CJAVoucherProcess:Nuts&BoltsandRecentChanges&ChallengesCynthiaDixonCJASupervisingAttorney

Volume 19,000 vouchersperyear 1,600 permonth 80 perday

Staffing

2010 Staffnumbered8

2011 Staffnumbered6

2012 Staffnumbered4

CJAVOUCHERPAYMENTPROCESS

ProcessDescriptionWhat? Ensureclaimsareforauthorizedservicesandexpenses. EnsureclaimsareinaccordancewithapplicableJudicial

ConferenceGuidelines. Amountclaimednecessaryandreasonableforadequate

representation.

How? Multiplereviewsandcertifications. Strictdivisionofdutiestoensureaccuracyand

accountability. Repeatedmanualentryofinformationin2separate

systems(CJAServicesand6x).

CJAVoucherEndtoEndProcess

AttorneyorExpertSubmitsVoucher

MathematicalandTechnicalReview.CreateCJA6xVoucher

Entervoucherdatainsystem.Addexpertvendorrecord,ifneeded.Referenceauthorization,ifapplicable

CJASupervisingAttorneyReview

Reasonablenessreview

CircuitLevelReviewandApproval(ifrequired)$9,700FinalVoucher

CJA6xVoucherinputEnterCircuitapprovals

(ifrequired)

VoucherApprovalReviewinputforaccuracy,approvalandprocessfor

payment

AOProcessingSendPaymenttoPayee

RolesandFunctions

SUBMITTER

AvoucherclaimissubmittedbyaSubmitter,suchastheappointedCJAPanelAttorneyorserviceprovider.

PROCESSOR

Reviewsandchecksvoucherforaccuracyandcompletion.Createsclientnotebookinpaymentsystem,ifneeded.

REVIEWER

Performsmathematicalandtechnicalreviewsofsubmittedvoucherstomakesureallhoursclaimedarecorrectlycalculated,allnoncompensableservicesornonreimbursableexpensesareidentified,andverifythatallrequiredsupportingdocumentationisattached.

RolesandFunctions(cont.)

APPROVER

ReviewsandevaluatesthereasonablenessofaSubmittersclaim,approvesordisapprovesamountsforpayment,andsignsthevoucher.Forvouchersclaimingamountsmorethanthestatutorymaximum,forwardstothecircuitforreviewandapproval.

EXCESSAPPROVER

ConsidersthevoucherandassessthereasonablenessoftheSubmittersclaimspriortoapprovingordisapprovingtheamountsandsigningthevoucher.Approvedvouchersareprovidedtocourtpersonnelforfurtherprocessing.

2ndAPPROVER

Verifythatallinformationonvouchermatchesinformationon6x(securitysafeguard).

ProcessingandReviewingaVoucher

WhenCJAreceivesavoucher,itisreviewedtoverifytheinitialappointmentdata,amountsclaimedforcompensationandexpensereimbursement,andformathematicalaccuracyandtechnicalsufficiency.

Themathematicalreviewincludesacarefulrecalculationofallhourssubmittedbythepanelattorney,makingsurethatallhoursweresubmittedintheproperformat;namely,intenthsofanhour.

Thetechnicalreviewincludesverifyingthatallrequiredsupportingdocumentationisattachedtothevoucher.Thereviewersalsoidentifyclaimsforpossiblenoncompensableservicesornonreimbursableexpenses.ThesereviewsarecriticaltotheCJAvoucherpaymentprocess.Aftertheyarecompleted,dataisenteredintothenational6xprogram.Thevoucheristhenprovided,withtheReviewers'observationsandrecommendations,totheauthorizeddesignee.

ApprovalProcess Afterpreliminaryreviews,allvoucherssubmittedforcompensationrequireajudicialreview.Theauthorizeddesigneereviewsthereasonablenessoftheclaimandapprovespaymentwithinthelevelsoftheirdelegated/statutoryauthority.

Forvouchersclaimingamountsexceedingstatutorymaximums,afterthedesigneecertifiesthattheexcessamountsareauthorizedandappropriatethevouchermustbeforwardedtothechiefcircuitjudge(orcircuitjudgedelegate)forreviewandapproval.PaymentsinexcessofCJAcompensationmaximumsmaybemadetoprovidefaircompensationincasesinvolvingextendedorcomplexrepresentationwhensocertifiedbythecourtandapprovedbythecircuitapprovalauthority.[Guide,Vol.7, 230.23.40(a)]

Theapprovingjudicialofficershouldfirstmakeathresholddeterminationastowhetherthecaseiseitherextendedorcomplex[Guide,Vol.7, 230.23.40(b)].Afterestablishingthatacaseisextendedorcomplex,theapprovingjudicialofficershoulddetermineifexcesspaymentisnecessarytoprovidefaircompensation.[Guide,Vol.7, 230.23.40(c)]

Oncevouchersareapproved,thepaymentinformationiselectronicallysubmittedtotheAOforprocessingandpaymentdisbursement.

CommonMistakesthatDelaytheProcess

Expensesnotitemized Allexpensesandtravelmustbeitemized. Requiredreceiptsmissing Alltravelandanynontravelexpenseinexcessof$50mustbeaccompaniedbysupportingdocumentation(e.g.,receipts,canceledchecks),wherepractical.

Hoursreportedimproperly Allhoursmustbereportedinhoursandtenthsofanhour.

Mathematicalerrors. Incorrectmileagerates. Justificationmemorandumismissingforamountsexceedingstatutorymaximum

Requiredpriorauthorizationforservicesismissing(wherecostofservicesobtainedexceedsthe$800 limit,excludingexpensesreasonablyincurred).

TaxIdentificationNumberofclaimant/payeeismissing.

WhatYouCanDoToExpeditePayment

Submittimelyvouchers Checkvouchersfortechnicalandsubstantiveerrors

Includealloftheappropriateattachmentstoyourvouchers

RefrainfromcallingtheCJAOfficetocheckonthestatusofyourvouchers

CurrentStatus

September1,2012CJA20

September11,2012CJA21

August28,2012CJA24

CurrentCJA29

CurrentCJA30

September6,2012CJA31

RecentChangestoCJA29Authorizations

AODirectiveRe:$800limit CJACommitteeDirective

AOs$800LimitInterpretation

Thetotalcostofservicesobtainedwithoutpriorauthorizationmaynotexceed$800,excludingexpenses(seealsoCJAGuidelines 310.20.30).Oncethe$800limitationhasbeenmetbyanyoneorcombinationofserviceproviders,priorauthorizationmustbeobtainedfromthecourt,unlesscounselmeetstheexigencyrequirementsof 3006A(e)(2)(B).

EffectofAOsInterpretation

150newCJA29authorizationsina4monthperiod

Stafftimetracking$800limitinnotebooks

40%ofCJA21vouchersreturnedbecause$800limitexceeded Adjustmentforms Questionsandcomplaints

Increasednumberofnunc protunc requests

CJACommitteeDirective

Consultwithpresidingjudgeregardingcertaintypesofserviceproviderrequests:

MentalHealthExpert

SentencingMitigation

Uncommon

EffectofCJACommitteeDirective

5dayrulenolongerapplies Additionalreviewcancausedelay

CJAUPDATES&RESOURCES

ElectronicCJAVoucherProcessingSystem(eCJA VPS) Nationalapplicationforelectronicsubmission,processing,approval,andpaymentofCJAvouchers.

NationalCJAVoucherReferenceTool

http://www.uscourts.gov/uscourts/cjaort/index.html