nmi cja evoucher user guide - nmid.uscourts.gov

U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE

NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

User Guide

February 2020

U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands P.O. Box 500687

Saipan, MP 96950 237-1230

www.nmid.uscourts.gov

Table of Contents Reference Guide ............................................................................................................................................................... 1

Voucher Checklist ............................................................................................................................................................. 2

Transcripts ......................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Browser Tips ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Change Username and Password ..................................................................................................................................... 7

Reset Forgotten or Expired Password .............................................................................................................................. 8

Attorney Home Page......................................................................................................................................................... 9

Attorney Reports............................................................................................................................................................. 12

AUTHs .............................................................................................................................................................................. 14

Create an AUTH .............................................................................................................................................................. 15

AUTH 24 .......................................................................................................................................................................... 19

CJA 20/30 ........................................................................................................................................................................ 20

Create a CJA 20/30 .......................................................................................................................................................... 21

Expert Home Page .......................................................................................................................................................... 28

CJA 21/31 ........................................................................................................................................................................ 30

Create a CJA 21/31 .......................................................................................................................................................... 31

Submit a CJA 21/31 ......................................................................................................................................................... 37

CJA 24 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 43

CJA 26/27 ........................................................................................................................................................................ 44

Travel Authorizations ...................................................................................................................................................... 45

Audit Assist Overview ..................................................................................................................................................... 46

Payment Information ...................................................................................................................................................... 47

Resources ........................................................................................................................................................................ 48

Helpful Links .................................................................................................................................................................... 49

CJA 20 Rates and Limits Table ........................................................................................................................................ 50

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Reference Guide

What is eVoucher? The CJA eVoucher system is a web-based solution for submission, monitoring, and management of all Criminal Justice Act (CJA) functions. It allows an attorney to create, complete, and submit various CJA documents via the internet and allows the Court to perform its functions electronically. The result is more efficient submission and processing of all CJA-related documents. Getting Started Accessing eVoucher Approved Web browsers

PCs (Windows) Internet Explorer 8 through 10 *Windows 10 comes with Microsoft Edge, NOT Internet Explorer. Please download Internet Explorer so you do not encounter issues working in eVoucher. *Internet Explorer 11 requires enabling compatibility mode before attempting to log in.

Apple Macintosh Safari 5.1 or newer Apple Mobile (iPad) Safari with limitations WARNING: Chrome, FireFox and other browsers are NOT supported by CJA!!

Compatibility View Settings: For Windows 10:

• Open Internet Explorer, select the Tools button, and then select Compatibility View settings. Under Add this Website, enter the URL of the site you want to add to the list, and then select Add.

To save the website in the Compatibility List: Unchecking the Delete Browser History:

• Open Internet Explorer • Then click Tools > Internet Options • Then click the General tab • Uncheck the option “Delete browsing history on exit.” • Click Apply and then OK.

If Internet Explorer is set to “Delete History” upon exiting, then the link must be bookmarked in order to retain the compatibility list.

The link to the eVoucher program can be accessed on the Court’s webpage, by clicking on the CJA eVoucher link on the sidebar menu, under For Attorneys.

Remember to save the address in your FAVORITES tab for quick access.

Important Tips eVoucher does NOT have an automatic save feature. You should click the SAVE button on the bottom of the page

frequently to avoid losing data. If you exit the voucher without saving your entries, you WILL lose the data. Additionally, it is a good practice to save your work often, as eVoucher will periodically time out for security purposes.

Unless you are ready to submit the voucher you are working on, you can click “Home” on the menu bar at the top of the page to go to your home screen, or simply log out if you are done with the program completely.

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Voucher Checklist ALL VOUCHERS MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA eVoucher. ALL VOUCHERS SHALL BE SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN 90 DAYS AFTER THE FINAL DISPOSITION OF THE CASE,

UNLESS GOOD CAUSE IS SHOWN. o Failure to timely submit vouchers may result in rejection of the voucher and no compensation for the

attorney. ATTORNEYS MUST KEEP CONTEMPORANEOUS TIME RECORDS AND REPORT WORK PERFORMED IN TENTHS

OF AN HOUR. o A typical billing day is 12 hours, when not in trial.

10th of an Hour Minutes

0.10 6

0.20 12

0.30 18

0.40 24

0.50 30

0.60 36

0.70 42

0.80 48

0.90 54

1.00 60

ONE VOUCHER PER ATTORNEY o A separate voucher is required for each attorney, including associates.

ONE APPOINTMENT PER VOUCHER o A separate voucher is required for each attorney. o i.e. Multiple Probation Revocation appointments must be submitted separately.

IF APPROPRITATE, SUBMIT ALL MOTIONS AND REQUESTS FOR APPOINTMENT OF SERVICE PROVIDERS IN EVOUCHER.

o Do NOT submit any motions/request for service providers in CM/ECF. IF APPROPRIATE, SUBMIT BUDGET REQUEST.

o A budget for any representation anticipated to exceed either 300 attorney hours or total costs (attorney plus service provider fees) in excess of 300 times the prevailing hourly rate rounded up to the nearest thousand. 300 hours x $132 = $39,600 – round up to $40,000

o It is strongly encouraged that counsel contact the Circuit CJA Case Managing Attorney (CMA) for guidance when submitting a budget.

IF APPROPRIATE, REQUEST AUTHORIZATION TO SUBMIT INTERIM VOUCHERS. o This may be necessary if your case is complex and/or extended.

ENSURE THE CORRECT AUTHORIZATIONS HAVE BEEN OBTAINED WHEN APPROPRIATE. o Please review the current case compensation maximums, and if your services exceed the statutory

maximums, submit a CJA 26 form and memorandum. o If your case is extended and/or complex, you may request authorization to submit interim payments.

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o If you require the services of one or more experts that will exceed a total of $800, you MUST obtain prior funding approval.

o If your work on the case involves travel for yourself and your expert submit a Travel Auth and attach all supporting documentation.

PROVIDE SUFFICIENT DETAIL AND DO NOT “BUNDLE” TASKS. o Please separate work for each date into discrete tasks with detail sufficient to permit meaningful

review. If, on one day you worked two hours on research/writing, three hours on reviewing discovery, half an hour on phone calls, and one hour writing correspondence, there should be four separate entries for that day, with each task corresponding to its appropriate category.

o Example:

o Be descriptive.

Please indicate bates stamp ranges and/or number of pages reviewed for all claims for document review that exceeds one hour.

Describe witness interviews with distinguishing information for each witness. (e.g. “Witness 1” or “W1” or “Witness A.Z.”)

Identify person(s) involved in telephone conversations, conferences, or emails and general topic discussion. (Use descriptors or initials where confidentiality is needed.)

Generally describe issues being researched. Reference the ECF document by name and number when billing for preparing or reviewing a

court filing. • NOTE: Because it is a clerical function, counsel should not charge for downloading,

renaming, saving, printing, or forwarding NEFs, unless the NEF is a text-only entry unaccompanied by an ECF document. Counsel MAY bill for reading a substantive ECF document attached to a NEF, but should aggregate time spent during the day and ensure that double billing does not occur.

INCLUDE ANY NECESSARY EXPENSE RECEIPTS. o In general, you must submit receipts for all expenses that exceed $50. Itemized receipts are always

required for the following expenses: Any individual item costing more than $25. Outside copying, regardless of amount. Travel expenses such as lodging, meals, car rental, and phone calls. Note: Funding

authorizations cover expenses for the authorized traveler ONLY; unless expressly authorized, expenditures for the defendant or a witness are NOT covered.

Premium delivery and messenger services such as FedEx, UPS, etc.

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Taxi fares, airport and/or regular parking fees. Phone charges over $50 per month. Postage over $50.

o Organize the receipts by the date incurred and upload under the “documents” tab in eVoucher. AUTHORIZATIONS FOR FUNDING FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS

o The total cost of services without prior authorization may not exceed $800 and expenses reasonably incurred (see also CJA Guidelines § 310.20.30). Once the $800 limitation has been met by a combination of service providers, prior authorization must be obtained from the Court, unless counsel meets the exigency requirements of § 3006A (e)(2)(B). Submit an AUTH in eVoucher for each service provider for the estimated amount for services.

REIMBURSEABLE EXPENSES o Out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred, although meals are reimbursable only when overnight

travel is authorized or travel exceeds 10 hours. You must provide all detailed restaurant bills and not credit card slips. Alcoholic beverages, in-room movies, and other non-essential items cannot be reimbursed.

o Case-related travel in a privately owned automobile should be claimed at the rate currently authorized for federal judiciary employees who use an automobile to conduct official business.

o All overnight travel and all travel by airplane must have advance approval by the Chief Judge. Please use the travel request form and organize the expenses and receipts by date incurred. Travel expense reimbursement for meals and lodging is limited to the government per diem

rates (www.gsa.gov...). Other expenses, such as taxi fares and rental car charges are not included in the per diem rate and may be claimed separately if receipts are provided.

o Time spent making travel arrangements, whether by an attorney, paralegal, or other staff members, is NOT compensable. However, time spent preparing the request for travel authorization from the court is compensable.

o Telephone toll calls, fax charges and photocopying are considered reimbursable expenses if reasonably incurred. However, general office overhead, such as rent, secretarial help, preparation of CJA vouchers, and telephone service, are not reimbursable expenses, nor are items of a personal nature.

o In-house copying should be charged at the rate of $0.10 per page.

Transcripts All CJA transcript requests must be submitted in eVoucher. Read the minutes of the proceedings to determine whether the court reporter was

present or FTR is listed. o If the court reporter was present then email the form to the court reporter at

both addresses listed below. Heidi Winfield – [email protected]

o If FTR is listed, the proceedings were recorded and will need to be sent to a transcription service.

Transcript request forms must include an email address and contact number on the transcript request form and include the proceeding minutes for the days requested.

It is required that you indicate the correct date of the proceeding you want transcribed. EVoucher AUTH must include the date and what hearing you want transcribed. It is unacceptable to only list Jury Trial with no details.

o Example: DON’T – Jury Trial DO – 02/02/14 Day 1 – Jury Trial, Opening Arguments; 02/03/14 Day 2 –

Jury Trial, 02/06/14 Day 3, testimony of expert, etc. If necessary, Special Authorizations must be completed and approved by

the Chief Judge, ex: Voir Dire. Transcripts will begin once the eVoucher AUTH has been signed/approved by the Judge.

o If you order a 14-day transcript on 02/01 and the judge signs/approves the AUTH on 02/05, Heidi will begin working on the transcript on 02/06 with a completion date of 02/20.

After transcripts are complete and delivered, the attorney must login to eVoucher and click on the CJA-24 to confirm that the transcripts were received.

Attorneys will need to login to eVoucher twice when dealing with transcript orders. o First time – Create the AUTH “Official Transcript Request”. o Second time – Confirm receipt of requested transcripts. o Failure to do this will delay in receipt of transcript and delay of payment to Court

Reporter/Transcriber. Please estimate your transcript requests.

o Approximately 60 pages per hour. o Example: If court proceeding was 4 hours, the transcript will be approximately

240 pages. Appeals E-file your “Transcript Order and Designation” form in CM/ECF. Email the court reporter the filed stamped “Transcript Order and Designation Form” and

the proceeding minutes to be transcribed. Submit request in eVoucher within 5 days of emailing/delivering “Transcript Order and

Designation” Form. Attach a copy of the filed stamped “Transcript Order and Designation Form” to the AUTH

in eVoucher.

Administrative Office of the United States Courts - eVoucher (Last Updated December7)

Below are tips that may assist when working with eVoucher.

IF you want to... THEN...

IMPORTANT: The only approved browsers that work with eVoucher are Internet Explorer 8 or newer (Windows) and Safari 5.1 or newer (Apple).

view another eVoucher page without leaving the page you are currently viewing

open the new page in a new window or tab using one of these methods: ▪ Ctrl-Click: Open link in a new tab ▪ Shift-Click: Open link in a new window ▪ Right-Click > Open link in a new tab. ▪ Right-Click > Open link in a new window.

increase the zoom level to make text appear larger

press Ctrl-+ (Internet Explorer) press Command + (Safari)

decrease the zoom level to make the text appear smaller

press Ctrl - (Internet Explorer) press Command - (Safari)

easily review a document with many entries

view the document as a PDF by clicking on the document type under Reports on the left side of the screen.

use eVoucher with the Edge browser in the Edge browser, go to the eVoucher site, click on the three-dot menu button, then select Open in Internet Explorer from the menu.

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Administrative Office of the United States Courts - eVoucher (Last Updated December 2017)

After logging in to eVoucher, you may change your username and password by clicking on the My Profile link near the top of your Home page. Your password must be different than the previous password and contain all of the following:

▪ at least 8 characters, ▪ at least one upper case character, ▪ at least one lower case character, ▪ at least one numerical character, and ▪ at least one special character (!,@,#,$,*,%,^,&,-,+).

From your My Profile page, click Edit to the right of Login Info.

To change your username, type over the existing username then click change. To change your password, click reset, type the new password twice, then click reset again.

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With the recent upgrade of the CJA eVoucher system and to comply with security standards, you may be prompted to reset your password or receive a message that your password has expired. Passwords expire every 180 days. When changing passwords, users must specify a password that satisfies the new complexity rules and has not been used in the past 365 days. Users attempting to change their password to a previous password before the required time period has passed will receive a notification.

If your password has expired, click on the 'Forgot Your Login/Reset Password' link to reset it.

Your password must be different than the previous password and be:

▪ at least 8 characters,▪ at least one upper case character,▪ at least one lower case character,▪ at least one numerical character, and▪ at least one special character (!,@,#,$,*,%,^,&,-,+).

Each password link in the email is only good for 24 hours and is only good for one try.

If you get the error above, one of the following things has occurred:

▪ The email link is older than 24 hours and has expired.▪ The email link was used twice and is invalid.▪ The username field entered on the password reset screen is not correct.▪ The email field entered on the password reset screen is not correct.

If any of these occur, the user should return to the login page and pick "Forgot your login/Reset your password?" again and start the process over.

Important: While the user is resetting their password, on the "Password Reset" screen, if the error "Your request could not be executed. Please try again or contact your administrator" is displayed, do not try to reset your password again immediately on this screen.

IMPORTANT:

I have attempted to log in multiple times without success. Then I asked for a new password using “Forgot Your Login/Reset Password” and still can’t log in. Can you help with this?

Your user account will be locked after three failed attempts. Please email the CJA help desk at [email protected] or call 237-1200.

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Timothy Wesley

Typewritten Text

From the Home page, attorney users can access their profile, appointments, and documents. Security measures restrict attorneys from viewing any other attorney's home page or appointments. To view a document, click on either the case number or document number links.

Use the menu bar at the top of the page to navigate through the system.

Menu Option Description

The Home Page organizes documents and information into several different grids.

Grid Description

My Active Documents Documents currently being worked on, that have been submitted for approval by a service provider, and documents rejected by the court. Rejected documents appear in gold.

Documents in this section are still in the control of the attorney and are in need of some action by the attorney.

Appointments List List of pending appointments.

My Proposed Assignments

List of proposed assignments awaiting a response to either accept or reject the appointment.

My Submitted Documents Documents that have been submitted to the court.

Home The Home Page.

Operations The My Appointments page.

Reports Reports made available by individual courts.

Links Court provided hyperlinks to CJA related websites.

Help The Help menu includes links to ▪ My Profile, ▪ a Contact Us page, ▪ Privacy statement, and ▪ eVoucher Documentation.

Logout Log out of the system.

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My Service Provider's Documents

Documents for all service providers on appointed cases. Service providers with access to eVoucher may only access and view their own information and vouchers.

Closed Documents Documents that have been approved for payment by the court. Closed documents are only displayed for active appointments. Documents on closed appointments may be viewed by accessing the Appointment Page for the case.

Court staff will periodically archive vouchers which will remove them from the Closed Documents section. However, archived documents are still accessible using the Search Appointment feature.

Adjusting Grid Views

The way information on the home page is displayed may be changed a number of ways.

Adjustment Method

Sort Documents Click on the column header to sort by that column in ascending or descending order.

Column Size Click and drag column borders left or right using the mouse.

Group by Column Header Drag the desired column header into the area just above the grid.

Expand/Collapse Grids Click the plus sign (+) to expand or the minus sign (-) to collapse.

Move Grids Hover over a grid title until the cursor turns into a four-headed arrow, then click to drop and drag the grid to the desired location on the page.

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Each court determines which reports to make available for users. Below is a list of reports commonly made available to attorneys. Information is limited to an attorney's own appointments.

Report Name Description Location

Appointment Report Displays all appointments within a selected date range, including all or only pending documents submitted on those appointments.

Report Menu Appointment Info

Attorney Time Displays case number, defendant and detail information on services performed during a range of dates.

Can be used to analyze work across cases.

Report Menu

Defendant Detail Budget Report Displays information regarding the representation and the amount of funding that has been requested and approved.

Also displays all authorizations associated with the representation along with detail information regarding the documents associated with each authorization and the amount remaining on each.

Appointment Info AUTH CJA 20/30 CJA 21/31 TRAVEL AUTH

Defendant Summary Budget Report

Same as the report above in summary format.

Appointment Info AUTH CJA 20/30 CJA 21/31 TRAVEL AUTH

Form AUTH PDF version of an AUTH document. AUTH

Form AUTH 24 PDF version of an AUTH 24 document.

AUTH 24

Form CJA 20 PDF version of a CJA 20 document. CJA 20


Form CJA 24 PDF version of a CJA 24 document CJA 24

Note: Courts have the ability to change the name of a report. Contact the court if a report is not found.

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Representation Report Displays information regarding the representation being displayed.

Representation Info


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In eVoucher, an AUTH (Authorization for Expert and Other Services) is used to request approval of funds for an expert service provider when the request exceeds the statutory limit.

If needed, an AUTH may be deactivated by the court to prevent any further vouchers from being linked to it.

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Follow this procedure for requesting advance authorization of funds for expert or other services in excess of the statutory limit. Generally, it is good practice to have one authorization per specialty. Beginning in eVoucher version 5.1, an authorization may be submitted to request an increase to an existing authorization.

Ste Action p

1 On the Home Page, select a case from the Appointments List grid.

2 On the Appointment Info page, next to AUTH, click Create.

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3 Select either Create New Authorization or Request Additional Funds.

Note: If this is a request for additional funds, on the next screen, select the authorization to be increased.

4 On the Basic Info tab, complete the required fields Estimated Amount and Service Type. The additional fields Repayment, Basis of Estimate, Description, and Requested Provider may also be completed.

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4 Click on the Documents tab to upload supporting documentation.

Note: Each document must be in PDF format and 10MB or less in size.

To upload a document, click Browse to navigate to the document. Type a description of the document in the Description field and click Upload.

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5 To submit the AUTH to the court, go to the Confirmation tab, check the box affirming the accuracy of the information provided, then click Submit.

Note: The Public/Attorney Notes field may be used to by attorneys and court staff to send messages back and forth. When a document is rejected, this field may be populated with instructions for the attorney. This field may also be included in the rejection email.

6 If there are no errors in or warnings associated with the document, a success message will be displayed indicating that the document has been submitted.

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The AUTH 24 (Authorization for Payment of Transcript) is used to request transcripts. Court staff reviews the request before sending it to the Judge for approval. Upon approval of the AUTH 24 the authorization is closed to allow for a CJA 24 to be created and linked to it.

Beginning in version 5.0, a CJA 24 may be submitted to the court without being linked to an AUTH 24.

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The CJA 20 (Appointment of and Authority to Pay Court-Appointed Counsel) and CJA 30 (Death Penalty Proceedings: Appointment of and Authority to Pay Court-Appointed Counsel) documents are used for attorney compensation. Some courts allow interim vouchers to be submitted, while others require the submission only after the case has been disposed. Attorneys can start entering claims in eVoucher as soon as the appointment is created. Progress may be saved and edited as frequently as needed until ready to submit.


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The overall process is as follows:

Step Action


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2 On the Appointment Info page, next to CJA 20, click Create.

3 The document opens to the Basic Info tab. Navigate through the document using the tabs at the top or the navigation buttons at the bottom.

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4 Click on the Services tab to begin entering itemized claims for services. Complete the required fields of Date, Service Type, Description, and Hours (in tenths of an hour), then click Add. Repeat as needed.

Itemized services will appear in the grid below.

Note: Claims may be entered in any order. To edit an entry after having added it, select it from the grid, make changes, and click Add. To delete an entry, click on it and click Remove.

5 Click on the Expenses tab to enter claims for expenses. Complete the required fields Date, Expense Type, Description, and, depending on the Expense Type, either Miles or Amount, then click Add.

Itemized expenses appear in the grid below.

Note: Expenses may be entered in any order. To edit an entry after having added it, select it from the grid, make changes, and click Add. To delete an entry, click on it and click Remove.

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6 Click on the Claim Status tab. Ensure the Start and End Dates for the document are correct, select an option under Payment Claims, and answer the questions accordingly.

Note: A warning message will appear if there are Service and Expense claims that fall outside the Start and End dates on the Claim Status tab.

Payment Claim Description Final Payment Final claim for services.

Interim Payment If selected, type the interim payment number in the box provided.

Supplemental Payment

Used to request compensation claim for a service that may have been missed or forgotten for a time frame previously claimed.

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8 To submit the CJA 20 to the court, go to the Confirmation tab, check the box affirming the accuracy of the information provided, then click Submit.

Note: The Public/Attorney Notes field may be used to by attorneys and court staff to send messages back and forth. When a document is rejected, the court staff may populate this field with instructions for the attorney. This field may also be included in the rejection email.

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9 If there are no errors in or warnings associated with the document, a success message will be displayed indicating that the document has been submitted to the court.


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From the Home page, if given permission, expert users can access their profile and documents. Security measures restrict experts from viewing anything other than their own information. To view a document, click on either the case number or document number links.

Use the menu bar at the top of the page to navigate through the system.

Menu Option Description

The Home Page organizes documents and information into several different grids.

Grid Description

My Documents Documents currently being worked on, that have been submitted to the attorney, and documents rejected by the court. Rejected documents appear in gold.

My Submitted Documents Documents that have been submitted to the attorney and the court.

Closed Documents Documents that have been approved for payment by the court. Closed documents are only displayed for active appointments. Documents on closed appointments may be viewed by accessing the Appointment Page for the case.

Adjusting Grid Views

The way information on the home page is displayed me be changed a number of ways.

Home The Home Page.

Operations Inactive for Expert users.

Reports Reports made available by individual courts.

Links Court provided hyperlinks to CJA related websites.

Help The Help menu includes links to My Profile, a Contact Us page, and Privacy statement.

Login/Logout Log out of the system.

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Adjustment Method

Sort Documents Click on the column header to sort by that column in ascending or descending order.

Column Size Click and drag column borders left or right using the mouse.

Group by Column Header Drag the desired column header into the area just above the grid.

Expand/Collapse Grids Click the plus sign (+) to expand or the minus sign (-) to collapse.

Move Grids Hover over a grid title until the cursor turns into a four-headed arrow, then click to drop and drag the grid to the desired location on the page.

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The CJA 21 (Voucher for Expert and Other Services) and CJA 31 (Death Penalty Proceedings: Voucher for Expert and Other Services) documents are used for compensating expert service providers. In eVoucher, the attorney is responsible for creating the CJA 21/31 and linking the service provider to the voucher.

Either the attorney or the expert (provided the court has granted the expert access) may complete the CJA 21/31.

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The CJA 21/31 is created by the attorney and may be completed either by the expert (if given access by the court) or by the attorney. In either case, the attorney must review the document and submit it to the court. Follow this procedure for creating a CJA 21/31.

Ste Action p


2 On the Appointment Info page, next to CJA 21, click Create.

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3 Make one of the following selections:

IF the document... THEN select... is under the statutory limit and does not require advance prior authorization

No Authorization Required The service type and expert must be selected on the next screen.

must be linked to a prior, approved request for authorization of funds (AUTH)

Use Previous Authorization A list of existing requests for authorization will be displayed to select from. A selection must be made to continue. The specialty type is inherited from the authorization.

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4 With a Service Type selected, an expert may be associated with the document. Only experts registered for the specialty selected will appear in the Expert drop-down.

IF the expert... THEN... appears in the drop-down list select the name and proceed to the next step.

does not appear in the drop-down list follow court procedures for proposing experts. The eVoucher system allows attorneys to propose the addition of an expert by filling in the required fields on this page. The document can not be created until the expert is approved and added to the system with valid billing information. Courts may have a different process in place for the proposal and approval of experts.

If the Create Voucher button is selected prior to the expert being approved and added to eVoucher the following message will appear.

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5 Above the Expert drop-down, next to Voucher Assignment, select who will be responsible for entering claims for services and expenses on this document.

Note: Greyed out radio buttons indicate the selected expert does not have permission to enter claims in eVoucher and claims must be entered by the attorney on the expert's behalf.

Caution: The Voucher Assignment can not be changed after the document is created. If the incorrect selection is made, the document must be deleted and recreated.

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6 Click Create Voucher. The expert will receive an email from eVoucher informing they have been linked to a document.

IF the Voucher Assignment selection is...

THEN the CJA 21/31 is open to the Basic Info tab and...

Attorney is in 'Edit' mode for the attorney and in 'Read Only' mode for the expert.

The document will appear in Voucher Entry status in two grids on the attorney's Home page. Under My Active Documents and My Service Provider's Documents.

When all claims have been entered, the attorney must submit the document to move it to Submitted to Attorney status, and then again to submit the document to the court.

If any corrections need to be made after the document has reached Submitted to Attorney status, the document must be rejected back to Voucher Entry status for editing by the attorney.

Expert is in 'Edit' mode for the expert and in 'Read Only' mode the attorney.

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The document will appear on the attorney's Home page in the My Service Provider's Documents grid and on the expert's Home page in the My Documents grid.

Click Home on the menu to return to the Home page.

When the expert submits the document, it will appear on the attorney's Home Page with a status of Submitted to Attorney' The attorney must review the document, go to the Confirmation tab, and click Submit to submit it to the court.

If there are any corrections to be made, the attorney may go to the Confirmation tab and click Reject to reopen the document for editing by the expert.


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An expert may complete and submit a CJA 21/31 if the following is true:

▪ The court has given the expert user permission to enter claims, AND ▪ the attorney selects Expert as the Voucher Assignment when creating the CJA 21/31.

Ste Action p

1 On the Home Page, from the My Documents grid, click Edit.

2 The document opens to the Basic Info tab. Navigate through the document using the tabs at the top or the navigation buttons at the bottom.

Note: Attorneys may follow this procedure if Attorney was selected as the Voucher Assignment.

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3 Click on the Services tab to begin entering itemized claims for services. Complete the required fields of Date, Description, Hours (in tenths of an hour), and Rate then click Add. Repeat as needed.

Itemized services will appear in the grid below.

Note: Claims may be entered in any order. To edit an entry it has been added, select it from the grid, make changes, and click Add. To delete an entry, click on it and click Remove.

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4 Click on the Expenses tab to enter claims for expenses. Complete the required fields of Date, Expense Type, Description, and, depending on the Expense Type, either Miles or Amount, then click Add.

Itemized expenses appear in the grid below.

Note: Expenses may be entered in any order. To edit an entry after having added it, select it from the grid, make changes, and click Add. To delete an entry, click on it and click Remove.

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5 Click on the Claim Status tab. Ensure that the Start and End Dates for the document are correct, select an option under Payment Claims, and answer the questions accordingly.

Note: A warning message will appear if there are Service and Expense claims that fall outside the Start and End dates on the Claim Status tab.

Payment Claim Description Final Payment Final claim for services.

Interim Payment If selected, type the interim payment number in the box provided.

Supplemental Payment

Used to request compensation claim for a service that may have been missed or forgotten for a time frame previously claimed.

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7 To submit the CJA 21/31, go to the Confirmation tab, check the box affirming the accuracy of the information provided, then click Submit. The document will go to the attorney for review. The attorney will either submit the document to the court or reject the document back for corrections.

Note: The Public/Attorney Notes field may be used to by experts, attorneys, and court staff to send messages back and forth. When a document is rejected, this field may be populated with instructions for the attorney or expert. This field may also be included in the rejection email.

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The CJA 24 (Voucher for Payment of Transcripts) is used to pay for transcripts. In order for court reporters to be paid, they must be set up as Expert users in eVoucher and have valid billing information.

Beginning in eVoucher version 5.0, a CJA 24 may be submitted without prior authorization, or may be linked to an approved and closed AUTH 24. Individual courts determine the implementation of the CJA 24 depending on their needs and procedures. Some courts allow the attorneys to create the CJA 24, others allow the court reporters access eVoucher as Court Staff users, while others have Clerk's Office staff monitor the approval of the AUTH 24 and ensure the CJA 24 is associated with the correct court reporter.

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The CJA 26/27 (Statement for a Compensation Claim in Excess of the Statutory Case Compensation Maximum) is an optional form attorneys can use to request representation funds over the statutory maximum. CJA 26 is used in District Court and the CJA 27 is used at the Appeals Court. Whether or not courts choose to use the CJA 26/27, any time additional representation funds are approved, court staff will edit the Limit field on the Representation screen to reflect the approved amount.

Below are some of the ways courts may implement usage of the form.

OPTION RESULT

Require attorneys to submit the CJA 26/27 as a separate document in eVoucher.

Courts that allow or require interim vouchers may want to require use of the form in eVoucher, especially if attorneys might submit multiple requests for funds. The CJA 26/27 document will need to be reviewed and approved in eVoucher in addition to the CJA 20.

Using the CJA 26/27 form will allow courts to track requests on the Defendant and Case Detail Budget Reports.

Make the CJA 26/27 optional for the attorneys to submit as a separate document.

Attorneys may either submit the CJA 26/27 as a separate document in eVoucher, or attach a PDF version of the CJA 26/27 (or a supporting memorandum) to the Documents tab of the CJA 20.

If the CJA 26/27 is attached as a PDF to the CJA 20, individual requests and approved amounts will not be reflected on Budget Reports. Amounts reflected on reports will be based on totals entered on the Representation.

Disable submission of the CJA 26/27 in eVoucher.

Courts that do not allow interim vouchers may choose to disable the ability for attorneys to submit the CJA 26/27 as a separate document in eVoucher.

Attorneys may complete a fillable PDF version of the CJA 26/27

and attach it, or a memorandum, to the Documents tab of the CJA 20. Amounts reflected on reports will be based on totals entered on the Representation.

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Travel Authorizations may be processed in eVoucher and set up to automatically email National Travel upon approval. Travel Authorizations in eVoucher may be used whether or not a court is using centralized accounts for billing.

Note: Attorneys are not required to use National Travel, but travel must be pre-authorized. Additional fees and charges incurred for changing or cancelling a flight may not be reimbursed for travel not booked through National Travel.

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Audit Assist conditions may be configured differently for different types of users. It allows the various role types (judge, court staff, attorney, expert) to perform various analyses, with the push of a button.


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Beginning in version 5.1, the eVoucher system is integrated with JIFMS (Judiciary Integrated Financial Management System) for processing of payments. Documents (CJA 20/21/24/30/31) certified for payment and closed during the day are sent to the payment system that evening for disbursement via Treasury Check. This process runs once daily, Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays. Payees typically receive payment within about a week.

For more information on payment processing, see the next topic titled Payment Status Report.

Courts have asked if an overpayment is made, if a future payment to the vendor could be reduced, or if an underpayment is made, the amount could be "forgiven" by the vendor. Unfortunately, neither of these work-arounds is possible since they would also result in eVoucher and the payment system not reflecting the correct amount. In addition, if future payments are deducted, this may be interpreted as an improper payment. As a result, the following is suggested:

IF there was an... THEN...

Overpayment Courts should request the appropriate funds back from the vendor who was paid. The vendor should make a check out to the Administrative Office of the US Courts. The court sends the check, along with a cover letter briefly describing the purpose of the check to:

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Attention: Mail Stop AFSD -CR Room 5.300 One Columbus Circle, N.E. Washington, DC 20544

Once the funds are sent, please make a note within the eVoucher Appointment Notes denoting that the funds were returned.

Underpayment Process a supplemental voucher in eVoucher to pay the full amount to the vendor. After this voucher is fully approved it will be sent to the payment system via Financial Integration to be paid to the vendor.

The Treasury Offset Program is a centralized offset program, administered by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service's Debt Management Services (DMS), to collect delinquent debts owed to federal agencies and states (including past-due child support). If a vendor has questions regarding the offset of their payment, they can call the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) Call Center, toll free, at

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Resources

General CJA Inbox [email protected]

eVoucher Systems Support

• Timothy V. [email protected]

New Appointments

• Bertha T. [email protected]

Billing Inquiries

• Amanda [email protected]

Payment Inquiries

• Michelle C. [email protected]

Ninth Circuit CJA Case Managing Attorneys

• Kristine M. Fox [email protected]

• Blair Perilman [email protected]

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Helpful Links

eVoucher

https://evsdweb.ev.uscourts.gov/CJA_nmi_prod/CJAeVoucher/Logon.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fCJA_nmi_prod%2fCJAe Voucher%2f

The Guide to Judiciary Policy, Vol. 7: Defender Services

http://www.uscourts.gov/rules‐policies/judiciary‐policies/criminal‐justice‐act‐cja‐guidelines

http://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/vol_07.pdf

Travel Resources

https://www.gsa.gov/travel‐resources

National CJA Voucher Reference Tool

https://cjaresources.fd.org/cjaort/index.html

Defender Services Office

https://www.fd.org/

GSA Per Diem Rates

https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan‐book/per‐diem‐rates

National Travel Service – (800) 445‐0668

http://nationaltravel.com/government/

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