Budgeting Submitting a Budget in eVoucher using CJA-26

Submitting a Budget in eVoucher using CJA-26 1

CJA eVoucher | Version 5.1 | District of Arizona | July 2018

Budgeting In non-capital representations of unusual complexity that are likely to become extraordinary in terms of cost, a case may be referred to a Ninth Circuit Case Managing Attorney by any stakeholder (Judge, appointed attorney, CJA Administrator) for case budgeting, consistent with the CJA Guidelines, Vol. 7A, Ch. 2, §§ 230.26.10–20. Budgeting is required in all capital cases.

Submitting a Budget in eVoucher using CJA-26 Starting 7/23/18, if you are preparing a budget for attorney and service provider fees and it is ready for review by the Court, the budget should be submitted in eVoucher (without filing a “CJA Notice re: Budgeting or Proposed Budget” in CM/ECF).

The voucher opens to the Basic Info tab:

From the Appointment page, click Create next to CJA-26. Step 2

Fill out the appropriate Capital or Non-Capital Funding Application form provided by a Ninth Circuit Case Managing Attorney (CMA) and submit to the Court after review and consultation by the CMA.

Step 1

http://www.uscourts.gov/rules-policies/judiciary-policies/cja-guidelines/chapter-2-ss-230-compensation-and-expenses#a230_26_10



Submitting a Budget in eVoucher using CJA-26 (cont’d)

Click the Justification tab or click Next, located on the progress bar. Step 4

Step 5

You need not fill out the Justification tab other than to reflect in Box 3 “See attached proposed budget.”

Enter the information required on the Basic Info screen. Please note that the amount requested is the amount of ATTORNEY fees requested in the proposed budget. Do not include service provider fees as part of amount requested on this screen.

Step 3



Submitting a Budget in eVoucher using CJA-26 (cont’d)

The attachment and description are added to the voucher and appear in the bottom of the Description section. The confirmation tab appears. The

Step 11

Step 8

Step 9

Click Save.

Verify all information on the page is correct.

Step6

Step10

Step 7

Click Upload.

Click Submit. Your individual login and password will serve as your electronic signature.

Step 13

Note: All documents must be submitted in PDF format, and must be 10 MB or less.

Click Browse to select a PDF file to attach. This is where you will attach the Capital or Non-Capital Funding Application, completed at Step 1, along with any additional supporting documentation such as a provider’s CV, resume, or project bid. In the Description field, accurately describe the document being attached (i.e., Non-capital Funding Application #1 or CV for Investigator Susie Smith).

Click Document tab or Click Next, located on the progress bar.

Click Confirmation tab or Click Next, located on the progress bar.

Select the affirmation check box.

Step 12



Submitting a Budget in eVoucher using CJA-26 (cont’d) A confirmation screen appears indicating the previous action was successful and the CJA-26 request has been submitted.

The CJA-26 now appears in the My Submitted Documents section.

Step 14

Click Home Page to return to the home page. Click Appointment Page if you wish to create an additional document for this appointment.

Step 15

You will automatically receive an email if/when the CJA-26 has been approved. You should then download and review the “Funding Authorization” attached by the Court to the CJA-26 under the Documents tab. The Funding Authorization serves as the Court’s budget order. If the approved budget includes funding for existing or new service providers, the CJA Department will update eVoucher to reflect the new or additional approved funding.

Note: To download and review the “Funding Authorization” follow these steps:

• Go to your “Appointments’ List” on your home page and select the appropriate case number. • From the Appointment Info page, click the appropriate CJA-26 under “Vouchers on File” section. • Go to the Documents tab and click View next to the “Funding Authorization” • Save or print the document as usual • Once finished, click “Home” on the upper left menu to return to the home page.



Viewing Budget Reports Once a budget is approved, counsel should monitor the status of funds, attorney hours, and expert services by reviewing the reports provided in the CJA eVoucher program, especially the Defendant Detail Budget Report. If additional funding is needed, counsel must submit a funding application BEFORE funding is exhausted and with sufficient time for the Court to review and rule on the request. Nunc pro tunc authorizations will be granted only if counsel can provide a reasonable explanation for exceeding a prior authorization.

Appointment Info On your home page, locate the Appointments’ List and click the appropriate case number hyperlink to open the Appointment Info page. Click to View

Representation Info

Click to create any of

these voucher

types

Click to run available reports

Appointment and NPT date,

if any All vouchers associated with

case are displayed



Representation Info From the Appointment Info page, click on hyperlink to View Representation. The View Representation information displays:

• Excess fee limit (either statutory maximum or amount approved by CJA26) • Payment category • Representation Type (Criminal Case/Supervised Release/Other/etc.) • Offense(s) charged

For specific information on Current and Historical Attorney Case Compensation Maximums, please see §230.23.20 and §230.23.30 of the Guide to Judiciary Policy, Vol 7 - Defender Services: http://www.uscourts.gov/rules-policies/judiciary-policies/cja-guidelines/chapter-2-ss-230-compensation-and-expenses#a230_23

Click to run Defendant

Detail Budget Report

Click to View Representation

Statutory maximum or current excess fee limit (if additional funds approved).

http://www.uscourts.gov/rules-policies/judiciary-policies/cja-guidelines/chapter-2-ss-230-compensation-and-expenses#a230_23

http://www.uscourts.gov/rules-policies/judiciary-policies/cja-guidelines/chapter-2-ss-230-compensation-and-expenses#a230_23



Defendant Detail Budget Report This report reflects the total amount authorized for the representation, any excess payment allowed (including approved attorney fee budgets), the vouchers submitted against those authorizations, and the remaining balances. The report provides the information in two sections: attorney appointments and authorized experts and other services.

CJA-26 Requests for Add’l Funds (Requested/Approved)

Current statutory maximum or amount of excess fee limit (after

CJA26/budget approval)

Voucher Info for current

counsel

Voucher Info for previous

counsel

Auth/Voucher Info for Service

Providers

This shows the total available to current counsel less any amount paid or pending payment for prior counsel. This amount is also less the amount billed on current counsel’s pending (but not yet submitted) voucher. *NOTE: Counsel may not show in order of appointment so current counsel should look at the total listed at the bottom of all counsel listed.



Items to remember:

• Viewable reports appear on the left review panel. • Each panel, depending upon which document you are

viewing, can have different reports available. • Each report can have a short description of the

information received when viewing that report. • The main report is the Defendant Detail

Budget Report-Attorney.

Budgeting Submitting a Budget in eVoucher using CJA-26

Documents

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