Ninth Circuit CJA Unit

The Ninth Circuit CJA Unit supports the provision of legal services by court-appointed attorneys to indigent defendants accused of federal crimes throughout the circuit—in both district courts and the Court of Appeals—pursuant to the 1964 Criminal Justice Act (CJA). We assist counsel with case planning and budgeting, review funding and compensation requests, provide policy guidance and training, and promote high-quality, cost-effective representation in compliance with district, circuit, and national guidelines.

Are you an attorney or service provider with a CJA case in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals? Visit the Appellate CJA Attorneys page.

Policies and Guidelines

• National CJA Guidelines (Volume 7 of the Guide to Judiciary Policy) Contains the policies and procedures established by the Judicial Conference of the United States for the administration and operation of the federal Criminal Justice Act (18 U.S.C. § 3006A).

• Ninth Circuit CJA Policies and Procedures (PDF) Sets forth circuit-specific policies governing case management, budgeting, and hourly rate guidance, including additional procedures for capital (death-eligible) prosecutions.

• Ninth Circuit CJA Compensability Handbook (PDF) Offers guidance on what is presumptively compensable at each stage of an appointed representation under the national and circuit guidelines by providing panel attorneys and CJA administrators concrete examples and an additional framework for analyzing compensability.

• Ninth Circuit Model CJA plan (PDF) Provides model language for individual district courts to establish local CJA plans as required by 18 U.S.C. § 3006A(b), reflecting the policies of both the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council and Judicial Conference of the United States.

Budgeting and Billing

Budgeting

• Budget Process Overview (PDF)

• Electronic Budgeting Application (EBA)

• How to View the Defendant Detail Budget Report (DDBR) (PDF)

Billing

• CJA-20 Billing Tips (PDF)

• CJA-21 and 31 Billing Tips (PDF)

• Discovery Billing Tips (PDF)

Rates

• Expert Presumptive Rates (PDF)

Resources and Support

• Ninth Circuit CJA Unit Roles 

• CJA Attorney Hotline 

• National Litigation Support Team (NLST)

• Defender Services Office (DSO)

• District Court CJA sites

• CJA Panel Attorney District Representatives (PADR)

Criminal Justice Act

Enacted in 1964 and rooted in the Sixth Amendment right to counsel, the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) provides court-appointed attorneys and funding for essential defense services to individuals who cannot afford representation in federal criminal cases.

Contact Us

cja@ce9.uscourts.gov