Criminal Justice Act

CJA Attorney Panel Membership Application and Submission

The Criminal Justice Act Committee of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York is accepting new applications for appointment, and applications for reappointment, to the panel of attorneys under the Criminal Justice Act of 1964, through September 8, 2025.

The Court encourages highly qualified and experienced criminal defense attorneys who reflect the diversity of the community to apply for membership on the CJA Panel for the District. Assignments to the Panel will be for a three-year period, beginning January 1, 2026. Applicants must be admitted and in good standing to practice in the Eastern District of New York.

Applications may be submitted for assignment to the Brooklyn or Central Islip panels, or both. The Committee is also seeking applications from practitioners whose experience is uniquely suited to handling petitions for post-conviction relief.

Completed applications must be submitted no later than September 8, 2025 by electronic submission here:  Submit 2025 EDNY CJA Application

Please contact the Clerk of Court at 718-613-2270 if you have difficulty uploading your application.

Notice, Application form and instructions are below:

CJA Mentoring Programs

Mentors who are experienced and respected members of the federal criminal bar, including private counsel, federal defenders, former prosecutors, and CJA Panel members, will be paired with qualified Mentees. Qualified Mentee candidates include state and federal practitioners with five or more years of criminal experience, including substantial trial and in-court experience, as well as strong research and writing skills, and who are admitted to the Eastern District Bar or will be admitted as soon as possible. Orientation and CLE programs for Mentors and Mentees will be coordinated by the Committee.

CJA Attorney Hourly and Other Rates

CJA hourly rates, case maximums, and other rates are set by the Judicial Conference of the United States Courts.
EDNY CJA Plan Schedules and Other Rates

CJA Attorney Swipe Cards

Members of the EDNY CJA Panel may apply for a courthouse swipe card by submitting a completed application and undergoing fingerprinting & background investigation. The application is available below.

After submitting the application, the applicant must undergo fingerprinting and an FBI background investigation.

Please submit this application electronically here or deliver in hard copy to the Clerk of Court at either courthouse.

After submitting or delivering your application, a member of our HR Department will contact you to schedule your fingerprint appointment.

After the Court receives the results of the background investigation, the EDNY Human Resources Department will contact the applicant for issuance of the swipe card if approved.