Post-Conviction Pricing
Federal Post-Conviction
Direct Appeal
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Guilty Plea: $15-20,000
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Trial Verdict (<500 transcript pages): $25,000*
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Oral Argument: $15,000 or 60% the cost of Review and Filing (whichever is greater)
Reviewing and Filing Stage:
1. Guilty Plea: Appeals of guilty pleas are generally very limited. The price varies depending on how many legitimate issues there are to raise on appeal.
2. Trial Verdict: Price varies depending on the total transcript pages, including related proceedings like motion hearings.
Oral Argument Stage:
About 80% of federal appeals are decided in writing only. Cases that require oral argument require a lot of preparation in addition to the actual time in court.
Habeas Corpus
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Guilty Plea: $10-15,000
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Trial Verdict (<500 transcript pages): $15,000**
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Drafting and Filing: $10-15,000
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Evidentiary Hearing: 60% of the cost to review, draft, and file your petition.
*Doesn't include hearing fee and transcript pages over 500
**$20 per additional transcript page over 500Reviewing Stage:
1. Guilty Plea: There is more room to argue for relief when taking the habeas route compared to a direct appeal. Sentencing time affects price:
- 10 years or less: $10,000
- 10-20 years: $12,500
- 20+ years: $15,000
2. Trial Verdict: Price varies depending on the total transcript pages, including related proceedings like motion hearings and review of any appeals.
Drafting and Filing Stage:
Pricing varies depending on how many issues there are to argue:
- 2 or less: $10,000
- 2-4: $12,500
- 5+: $15,000
Evidentiary Hearing Stage:
Most federal habeas petitions are decided based on the filing.
State Post-Conviction
North Carolina & Tennessee Appeals
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Guilty Plea: $10-18,000
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Trial Verdict (<500 transcript pages): $18,000**
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Oral Argument: $15,000 or 60% the cost of Review and Filing (whichever is greater)
*Doesn't include oral argument fee and transcript pages over 500
**$20 per additional transcript page over 500Reviewing and Filing Stage:
1. Guilty Plea: Appeals of guilty pleas are generally very limited. The price varies depending on how many legitimate issues there are to raise on appeal.
2. Trial Verdict: Price varies depending on the total transcript pages, including related proceedings like motion hearings.
Oral Argument Stage:
About 80% of state appeals are decided in writing only. Cases that require oral argument require a lot of preparation in addition to the actual time in court.
Tennessee Representation: Guilty Plea
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Review: $5-8,500
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Drafting and/or Filing: $5-8,500
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Hearing: $5-8,500
Tennessee Representation: Trial Verdict
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Review (<500 transcript pages): $7,500**
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Drafting and/or Filing: 75% of the cost of Review
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Hearing: 60% of the total cost of Review and Drafting and/or Filing
*Doesn't include hearing fee and transcript pages over 500
**$15 per additional transcript page over 500Review Stage:
- Misdemeanors: $5,000
- Low-level felonies (E-D): $6,000
- High-level felonies (C-B): $7,000
- Highest felonies (A): $8,500
Drafting and/or Filing (petition for post-conviction relief) Stage:
- Misdemeanors: $5,000
- Low-level felonies (F-I) $6,000
- High-level felonies (E-B2): $7,000
- Highest felonies (B1-A): $8,500
Hearing Stage:
- Misdemeanors: $5,000
- Low-level felonies (F-I) $6,000
- High-level felonies (E-B2): $7,000
- Highest felonies (B1-A): $8,500
Review Stage: Price varies depending on the total transcript pages, including related proceedings like motion hearings.
North Carolina Representation: Guilty Plea
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Review: $5-8,500
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Drafting and/or Filing: $5-8,500
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Hearing: $5-8,500
North Carolina Representation: Trial Verdict
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Review (<500 transcript pages): $7,500**
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Drafting and/or Filing: 75% of the cost of Review
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Hearing: 60% of the total cost of Review and Drafting and/or Filing
*Doesn't include hearing fee and transcript pages over 500
**$15 per additional transcript page over 500Review Stage:
- Misdemeanors: $5,000
- Low-level felonies (F-I): $6,000
- High-level felonies (E-B2): $7,000
- Highest felonies (B1-A): $8,500
Drafting and/or Filing (motion for appropriate relief) Stage:
- Misdemeanors: $5,000
- Low-level felonies (F-I) $6,000
- High-level felonies (E-B2): $7,000
- Highest felonies (B1-A): $8,500
Hearing Stage:
- Misdemeanors: $5,000
- Low-level felonies (F-I) $6,000
- High-level felonies (E-B2): $7,000
- Highest felonies (B1-A): $8,500
Review Stage: Price varies depending on the total transcript pages, including related proceedings like motion hearings.
These prices are all flat fees. They are based on our firm’s best estimate on the amount of time it takes our firm to complete the various stages of these cases at the care and quality standards to which we hold ourselves.
For any of the prices listed, clients can elect to pay 10% less in the form of a retainer instead of a flat fee. For a retainer, our firm pulls from the money placed in our trust account at our attorney rate of $400 an hour and staff rate of $175 an hour until the funds are used up or the contract is concluded. If the contract is concluded without using up all the funds, the remaining funds are refunded to the client.
However, in the event your case takes longer than the estimated time upon which we base our flat fees, you will be required to place more funds in the trust account, in which case the retainer route would cost more.
All these prices are exclusive of court costs, copy/printing costs, and filing fees, which are billed to the client in the event they are incurred.
These prices do not include capital habeas representation. Reach out to us directly to discuss if you are seeking capital habeas representation.
The information on this site is not legal advice. For legal advice, you would need to consult with an attorney regarding your specific situation. Licensed to Practice in North Carolina and Tennessee. For Federal Cases, Practicing Solely before Federal Courts and Agencies