Dane County Clerk of Courts

Criminal Defense Project

Under the Criminal Defense Project, Dane County Circuit Court judges appoint counsel on a flat-rate basis for indigent criminal defendants who are not eligible for Public Defender appointment. The current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the court and selected lawyers expires December 31, 2025. A new MOU will be signed for the period of January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. The current basic rate of pay is as follows:

CM/CT: $1000 for up to 12 hours of work. After 12 hours, $100 per hour, including prep and trial time.
CF (Class F - Class I): $1500 for up to 17 hours. After 17 hours, $100 per hour, including prep and trial time.
CF (Class C - Class E): $2000 for up to 20 hours. After 20 hours, $100 per hour, including prep and trial time.

Case assignments will be made on a rotating basis.

Additional Resources:

C riminal/Traffic Forms including Criminal Defense Project information for Defendants