Case details
The date, case name and number, the appointed attorney or attorneys, the date of appointment, the hourly rate, the trial date and any additional authorized attorneys.
CJA 28B
Attorney Services Summary Budget Worksheet for Non-capital Representations with the Potential for Extraordinary Cost
- Agency
- U.S. Courts
- Revision
- Rev. 10/12
- Fillable fields
- 29
- Pages
- 4
- Official source
- U.S. Courts form page
- Checked
- October 20, 2026
CJA 28B: Attorney Services Summary Budget Worksheet for Non-capital Representations
CJA 28B, Attorney Services Summary Budget Worksheet for Non-capital Representations with the Potential for Extraordinary Cost, is a Criminal Justice Act (CJA) case-budgeting worksheet from the U.S. Courts, listed under Budgeting Worksheets. The PDF is dated Rev. 10/12, and the page lists it as effective on October 1, 2012.
The form says it summarizes anticipated attorney services and should be submitted to the court in representations that "appear likely to become or have become extraordinary in terms of potential cost" under section 230.26.10 of the Guidelines for Administering the CJA and Related Statutes, Volume 7A, Guide to Judiciary Policy. Its 4 pages take one hours figure for each of eight work categories, then travel costs and miscellaneous costs, and end with an Approved Case Budget for Attorney Services. It says the accompanying detailed budget worksheet may help counsel prepare it, and the document totals hours and dollar amounts automatically.
This page explains the form in plain words and is not legal advice. You can fill it out free in your browser on this page and download the result without an account.
What's on CJA 28B
I and II. Discovery and trial
Hours for discovery retrieval, organization and review, including material generated by defense investigation, and trial hours covering in-court, travel and out-of-court preparation time, based on the estimated length of trial in days.
III and IV. Hearings and investigation
Hours for motions and hearings from preliminary proceedings through sentencing, and for witness interviews and other investigation, including travel time and time interviewing family members.
V to VIII. Client, experts, meetings and budget time
Hours for client consultation and correspondence, expert witness consultation, other meetings with prosecutors, case agents, co-counsel, investigators and counsel for codefendants, and case budget preparation, then Grand Total Hours.
IX and X. Travel and other costs
Dollar amounts for travel costs and for other miscellaneous costs and expenses, with a note to the court on out-of-district attorney travel.
Approved Case Budget
The hourly rate, hours, fees approved (hours multiplied by hourly rate), travel costs, other miscellaneous costs and expenses, and the Grand Total Budget for Attorney Services.
How to fill out CJA 28B
- 1
Enter the case and the rate
Fill in the date, case name and number, the appointed attorney or attorneys, the date of appointment, the hourly rate and the trial date, and list any additional authorized attorneys.
- 2
Work from the detailed worksheet
The form says the accompanying detailed budget worksheet may help counsel prepare the summary. The detailed worksheet, CJA 28A, says the figure at the end of each of its sections is transferred to the summary.
- 3
Enter hours for each category
Sections I to VIII each take one hours figure. Section II is based on the estimated length of trial in days, and the form adds the hours into Grand Total Hours.
- 4
Enter travel and other costs
Sections IX and X take dollar amounts for travel costs and for miscellaneous costs and expenses.
- 5
Review the budget totals
The last page multiplies hours by the hourly rate for fees approved and adds travel and miscellaneous costs into the Grand Total Budget for Attorney Services.
- 6
Submit it to the court
The form says the document should be submitted to the court. The explanatory memorandum says the court could choose to review the summary worksheets alone or the detailed worksheets too.
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Where it goes, approval and changes
Where it goes
The form says it should be submitted to the court. It prints no address or court office.
Approval
The explanatory memorandum recommends that the presiding judicial officer send a case budget to the chief judge of the court of appeals, or his or her delegate, for approval.
Fee
The form does not print a filing fee. Its dollar fields are budget estimates for attorney fees, travel and other costs.
Travel note to the court
The form says that if extensive out-of-district attorney travel is anticipated, the court may wish to require a more detailed travel budget, and should determine whether it will issue "blanket" travel authorization or approve attorney travel "seriatim."
Changes to the budget
The memorandum says case budgets should not be viewed as etched in stone. If a foundation of the budget shifts dramatically, it says the court should have counsel modify the budget and seek approval for any additional funds and resources.
Related forms
CJA 28A
Attorney Services Detailed Budget Worksheet for Non-capital Representations with the Potential for Extraordinary Cost
142 fields, 9 pages
CJA 28D
Investigative Services Summary Budget Worksheet for Non-capital Representations with the Potential for Extraordinary Cost
22 fields, 3 pages
CJA 28F
Expert Services Summary Budget Worksheet for Non-capital Representations with the Potential for Extraordinary Cost
26 fields, 3 pages
CJA 28H
Other Services Summary Budget Worksheet for Non-capital Representations with the Potential for Extraordinary Cost
26 fields, 2 pages
CJA 28C
Investigative Services Detailed Budget Worksheet for Non-capital Representations with the Potential for Extraordinary Cost
141 fields, 8 pages
CJA 20
Appointment of and Authority to Pay Court-Appointed Counsel
149 fields, 1 page
Who completes CJA 28B?
The summary is prepared by appointed counsel and submitted to the court. It and its explanatory memorandum name these roles.
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Questions about Form CJA 28B
Who submits CJA 28B?
Counsel. The form says the document should be submitted to the court, and the explanatory memorandum says appointed counsel would complete both the detailed and summary worksheets.
Does the court also get the detailed worksheet?
The detailed worksheet, CJA 28A, says that in some instances the court may request it as well as the summary. The memorandum says the court could choose to review the detailed worksheets or the summary worksheets alone.
Which cases use a case budget?
The explanatory memorandum says a Judicial Conference guideline encourages case budgeting for any representation in which the defense of an individual CJA defendant is anticipated to cost in excess of $30,000 or involve more than 300 hours of attorney time. It says the court or counsel determines whether a case has that potential.
Who approves the case budget?
The form has an Approved Case Budget for Attorney Services block but does not name an approver. The memorandum recommends that the presiding judicial officer send a case budget to the chief judge of the court of appeals, or his or her delegate, for approval.
Does the form add up the totals?
Yes. The form says the document automatically totals hours and dollar amounts.
Can the budget change later?
The memorandum says case budgets should not be viewed as etched in stone and may be modified as the case progresses, for example when new charges or defendants are added.
Where are the instructions?
The U.S. Courts page links Form Instructions: the Explanatory Memorandum for Case Budgeting in Non-capital Panel Attorney Representations with the Potential for Extraordinary Cost.