Fees & Engagement
Know the cost
before you commit.
One written number. No hourly clock running in the background.
Most appellate and post-conviction matters are handled on a flat fee, quoted in writing after we read the record. Below are the ranges we work within, what the fee covers, and how payment can be structured.
Why Flat Fees
Certainty is part of the representation
An appeal is stressful enough without wondering what the next invoice will say. A flat fee means you can budget for the fight, ask questions without watching a clock, and judge the value of the work on the work itself. Where a flat fee genuinely is not possible, we say so and explain why before you sign anything.
Indicative Ranges
What appellate work typically costs
These ranges are a starting point for budgeting, not a quote. Every engagement is priced after we see the judgment, the docket, and the record, and the written fee agreement always controls.
$1,500 – $3,500
Length of the record, number of volumes, and whether transcripts must still be produced.
$6,500 – $15,000
Number of issues preserved, brief length, whether oral argument is ordered, and extensions.
$3,500 – $9,000
Whether an evidentiary hearing is needed, the number of claims, and the volume of new evidence.
$6,000 – $14,000
State court exhaustion record, claim complexity, and whether an evidentiary hearing is requested.
$2,500 – $7,500
Scope of the assignment: issue analysis, brief drafting, reply brief, or argument preparation.
$1,500 – $4,000
Preparation time, travel, and whether argument is at the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court.
Court costs, transcripts, expert fees, and travel are separate and are never marked up. Ranges are illustrative and may change; the fee stated in your signed engagement letter is the one that applies.
Fee Structures
Three ways an engagement is built
Which one applies depends on how much of the work can be defined before we start.
Flat Fee
Most matters, one number
The large majority of our appellate and post-conviction engagements are flat fees. You know the total before we begin, it is written into the engagement letter, and the number does not move because the research took longer than expected.
Best for: direct appeals, post-conviction motions, habeas petitions, brief-only work.
Retainer
Deposit held in trust
For matters where the work cannot be defined up front, such as an investigation that may or may not lead to a filing, we hold a retainer in our trust account and bill against it. You receive itemized statements, and any unearned balance is returned to you.
Best for: record investigations, newly discovered evidence, matters in flux.
Hourly
Used sparingly
Hourly billing is reserved for narrow assignments: a second opinion on someone else's brief, a hearing covered for another lawyer, or a discrete research question. Rates and the estimated range are confirmed in writing first.
Best for: limited-scope projects and attorney-to-attorney consultations.
Inside the Fee
What you are paying for
Included
- Attorney time for record review, legal research, and strategy
- Drafting, revising, and filing the brief or motion
- Communication with you about the status of the matter
- Filing through the court's electronic system and service on the other side
- Preparation for and attendance at oral argument when it is ordered
- Copies of everything filed on your behalf
Separate Costs
- Court filing fees and motion fees (paid directly to the clerk)
- Transcript and record production costs charged by the court reporter or clerk
- Expert witnesses, investigators, or forensic testing
- Printing, binding, and overnight delivery of paper filings
- Travel and lodging for out-of-town arguments or hearings
- Fees for a separate appeal, or a new matter after the engagement ends
How Engagement Works
Four steps, nothing hidden
You are never asked for money before you have the fee, the scope, and the payment schedule in writing.
01
Free case review call
A short call to learn the posture of the case: what court, what was decided, and when. You leave knowing whether an appeal or post-conviction motion is realistically available and what the deadline is.
02
Records and written quote
If the case fits, we obtain the judgment, docket, and transcripts needed to price the work honestly. You receive a written flat-fee quote that states exactly what is included and what the costs will be.
03
Signed engagement letter
Nothing starts until you have the agreement in writing and have decided how to pay. The letter states the fee, the scope, the costs, the payment schedule, and how either side can end the engagement.
04
Work begins, updates follow
Drafting and filing proceed on the schedule the court sets. You get status updates through MyCase and can see documents as they are filed. Any change in scope is agreed in writing before additional work is done.
Paying the Fee
Secure payments and installment plans.
Payments run through LawPay, which is built for law firms and keeps card data off our systems. Receipts are issued for every payment, and your balance is visible in the client portal.
LawPay
Card and ACH payments through our PCI-DSS compliant processor. Funds are deposited to the firm's trust account and receipted.
Installments
Flat fees can usually be split across stages of the work, with the schedule set out in the engagement letter.
Affirm
Third-party financing may be available for larger engagements, subject to the lender's approval and terms.
Cash App & Zelle
Accepted for smaller payments and cost reimbursements. Scan codes are on the client portal page.
Pay or Ask About Fees
Fee Questions
The questions clients actually ask
Yes. The initial case review call costs nothing and does not obligate you to hire us. What is not free is a full record review, because that requires us to read transcripts and research issues. If a full review is needed, we quote it as a separate flat fee before starting.
Fee information on this page is general and not an offer. No attorney-client relationship is created until a written engagement letter is signed. See our legal notices.
Next Step
Get a written number on your case.
Tell us the court, the decision, and the date. We will tell you whether the deadline is still open and what the work would cost.