Public Defender's Handbook
Special Situations
Travel Advances.
At least 2 weeks advance notice to the U.S. Marshal’s office
is required for travel advances. These advances are limited to extreme need cases. The U.S. Marshal’s office
will advance Meals, Incidental Expenses
and Lodging for the first day only. To receive a travel advance, the
witness must sign a Witness Certificate for Advance (Form USM-24)
and deliver it to the U.S. Marshal’s office. The U.S. Marshal’s office does not deliver advances and
the attorney must arrange for it to be picked
up if the witness cannot. Contact the U.S. Marshal’s office for specific local procedures.
Federal Government
Employees as Witnesses. Federal government employees
(including tribal police officers, military and criminal investigative officers) do not receive witness
fees, travel, or lodging if their agency is
involved with their testimony (i.e., an officer testifying in an
official capacity).
Witness fees will only be
paid to government employees if they are in a non-pay
status, such as on leave without pay, a seasonal or temporary worker,
or a former employee. Call the U.S. Marshal’s office if there are any questions.
If the witness’ government
agency is not involved, the witness will receive
the lodging and travel, but will not receive the witness fees
because the government is paying
their salary. Witness fees are then handled as follows:
Witnesses within
District. Standard Form-1164 is completed along with a
statement that the case does not involve the employing agency.
File the form with the U.S. Marshal’s
office for payment. Before lodging is allowed, Federal
Travel Regulations require the traveler be in travel status more than 10 hours and 50 miles or more. Government
employees will be paid mileage and
parking only, but no per diem or witness appearance fees.
Out-of-District Witnesses:
Federal Government or Military Witnesses. CJA or
Federal Public Defenders should complete a Request for Federal
Government or Military Employee Witness (Form
DOJ-426) and forward the form to Special Authorizations Unit for
processing. Travel reimbursement payments to Federal Government agencies
may be made via
Form SF-1012 or electronically, agency-to-agency.
International Witnesses.
CJA or Federal Public Defenders should complete a Request for Advance
for International Witness (Form DOJ-44). International Witnesses are entitled
to and paid the same fees
and allowances as regular fact witnesses. However, special coordination with the Department of State, Office of
Special Consular Services is required.
The attorneys should contact the State Department, Office of Consular
Affairs for assistance regarding procedures to follow when obtaining
foreign witnesses. Although standard fees and allowances are generally
acceptable, a foreign national may occasionally require additional allowances. The Simplified Acquisition
Service (SAS) will also process foreign
witness requests for indigent defendants and will request an advance from the Department of State. The U.S.
Marshals Service should provide round-trip
transportation to foreign witnesses. Contact the Department of Justice,
Special Authorizations Unit at (202) 307-1943 or email
special.authorizations@usdoj.gov for more information.
Prisoners as Witnesses.
A petition for issuance of a writ, an order, or a writ of Habeas Corpus
ad Testificandum must be prepared by the attorney and
signed by the Judge before an incarcerated witnesses can appear on
behalf of a defendant. The court staff will give the writ to the US.
Marshal’s office and file the order. The U.S. Marshal’s office should be
contacted for time frames on the movement of prisoners. Time frames vary
throughout the United States but average time frames are:
4-7 days |
Execution of a local
area writ within the commuting area. |
10-14 days |
Execution of a
non-local writ within the USMS District. |
4 weeks |
Notice for an
out-of-district writ. |
|