Cumberland Cnty. C.P. 2025 Court Appointed Compensation Rates

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY,

PENNSYLVANIA

IN RE: ADOPTION OF 2025: CP-21-MD-0000020-2022

COMPENSATION RATES FOR:

COURT- APPOINTED COUNSEL, :

GUARDIANS AD LITEM, :

& HEARING OFFICERS:

:

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER ADOPTING 2025 COMPENSATION RATES

FOR COURT-APPOINTED COUNSEL, GUARDIANS AD

LITEM, and HEARING OFFICERS

AND NOW, this 1st day of November 2024, it is ORDERED that the

following compensation rates shall apply for court-appointed services performed

on or after January 1, 2025:

 $129 per hour for quasi-judicial appointments, including, but not limited

to juvenile hearing officers; mental health review officers; custody

conciliators; or for any other court-appointed service as a hearing officer

or special master not specifically identified in this order;

 $86 per hour for counsel appointed to represent parties in civil

proceedings;

 $86 per hour for counsel appointed to represent parties in orphans' court

proceedings;

 $86 per hour for counsel appointed to serve as guardian ad litem in any

proceeding, including dependency matters;

 $86 per hour for counsel appointed to serve as guardian of an

incapacitated person in any proceeding;

 $86 per hour for counsel appointed to represent defendants and juveniles

in non-homicide criminal and delinquency proceedings, unless such

representation is pursuant to participation in the conflicts panel;

 $161 per hour for counsel appointed to represent defendants or juveniles

charged with or alleged to have committed capital offenses, including

PCRA and appeal therefrom;

 $129 per hour for counsel appointed to represent defendants or juveniles

charged with or alleged to have committed non-capital homicide offenses

(first, second and third degree);

 $86 per hour for counsel appointed to serve as PCRA counsel and appeal

therefrom to represent defendants or juveniles convicted or adjudicated

of a non-homicide offense or delinquent act;

 $86 per hour for any other court-appointed service as counsel, guardian,

or guardian ad litem not specifically identified in this order;

 $645 flat fee for cases appointed under the criminal & delinquency

conflict panel. This flat fee covers the case from preliminary hearing

through Formal Arraignment. Upon arraignment, conflict panel attorney

will be compensated at $86 per hour.

 Appearance Fee. Should a court appointed attorney appear for a hearing

at a Magisterial District Judge’s office and defendant has obtained private

counsel without prior notice, Attorney shall be compensated as follows:

o 1 hearing within any 60-minute period or formal arraignment

coverage day with no appointments - $70.00

o 2 or more hearings within any 60-minute period at same MDJ -

$70.00

 $86 per hour for Domestic Relations Contempt cases.

 $86 per hour for representation of witnesses in front of the Grand Jury.

 ARBITRATION CHAIRMAN AND PANEL – The Chairman shall be

paid the sum of $208. Other members of the Board shall be paid $156.

In the event the Board is vacated the Chairman shall receive an

administrative fee of $100.

 PARENTING COORDINATOR - The base hourly rate for a parenting

coordinator meeting the minimum qualifications set forth in subdivision

(b) shall be $155 per hour, and a parenting coordinator with 10 plus years

of family law experience shall be at $259 per hour.

 Parent’s Attorney’s in dependency under contract - $112,500.00 annually

(payable monthly).

These compensation rates shall supersede rates listed in the listed

appointment orders for the above categories. All other aspects of the appointment

orders remain in effect.

These compensation rates shall remain in effect until further order of this

Court. All requests for payment must be submitted by the 15th of the month

following the month of service. Exceptions may be granted upon written

application. Due to budgetary considerations, requests for payment for services

performed December 1 through December 31 of any year shall be submitted to the

Court no later than January 15 of the following year. No exceptions shall be

granted. The Court may deny untimely payment petitions. The court-appointed

counsel shall apply to all stages of proceedings, including appeal and post-

adjudication, unless specifically noted otherwise.

The district court administrator shall publish this order as may be required.

BY THE COURT,

________________________________

Edward E. Guido, President Judge