more than once per
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month. General Order 05-20 was limited to the period of disruption to Court operations
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21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
22 This General Order amends GO 05-20 to make its provisions permanent. Going
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forward, CJA Panel Attorneys may submit interim vouchers for compensation without
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25 seeking prior Court approval, provided that the interim vouchers exceed $1,000 and are
26 submitted no more than once a month.
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Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3006A(e)(2), CJA appointed counsel are required to obtain
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1 prior authorization from the District Court for any service provider fees in excess of
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$900.00 per case. The Court previously issued General Order 06-19 authorizing paralegal,
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investigator, and interpreter services up to $2,600 each without obtaining prior
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5 authorization from the Court, provided that CJA counsel and service providers otherwise
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complied with 18 U.S.C. § 3006A(e)(2) and agreed to be bound by the presumptive hourly
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8 rates established by the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council.
9 On April 1, 2021, this Court adopted presumptive hourly rates for this District
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that varied from the rates established by the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council for
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12 investigators and paralegals. These variances were approved by the Ninth Circuit. The
13 Guide to Judiciary Policy, § 310.20.10(A), also increased the waivable maximum case
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compensation for expert services to $2,700.
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16 This General Order therefore amends General Order 06-19 to allow CJA
17 counsel to utilize the services of paralegals, investigators, and interpreters at the district’s
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rates rather than the Ninth Circuit’s rates, up to $2,700 for each service provider for each
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20 case without obtaining prior authorization from the Court.
21 IT IS SO ORDERED.
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DATED this 13th day of July, 2022.
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26 A
RICARDO S. MARTINEZ
27 CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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