Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Find helpful information for attorneys, legal professionals, vendors, clients, and members of the public.

Attorney-Specific FAQs

General Questions

Is CPCS responsible for all court cases where a client is indigent?

No. See Chapter 1 of our Assigned Counsel Manual for our scope of legal services.

Once I’m approved and certified to accept cases, how will I be notified of a court-issued assignment?

Most courts issue assignments by entering the docket number and your attorney information into the state’s MASSCOURT system. Every evening, CPCS receives a file containing all assignments entered for that day. The next day, we add those assignment records to our file.

When we receive an assignment(s) for you from MASSCOURT, we will issue a notice to your Ebill account and add any new assignments to your Ebill list. This is the only notice that you will receive regarding the assignment, and this notice will contain the Notice of Assignment of Counsel (NAC) number needed for billing. These assignments start with the letter “D.”

We encourage attorneys to log into Ebill notices daily, print the assignment notice, and file it in your client’s file. Notices may contain multiple assignments and assignment numbers. It’s also possible that you could receive a notification of assignment and a notification of rejection on the same day.

Some courts and some cases require a multi-part paper assignment form. These forms are completed and signed at the court, and the clerk will give you a copy. These assignments start with the letter “C.”

Where can I find a specific form? Or a sample motion, model brief, reference cases, or other resources to help prepare my case?

Find all attorney forms and documentation in our Resource Center.

How do I find an expert for my case?

For forensics experts (i.e. arson, ballistics, crime scene reconstruction, document/handwriting, DNA consultants, pathology, toxicology, etc.), contact our Forensic Services Division. This team can direct you to the best type of expert for your particular case.

For social service expert referrals (i.e. social services professionals, psychiatrists, psychologists, etc.), email ssvendors@publiccounsel.net.

Once you have the expert’s name, please email vendorinfo@publiccounsel.net to determine if the expert is already a state vendor on file with CPCS. If the expert is not a vendor, please advise the vendor to begin the application process by visiting the CPCS Vendor Portal.

Failure to use a vetted expert could result in denial of payment of expert services. Before this process, obtaining an estimated cost from the expert and requesting an allowed Motion for Funds from the court is advisable. An allowed Motion for Funds is required for payment of all experts.

Does CPCS have set hourly rates for specific experts?

Yes. Find rates and expert billing information in Chapter V of our Court Cost Vendor Manual.

What is the state’s fiscal year?

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts fiscal year runs from July 1 through and includes June 30.

My contact information has changed. What should I do?

If your address or phone number has changed, you’ll need to complete a W9 form. The State Comptroller requires that your legal address match the address that you use to file your taxes.

Print and mail the completed form and send it with a letter requesting an address change to:

Vendor Maintenance
Committee for Public Counsel Services
75 Federal St
Boston, MA 02110

If your email address has changed, email vendorinfo@publiccounsel.net.

Notice of Assigned Counsel (NAC)

Why can’t I see my “C” paper assignment on my Ebill list of assignments?

“C” assignments are not automated. To start your first bill, enter the complete assignment number.

I received a notice that an assignment was rejected. What should I do?

If you disagree with the rejection, please follow the directions in the letter on how and where to appeal.

How do I request that a specific case be reopened for billing?

Send an email to ebill@publiccounsel.net. Include the client’s name, the complete assignment number (not the docket number), and the reason for your request.

Does closing a NAC number remove it from my Ebill list of NACs?

Yes.

I recently requested that CPCS reopen a NAC number and I received a notice that it was reopened. Why don’t I see it on my Ebill list of NACs?

When you reopen a NAC, you will receive an email that it’s been reopened and the reopened NAC will reappear on your list for your selection. Scroll down the list to find the NAC as only 10 assignment numbers are displayed at once.

My client was surrendered. How do I reopen the original assignment?

When there is a probation surrender or violation, CPCS requires that the court issue a new assignment.

The Date of Assignment is incorrect on the NAC. How do I change this?

The court enters the data, and our system will issue a NAC based on the data. Note that the court uses the date of assignment rather than the date of appointment.

Therefore, please inform the court of the error and their staff will make the necessary correction. Then, our system will reissue the NAC with the correct date.

The court issued one NAC for multiple dockets with separate charges. How can I receive separate NACs for billing purposes?

Our system issues one NAC for multiple dockets when it is the same attorney, same court, same assignment date, and the same client. This procedure reduces an attorney’s caseload, allowing you to take on additional cases.

Billing

What are the CPCS attorney billing deadlines?

Year-End bills that include dates of services rendered between 7/1 and 6/30 must be submitted on or before 7/31 of the current fiscal year.

Note: Ebill allows you to bill twice on a case in the month of June: one interim bill and one End-of-Year bill. As appropriate, you may also submit a case closed bill in June (Interim and End-of-Year bills may not be submitted after the submission of a case closed bill).

You are limited to one FY End-of-Year bill. It is your choice whether this bill is submitted in June or July.

Although the billing limit is usually one bill per month per NAC, during the months of July and August you can file the current fiscal year-end bill and the new fiscal year’s interim or closed bill on the same NAC in the same month if necessary. Penalties apply for late submissions – see below.

Are there penalties for missing billing deadlines?

Year-End and Interim bills that include dates of service rendered 7/1 through 6/30 that are submitted after 7/31 or 30 days after the last date of service (whichever is earlier) are subject to a 10% reduction.

Year-End and Interim bills that include dates of service rendered 7/1 through 6/30 that are submitted after 8/31 or 60 days after the last date of service (whichever is earlier) will be rejected.

Case Closed bills must be received by 7/31 or within 30 days of the last date of service listed on the bill (whichever is earlier) or be reduced by 10%

Case Closed bills received after 8/31 or more than 60 days after the last date of billable service (whichever is earlier) will be rejected. The last date of service billed on a Case Closed bill is recognized by CPCS as the date the case concluded.

In accordance with G.L. c. 211D, § 12, the above dates apply whether or not they occur on a Saturday, or Sunday.

Does CPCS limit the number of hours I can bill in a year? What about the number of hours I can bill in a day?

Please see Chapter 5, Section Q of the Assigned Counsel Manual for billing limits.

Can I bill for waiting time?

Please see Chapter 5, Section X.3 of the Assigned Counsel Manual for waiting time limits.

I submitted an interim bill a few weeks ago and now Ebill won’t accept another interim bill.

Note that monthly billing is limited to one interim bill per NAC number per month. Once an interim bill for a NAC bill is submitted, another interim bill cannot be submitted until the following month.

How do I request reimbursement for an out-of-pocket, case-related cost?

Private attorneys should use the Ebill portal and enter a “Other Type” voucher for reimbursement. Multiple expenses for the same case can be billed on one voucher.

Before requesting reimbursement, please make sure you’ve already covered the cost of the product or service and can provide a receipt or invoice, along with proof of payment.

Ebill vouchers for out-of-pocket expenses totaling $50 or less do not need to be mailed to CPCS for payment consideration. However, they should be printed, signed and maintained in the case file with receipts and proof of payment attached.

Ebill vouchers for out-of-pocket expenses that total more than $50, must be printed, signed and mailed to CPCS with receipts and proof of payment attached in order to be considered for payment. A copy should be retained for your records.

Payment

When I log into Ebill, I can’t navigate to other menus. How can I resolve this?

Once you review all unread Ebill notices, you’ll be able to progress to other menu options.

When does CPCS submit attorney bills to the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) for payment?

Twice monthly. All bills received in good order by the 15th of the month will be processed and forwarded to OSC for payment within seven business days of the 15th. All bills received in good order between the 16th and the last day of the month will be processed and forwarded to OSC within seven business days of the last day of the month.

If the 15th or last day of the month falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday, we will include all bills received in good order through 11:59 p.m. of the next business day.

Please know that the CPCS bill payment policy is not the same as the CPCS bill submittal policy, and it does not change the monthly billing policy; which does not allow the submission of more than one interim bill per assignment number (NAC) per month.

When does the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) issue payment?

OSC issues payment within 3 to 5 business days. This schedule is subject to available funding.

Where can I see the payments that the OSC issued?

You can find this information via VendorWeb. For login, you will need your state vendor code and the last four digits of your tax identification number.

There is a lapse of at least 3 business days between when we submit bills for payment and when they appear on the Comptroller’s website. You can also access your 1099s for the last two calendar years on this portal.

I’ve noticed that my smaller Ebill vouchers aren’t paid as quickly as larger vouchers. Why is this?

Every payment transaction, CPCS pays a fee to the State Comptroller’s office.

In order to minimize these charges, we accrue an attorney’s request for reimbursements until they reach $50. Once they total $50 or more, they are consolidated and paid.

Children and Family Law Cases

The court issued several NACs for siblings. Can CPCS merge these NACs so I can bill all of my time for the cases under one NAC?

Yes, NACs issued for siblings can be consolidated.

Send an email to ebill@publiccounsel.net. List all of the NAC numbers and indicate which NAC number you would like to use for billing. All of the NACs will be merged under this NAC.

Several of my cases are now closed. However, I never closed them. How can I get these cases reopened?

From time to time, CAFL staff will close cases which are opened but have been inactive.

Email caflattorney@publiccounsel.net with your request.

What do I need to do when my client files an appeal?

In our Resource Center, you’ll find an Appellate Packet for Trial Attorneys. This resource includes sample motions that you’ll need to file with the court in order to obtain appellate counsel for your client.

Once the motions are allowed, you’ll need to fill out the Appellate Assignment Intake Form (also in the packet) and email it to the CAFL administrative office.

Note: The courts generally do not notify CPCS when an appeal has been filed. It is critical you inform the administrative office when you file an appeal.

I need advice about a CAFL case. Who can I contact?

A handful of attorneys designated by CAFL accept advice calls.

The Resource Attorney program also provides mentorship and advice to CAFL attorneys.

To contact these attorneys, search by your county in our directory.

Private Counsel Division