Personal contribution in a criminal case: what do you pay yourself?

What bill did you receive?

The personal contribution is the part that you pay to the lawyer yourself for certain subsidized legal assistance. It is neither a punishment nor a fine from the Public Prosecution Service. An invoice for hours on a commercial assignment has a different basis. Therefore, look at the description, the file number and the order confirmation.

If you receive an unclear invoice, ask for a specification: is it the determined personal contribution, an agreed advance payment or an expense for a third party? By keeping those items separate, you can specifically check whether the amount is appropriate. The word attorney fees alone at the top of the letter does not provide enough information.

Read the invoice next to the addition decision

The Council decision states for which case an addition has been granted and what contribution has been imposed. Put that next to the invoice. Check that the correct person, procedure and lawyer are mentioned. If you have multiple cases or agencies, create a separate overview for each addition number.

An amount from a general table is less precise than the individual decision taken on your application. Tables can also change per year. For an application in 2026, use the current information from the Council and explain how the amount in your decision was arrived at.

In what situations can the contribution be missing?

Not every criminal law addition has its own contribution. This is not the case with certain allocated assistance and other legal exceptions. Additional conditions apply for some exceptions. So don't just ask whether you get pro deo, but also what type of addition or picket arrangement is used.

Your stay at a police station, your subsequent detention and your situation after release are not simply one financial period. A transition may be a reason to renegotiate financing. Let it be stated in the assignment who checks whether follow-up work falls under the same regulations.

What if the calculation no longer fits your income?

With a regular addition, the Council can use data from the reference year, even though you now earn less. The reference year change is intended to assess the current carrying capacity under certain conditions. A substantive error in the data used and an actual decrease in income do not automatically require the same response.

Quickly review the decision and the current supporting documents with your lawyer. For the route in 2026, the Council mentions six weeks after the first decision. Have it explained which calculation you need to substantiate and which action monitors the period. An informal inquiry by telephone is not automatically the required request.

Payment is currently not possible: make a specific appointment

A payment problem is important to discuss immediately, even if the amount determined is legally correct. Ask if the lawyer would like to agree on a payment arrangement and what dates and amounts are involved. Only assume that such an arrangement applies if there is clear agreement about it.

At the same time, explain which process steps will take place soon. Payment agreements must be in line with the current order and careful handling. Discuss who can be reached for urgent questions. Keep the appointment made so that an administrative reminder does not later lead to doubts about the continuation of the case.

Another lawyer or subsequent proceedings

Switching to another lawyer can have financial consequences. The Council describes that in the event of a regular takeover, a personal contribution may again apply without a discount. Before switching, ask what applies to your scheme. This is extra relevant if the first contribution has already been paid.

Follow-up procedures and additional work also require clear demarcation. Do not just let the new lawyer quote his rate, but discuss the existing addition and previous agreements. The lawyer change page helps to prepare transfer, terms and financing together.

Keep other costs and later cost recovery separate

Subsidized social assistance and a personal contribution do not tell everything about possible expenses. Consider separately agreed external activities. Ask what costs require approval. No court fee is charged for the criminal proceedings themselves; therefore, do not simply copy rules from a civil procedure.

Cost recovery after an irrevocable conviction is a different issue than a regular personal contribution. In the case of eligible allocated assistance, capacity can be examined later. When sending a letter, ask what basis, amounts and response options apply. Keep old addition decisions even after the ruling.

This is how you check the contribution step by step

Work from the pieces you actually received. An amount from a search result may belong to a different year, jurisdiction or household type. Create one overview in which the addition number is linked to the invoice. Write down which question is still open and who will answer it.

For help with financing, what is often needed is the decision, not the complete criminal file. Agree on how to share data securely and what information is relevant. In the event of a rejection or an incorrect calculation, the stated period must also be monitored. If necessary, first read the pro-deo terms and conditions.

• Look for the order confirmation and the addition decision.
• Check case, year, addition number and contribution on the invoice.
• Ask whether an exception without a personal contribution applies.
• Discuss a current decrease in income and the appropriate response period.
• Record any payment agreements in writing.