eVoucher Overview


Appointment of Counsel by Fourth Circuit in CM/ECF and eVoucher

  • The Fourth Circuit enters an appointment order in CM/ECF, notifying counsel, the defendant, and the district court of counsel's appointment.
  • The appointment order includes a link to either the CJA Payment Memorandum or the Capital Budgeting and Payment Memorandum.  These memoranda set out the rates, limits, and procedures applicable to attorney and expert compensation and reimbursement claims and should be consulted by counsel before filing any claim.
  • The Fourth Circuit also creates the appointment in its appellate eVoucher system. By logging in to appellate eVoucher, appointed counsel can access the appointment from counsel’s Appointments List to create attorney and expert vouchers for the case.
  • The Fourth Circuit eVoucher case number format is 3:16‑AP‑04848, with the first number signifying the district from which the appeal was taken, the second two numbers the year, and the final numbers the court of appeals case number within that year (16-4848).

eVoucher Login

Submission of AUTH-24 in District eVoucher, Submission of Transcript Order Form, Submission of CJA-24 in District eVoucher, and If Additional Transcript Ordered by the Fourth Circuit

  • CJA authorization for all transcript needed for appeal is requested by submitting an AUTH-24 in the district eVoucher system in accordance with the district’s eVoucher procedures.
  • New appellate counsel must contact district eVoucher staff for appointment to the underlying district court case in order to submit the AUTH-24 request for district judge approval.  District eVoucher staff can also assist new appellate counsel with registration and login to the district eVoucher system as needed.  See District eVoucher Contacts for Transcript Authorization and Payment.
  • All CJA counsel must also submit a Transcript Order Form with attached AUTH-24 or CJA 24 form to the court reporter and district court and file the same in the court of appeals with counsel’s Docketing Statement.
  • Upon filing of the Transcript Order Form, the Fourth Circuit will set deadlines for completion of the transcript.
  • Once the transcript has been provided to counsel, counsel creates and submits a CJA 24 voucher in district eVoucher for payment of the court reporter in accordance with the district’s eVoucher procedures.
  • If the Fourth Circuit determines that additional transcript is necessary to decide the appeal, the court will enter an order in CM/ECF directing preparation of transcript under the CJA and sending an approved CJA 24 authorization and voucher form to the court reporter.  After filing the court-ordered transcript, the court reporter will send the completed CJA 24 authorization and voucher form to the Fourth Circuit for payment. The Fourth Circuit will approve payment to the court reporter through its eVoucher system.

Creation and Submission of CJA 21 or 31 Vouchers in Appellate eVoucher for Expert Services

  • Counsel logs in to the appellate eVoucher system to create and submit a CJA 21 or 31 Voucher for direct payment to a printing company for paralegal litigation support services for the brief and appendix. See Creating & Submitting a CJA 21/31 for Printing Company Services.
  • Local printing companies are set up in appellate eVoucher to enter their own paralegal litigation support services and duplication expenses and to upload their invoice. Counsel assigns the voucher to the local printer when creating it and submits the voucher to the court after the printer has entered their services and expenses. See CJA 21 Tip Sheet.
  • Litigation Support Services, including paralegal services provided by the printing company, must be paid on a CJA 21 or 31 voucher, rather than on a CJA 20 or 30 voucher. Duplication expenses may be reimbursed on either a CJA 21/31 voucher or a CJA 20/30 voucher.
  • Experts other than local printing companies do not have accounts in appellate eVoucher.  Therefore, counsel must enter the expert's services and expenses and upload the expert’s invoice before submitting the voucher to the court. See Creating & Submitting a CJA 21/31 for an Interpreter or Translator.

Creation of CJA 20 or 30 Vouchers in Appellate eVoucher and Submission within 60 Days of Completion of All Appellate Representation

  • Counsel logs in to the appellate eVoucher system to create a CJA 20 or 30 voucher and enter counsel's services and expenses. See Creating a CJA 20.
  • The begin date in the Claim Status tab must be set to the date your representation began and, prior to submission, the end date should be set to the date your representation ended. See FAQs-eVoucher-Fees & Expenses.
  • Any excess compensation statement, lodging receipt, receipts for expenses in excess of $50, receipt for computer assisted legal research or explanation of basis for charge, and case budget must be uploaded before the voucher is submitted. See Checklist for CJA 20 and 30 Vouchers.
  • If counsel is substituted on appeal, the original attorney does not submit a voucher until the end of the case.
  • In non-capital cases, a final CJA 20 voucher is submitted within 60 days of completion of representation through the certiorari stage. 
  • In capital cases, a final CJA 30 voucher is submitted for representation in the court of appeals and a supplemental CJA 30 voucher is submitted for representation at the certiorari stage.

Fourth Circuit CJA Help Desk


01/19/2021  psc/scc