Flat Fee Pilot Feedback Survey

Introduction

 Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.  The survey should not take more than 10-15 minutes.  We are conducting this survey to evaluate the pilot fee schedule currently in place in the following counties: Burke, Davidson, Iredell, Lincoln, Macon, Watauga.  This survey should only be completed by attorneys who have been providing representation to court-appointed clients in these counties. 
 
The fee schedule was implemented as a pilot program at the direction of the General Assembly.  IDS is in the process of making an initial assessment of how the schedule is working, and will be submitting a report to the General Assembly in March, 2018. 

 We want to know the impact of the fee schedule, positive or negative, on the clients, the lawyers and the court system in which these cases are heard.  Before completing the survey, please spend some time thinking about the ways in which the change from hourly compensation to compensation under a fee schedule may have had an impact on you, your clients and the courts.  For example, has the fee schedule changed the time and effort lawyers can put into their cases, the speed with which lawyers are paid or cases resolved, the number of lawyers willing to accept appointment, or any other impact.  If your answer is different for different types of cases, please let us know in your answer.

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* 1. Pilot Counties in which you handle cases that are resolved in district court (check all that apply).

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* 2. Number of counties in which you regularly practice (check all that apply). 

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* 3. Case Types for which you provide representation (check all that apply). 

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* 4. How many years have you been in legal practice? 

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* 5. What percent of your current practice is spent on court appointed cases typically resolved in district court? 

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* 6. Did implementation of the fee schedule change the amount of your practice spent on appointment cases? 

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* 7. Do you believe that implementation of the fee schedule has changed the quality of representation in your county? 

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* 8. Do you believe that implementation of the fee schedule has had an impact on the lawyers accepting court appointed cases? 

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* 9. Do you believe that implementation of the fee schedule has had an impact on the court system?

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* 10. The fee schedule includes the option for lawyers to request that they be paid under the hourly system for extraordinary cases. Does the availability of seeking pay as an extraordinary case affect your ability to provide effective representation for your clients?

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* 11. Do you believe that the Flat Fee Pilot has been a success? 

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* 12. If the fee schedule became a permanent system for paying court appointed attorneys in your county, what impact would that have on your willingness to continue to accept appointed cases? 

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* 13. Do you have any suggestions for improving the current fee schedule?

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* 14. Are you a Solo Practitioner?

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* 15. Are you a member of a Law Firm?

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* 16. Are you a member of a Law Firm?

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