Loading…
A summary of the court's rules and procedures for appointed investigators, legal runners, paralegals and experts, from the Penal Code 987.2 rules, with the fee schedule: vendor codes; court appointment; the scope of billable work; extraordinary expert fees (LRC 1419.6); the claim process on claim form 17713, itemized in .25-hour increments, with original receipts and prior approval of expense items over $50; mileage; claims within 60 days of completion of the case; and legal runner screening by the Sheriff's Department.
California > Fourth Appellate District > San Bernardino County > Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino
Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino Appointed Services Fee Schedule Investigators, Legal Runners, Paralegals and Experts The following is a summary of the Superior Court's rules and procedures pertaining to appointed services of investigators, legal runners, paralegals and experts from the Superior Court's Penal Code 987.2 Rules & Procedures. These procedures are available on the Court’s website at https://sanbernardino.courts.ca.gov/forms-filing/appointed-services-claim-forms ESTABLISHING A VENDOR CODE Appointed investigator, legal runner, paralegal, and expert services are paid by the County of San Bernardino. To establish a vendor code, the County requires a current W-9 form, available at www.irs.gov. To reduce payment processing time, you may attach the W-9 form to your first claim. COURT APPOINTMENT Specific prior Court approval is required for all services, including transcription services [LRC 1418.1, 1419.3]. Costs of services performed prior to the order of the Court, and costs of services beyond that provided for in the court order, will be denied. [LRC 1418.1] SCOPE OF WORK (BILLABLE ACTIVITIES) Investigators Appointed by the Court: Includes actual investigative work and related activities, such as testifying. Investigator services shall not include activities that would normally be performed by attorney/staff, or in propria persona (pro per) defendant, such as sorting and redacting discovery; indexing discovery notebooks; ordering duplicates of photographs and tapes; preparing subpoenas and court orders; and photocopying and transporting or mailing materials, motions, orders and clothing. Attendance at court will not be reimbursed unless the investigator is testifying or otherwise sufficiently justifies the appearance, such as delivering exhibits, etc. Extraordinary amounts of time conferring with defense counsel or in propria persona (pro per) defendant will not be reimbursed unless it involves the investigator’s direct services and must be justified in the billing statement. Investigators Appointed upon Request of in Propria Persona (pro per) Defendants: Redacting discovery; mailing legal material, motions and orders to and on behalf of the defendant. Hand-delivery of material will be at the Court’s Appointed Services Fee Schedule rate for appointed legal runners in the absence of extenuating circumstances. Determination of extenuating circumstances will be at the discretion of the Superior Court’s PC987.2 Judge. Legal Runners: Photocopying and transporting materials, orders and motions. Visitations and phone calls to the detention centers must be associated with an allowable billable activity, and will be subject to the discretion of the Court. Appearances in court are not an approved activity. Paralegals: Must work under the direction and supervision of a member of the State Bar [B & P 6450]. EXTRAORDINARY EXPERT FEES Requests for extraordinary expert billing rates that exceed those specified in this fee schedule must be submitted in compliance with the Court’s PC987.2 Rule and Procedures. It is the duty of counsel to endeavor to negotiate the lowest hourly rate the expert will work for recognizing that the expert’s services are a public expense. [LRC 1419.6] If extraordinary fees are authorized, billings must provide sufficient specificity with regard to services performed to support the bill for payment, with dates and times of service itemized. CLAIM (PAYMENT) PROCESS Court-appointees shall request payment using claim form 17713 (Appointed Investigator/Expert Service Claim Form), available on the Court website, at https://sanbernardino.courts.ca.gov/forms-filing/appointed-services-claim-forms All claims shall be fully itemized as to specific dates, hours, activities, case name, case number and date of appointment and primary charge. The minimum billing increment is .25 hours (15 minutes). Appointed service claim forms are to be either dropped off or mailed to the Court Verifying Official at the courthouse where the case is assigned. A file stamped copy of the court order of appointment must accompany all claims for payment. Costs of services performed prior to the order of the Court, and costs of services beyond that provided for in the court order, will be denied. Original receipts required for all expense items. Special expense items and any single expense items in excess of $50 must have specific prior court approval to be reimbursed. MILEAGE Mileage is paid at the current Court approved rate. When claiming travel time or mileage reimbursement, locations (city) must be specified. Investigators will not be reimbursed for travel time or mileage more than 30 minutes or 20 miles outside of San Bernardino County. If the investigator is required, due to the nature of the case, to travel outside San Bernardino County, the defendant must obtain the written authorization of the Superior Court’s designated PC987.2 judge prior to the travel before the investigator may be reimbursed for that travel time or mileage. CLAIM DEADLINES All claims shall be submitted within 60 days of completion of case, and must specify services performed to support the bill for payment, with dates and service hours itemized. LEGAL RUNNER SCREENING AND RESTRICTIONS Appointed legal runners are subject to an application process and background check conducted by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Legal Runners must have government issued photo identification, such as a California Driver’s License. Applicants who meet the following conditions are a security risk and will be denied: • Felony convictions • Excessive Misdemeanor convictions • Jail or prison within the last 6 months • Drug addict • Registered per HS11590 CONTACT INFORMATION E-mail CourtIndigentDefense@sb-court.org with questions. ______________________________________________________________________________ INVESTIGATOR, LEGAL RUNNER, PARALEGAL FEE SCHEDULE – EFFECTIVE 7/1/2024 Appointee Description Rate Investigator Juvenile Delinquency, Misdemeanor, Felony, Guardianship $45 per hour Capital/Life Without Parole $50 per hour Per Diem (associated with authorized travel) $25 per day Legal Runner California minimum wage, plus 15.3% self-employment tax Paralegal Generally reserved for Capital cases $25 per hour Transcription Services Transcription services, when appointed by the Court, may be authorized at the lowest commercially-available rate EXPERT FEE SCHEDULE – EFFECTIVE 7/1/2017 Type of Appointment/Activity Rate Testimony Half Day Testimony Full Day Expert Max $80 per hour Max $350 Max $600 MD/PhD or Equivalent Max $95 per hour Max $600 Max $600 MD/PhD Board Certified in Field Max $125 per hour Max $1,000 Max $1,000 Expert claims must be signed by defense counsel prior to submittal to the Court for payment. [PC987.2 Rules and Procedures] Rev. 6/26/2024
Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino Appointed Services Fee Schedule Investigators, Legal Runners, Paralegals and Experts The following is a summary of the Superior Court's rules and procedures pertaining to appointed services of investigators, legal runners, paralegals and experts from the Superior Court's Penal Code 987.2 Rules & Procedures. These procedures are available on th
Reviewer note: Composed 2026-10-07 (California T4 San Bernardino build 2026-10-07) from BenchPath custody ca/t4/ca-san-bernardino/docs/forms-filing/investigatorlegalrunnerparalegalexpertfeeschedule.pdf (307711 bytes, sha256 d9e80e9352b85412b1c32097bef43f7a40f6159d8881d3bd83947e74e59f0e35; 3 pages) with the shared verbatim composer (v2 reflow): page marks and running headers removed as chrome; lines reflowed into the document's paragraphs; proof 1 (whitespace-only) and proof 2 (same character multiset as the text layer minus chrome) pass. Documented settings (whitespace-only or same-character changes; the proofs hold): ruled tables set one row per line; the capitals letterhead line set apart from the title; glyphs the Word export drew twice at one place read once; a documented same-characters reorder of a table cell or bullet.
6 verbatim requirements on divisional requirements in GIUSEPPINA MIRANDA's division.
4 verbatim requirements on divisional requirements in HILARY CREARY's division.
2 verbatim requirements on divisional requirements in NATASHA DEPRIMO's division.