33rd / 424th District Courts

I'm looking for some discussion on a better way to handle fees on the CPS cases, something like the flat fee per activity approach of the criminal voucher system. I think it would need to be broken down in a little more detail.
Also looking for a volunteer to head up getting together an ad hoc committee to work up the schedule and the voucher form. Don't y'all stampede now, ya hear!

(moved from my comment to main body)

This topic is back. Let's reconsider the possibilities. First, what are the goals of doing this:

1. Simplify both your billing and the court's review approving your bill -- which should get you paid faster.
2. Produce greater predictability overall by compensating the same amount for identical activity. Note the word activity there.
3. Reduction
   of cost to the county is not necessarily the main goal, but the
   predictability is a major consideration for the budget process.
4. Fairness -- if the same activity is compensated the same for everyone, that's fair.

How would this be implemented? I think the working part of the voucher would be essentially as follows:

In the comments when this was floated previously, the suggestion was
made that this could work if broken into appropriately small, i.e.
discrete activities. I concur wholeheartedly and offer the following
for your consideration of activities. Don't worry about how much you
would be paid for each, we first need a clear identification of the
activities so let me have your comments on that.

Events for compensation:

Travel to hearing

Travel to meet with child client

Travel miles

Meeting with client

Phone call with client

Review Department/CASA report

Waiting if court for hearing

Attend agreed 14 day hearing

Attend contested 14 day hearing

Attend Family Group Conferencing or PPT meeting

Attend Status Hearing

Meeting with caseworker or CASA personnel

Phone call with caseworker or CASA personnel

Attend Services Review Hearing

Attend Permanency Hearing

Observe parent-child visitation

Review Orders

Legal Research (.25 hr increments)

Attend Other Hearing (special hearings, motion hearings)

Attend Mediation -- 1/2 day

(enter x2 for a full day)

Interview witness

Interview/prep expert witness

Attend uncontested bench trial

Attend contested bench trial -- 1/2 day

Attend jury trial -- 1 day

Other (free-form text space)