Panel Attorney Guide
Applying to the Panel
FDAP trains and oversees a panel of approximately 300 attorneys who are appointed by the Court of Appeal to represent indigent parties in criminal, delinquency, dependency, and civil commitment appeals. Most panel attorneys are solo practitioners or employed by small firms. Click here for information about applying to the panel.
Panel Attorney Policies & Procedures
Our panel attorney policies and procedures guide provides detailed information on the obligations of panel attorneys and the support and supervision provided by FDAP.
Getting Paid
The primary source of information on panel attorney compensation claims is the Statewide Compensation Manual first published in 2019. In addition, panel attorneys must adhere to the Judicial Council of California (JCC) and Appellate Indigent Defense Oversight Advisory Committee (AIDOAC) compensation policies.
Appeal Checklist
The appeals checklist lists the steps that appellate counsel should generally follow. Counsel should review the checklist before each new case and refer to it throughout the appeal. The list is meant only as a general guide. Counsel will have to exercise independent judgment in every case.
FDAP January 2026 Panel Bulletin
Read on for a new year’s message from FDAP and important information about recent California Supreme Court opinions, using AI ...
FDAP December 2025 Panel Bulletin
Read on for important information about FDAP’s 2026 annual seminar, upcoming trainings, AI resources, oral argument procedures, and panel victories. ...