Update on Anticipated CJA Payment Deferral Start Date Due to Fiscal Year 2025 — Funding Shortfall (Document 197-4)

Summary

Document 197-4, filed 07/06/25 in Case 1:22-cr-00171-MLB-RDC in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, is a two-page memorandum titled Update on Anticipated CJA Payment Deferral Start Date Due to Fiscal Year 2025 Funding Shortfall. It says a Committee approved a FY 2025 financial plan anticipating the need to defer payments to CJA panel attorneys and service providers for an estimated 49 business days, and that payments might be deferred as early as the week of July 7 rather than on or about July 23, 2025. The memo asks that CJA vouchers continue to be processed and approved so queued payments can be disbursed when funding is available, with unpaid vouchers paid in fiscal year 2026. It also states Judicial Conference policy prohibits reducing vouchers to cut program costs.

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Case 1:22-cr-00171-MLB-RDC     Document 197-4     Filed 07/06/25     Page 1 of 2

Update on Anticipated CJA Payment Deferral Start Date Due to Fiscal Year 2025 
Page 2 
Funding Shortfall 
 
Committee approved a FY 2025 financial plan that anticipated the need to defer 
payments to CJA panel attorneys and service providers for an estimated 49 business days.  
Initially, panel attorney payments were projected to be deferred beginning on or about 
July 23, 2025.  But because of an increase in the daily panel attorney payment rate 
leading up to the JIFMS upgrade shutdown, it is possible that panel attorney funds could 
be depleted as early as the week of July 7.  It is difficult to predict the precise day when 
this unfortunate event will occur.  We will continue to closely monitor and analyze the 
daily panel attorney payment rate, but making it to July 23 is unlikely. 
 
Securing necessary funds to provide fair and timely compensation to appointed 
counsel and CJA service providers is of the highest priority for the judiciary, as the work 
of these individuals is critical to the administration of justice and protecting the rights of 
the accused in our federal courts.  The judiciary will continue to seek every opportunity 
to obtain additional funding to meet this need.  I ask that you continue to process and 
approve CJA vouchers during the payment deferrals so that queued payments may be 
disbursed as soon as funding becomes available.  Any vouchers that have not been paid 
when the FY 2025 funds are depleted will be paid when funding becomes available in 
fiscal year 2026.   
 
Despite the austere financial circumstances affecting CJA payments, Judicial 
Conference policy prohibits the reduction of CJA payment vouchers for the purpose of 
diminishing Defender Services program costs.  Guide to Judiciary Policy, Vol. 7A, Ch. 2, 
§ 230.33.20.  Voucher reductions should be limited to mathematical errors; instances in 
which work billed was not compensable; instances in which work billed was not 
undertaken or completed; and instances in which the hours billed are clearly in excess of 
what was reasonably required to complete the task.  Id. § 230.33.10.  Thank you for your 
continued cooperation and compliance with these policies to help ensure the availability 
of highly qualified CJA counsel willing to accept future CJA appointments. 
 
If you have any questions regarding the review and approval of CJA vouchers, 
please contact the AO’s Defender Services Office, Legal and Policy Division at 
(202) 502-
 or dso_lpd@
  
 
cc: 
CJA Circuit Case Budgeting Attorneys 
 
CJA Panel Attorney District Representatives 
Case 1:22-cr-00171-MLB-RDC     Document 197-4     Filed 07/06/25     Page 2 of 2

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