UTBMS Code A106 — Court/Agency Attendance
Attendance at court hearings, agency proceedings, arbitration sessions, and other tribunal appearances. This code captures the time spent at formal proceedings as an activity type.
schedule When This Code Is Used
When attorneys are attending court hearings, administrative proceedings, arbitration sessions, or other formal tribunal proceedings in person or by video.
warning Common Billing Violations
Billing full-day rates for brief court appearances that last under an hour including wait time
Charging travel time at full attorney rates when the engagement letter specifies reduced travel rates
Over-staffing court appearances with multiple attorneys when only one is presenting or arguing
Billing wait time at the courthouse at full rates when the attorney could be performing other work
timer Typical Hours
Brief status conference: 1-3 hours (including travel and wait). Motion hearing: 2-5 hours. Full evidentiary hearing: 4-8 hours per day.
flag Red Flags to Watch For
Billing 4+ hours for a status conference that lasted 15 minutes
Multiple attorneys billing full hours for the same court appearance
First-class or premium travel billed for routine local court appearances
A106 entries that include unbilled travel time mixed with full-rate hearing time
check_circle Best Practices for Review
Require that travel time be billed separately at reduced rates per the engagement letter
Limit court attendance to one attorney unless the hearing requires multiple presentations
Verify A106 entries against the court calendar to confirm proceedings occurred as billed
Establish that courthouse wait time is billed at a reduced rate or used for other billable work
link Related Codes
analytics Key Statistics
Court attendance represents 3-7% of total billed hours in litigation matters, with significant variance based on jurisdictional practices
Source: Federal Judicial Center, 2024
Virtual court appearances reduce per-hearing costs by 40-60% by eliminating travel time and enabling single-attorney attendance
Source: CLOC State of the Industry Report, 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
What does UTBMS activity code A106 cover? expand_more
UTBMS activity code A106 covers Court and Agency Attendance including appearances at hearings, conferences, trials, arbitration sessions, and administrative proceedings. It captures the time attorneys spend physically or virtually present at court or agency proceedings.
How do you manage court attendance costs under A106? expand_more
Limit the number of attorneys attending each court appearance. Require advance approval for any court appearance involving more than two attorneys. Distinguish between active participation and passive observation, and challenge billing for wait time during lengthy court calendars.
What are red flags for court attendance billing under A106? expand_more
Red flags include multiple attorneys billing full days for a hearing where only one participated, billing for travel and wait time at full hourly rates, sending senior partners to routine scheduling conferences, and continuing to bill A106 for time after the relevant hearing has concluded.