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Becoming a CJA Panel Member

Becoming a CJA Panel Member

The CJA Panel is a roster of private attorneys assembled by the Court pursuant to its CJA Plan. CJA Panel members will receive appointments to represent accused persons who are financially unable to retain counsel. There is one CJA Panel for each of the Court’s four divisions: Bowling Green, Louisville, Owensboro and Paducah.

 

            Eligibility for CJA Panel Membership

  • Applicants must be members in good standing of the Kentucky Bar Association for at least four (4) years and admitted to practice before this Court for at least two (2) years preceding the application.
  • Applicants must maintain an office in the division of the CJA Panel for which they seek membership.
  • Applicants must certify via the application process that they possess the necessary experience, litigation skills and proficiency with the federal sentencing guidelines, the Bail Reform Act, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and the Federal Rules of Evidence to provide competent representation of a federal criminal defendant.
  • Applicants should have a minimum of two (2) years of experience representing persons charged with criminal offenses and demonstrate a commitment to the defense of those who are financially unable to retain counsel.
  • Attorneys who do not possess the experience described above but believe they have equivalent experience are encouraged to apply and set forth in writing the details of that experience for consideration.

 

Application for Appointment to a CJA Panel

The Court will accept applications for membership on each CJA Panel from March 1 to March 31 of each year.

Completed applications shall be submitted to the Court via email to CJA_Application@kywd.uscourts.gov. No application should be submitted prior to March 1, and no application received after March 31 shall be accepted without consent of the Chief Judge. The Court may, from time to time, permit applications outside of the time period established here, if the Court first determines that additional CJA Panel members are necessary for the proper administration of this CJA Plan.