Fees Payable to Supreme Court Advocates Under the Second Schedule
The Second Schedule to the Supreme Court Rules, 2013 sets out specified amounts for advocate fees, including fees on briefs, refreshers, drafting, acting work and preparation of paper books. These figures are relevant particularly to taxation of costs under the Rules. They should not be described as a universal ceiling on every privately negotiated professional fee.
The Rules are framed under Article 145 of the Constitution of India, which empowers the Supreme Court, subject to constitutional requirements, to make rules regulating its practice and procedure. Article 32 concerns enforcement of fundamental rights; Article 136 confers discretionary special-leave jurisdiction; Article 143 concerns presidential references; and Article 317(1) concerns removal or suspension of a member of a Public Service Commission in the circumstances specified therein.
Part I: Fees on Briefs and Refreshers
Part I covers defended and undefended matters, special leave petitions, Article 32 proceedings, chamber applications, reviews and other specified appearances. A refresher is an additional fee where permitted by the Schedule.
| Legal Service | Fee on brief not exceeding Rs. | Refresher not No. exceeding Rs. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defended appeals, suits or reference under Article 143 or Article 317 (I) of the Constitution or under any Statute or defended petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution | Leading Counsel | 24,000/- | 24,000/- |
| Associate Advocate, if any Advocate-on Record for instruction | 12,000/- | 6,000/- | |
| Undefended appeals. | One Fee | 14,000/- | No refresher |
| Petitions for special leave (or appeals on a certificate heard ex- parte). | Leading Counsel | 8,000/- | No refresher |
| Advocate-on Record when not pleading but only instructing | 4,000/- | No refresher | |
| Undefended petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution | Leading Counsel | 15,000/- | 7,500/- |
| Advocate-on Record when not pleading but only instructing | 8,000/- | 4,000/- | |
| Notices of motion other than petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution when opposed. | Leading Counsel | 15,000/- per appearance | No refresher |
| Advocate on Record | 8,000/- per appearance | No refresher | |
| Petitions in courts for review | Leading Counsel | 15,000/- | No refresher |
| Advocate on Record | 10,000/- | No refresher | |
| Opposed applications for investigations in Chambers | One fee | 10,000/- | |
| Unopposed motions and Chamber applications and review applications in taxation | One fee | 5,000/- | |
| Attending taxation or hearing Judgment | One fee | 2,500/- | |
| Attending settlement of Index and for taking other steps for preparation of the record | One fee | 5,000/- | |
| Fee to the Amicus Curiae appointed by the court | 6,000/- upto admission stage and 10,000/- on final disposal stage or hearing on regular side after admission/ grant of leave, or as directed by the Court/ Chief Justice. | ||
| Fee to the Panel Advocate appointed by the Registry | 6,000/- upto admission stage and 10,000/- on final disposal stage or hearing on regular side after admission/ grant of leave, or as directed by the Court/ Chief Justice | ||
Part II: Drafting, Settling and Acting Fees
Part II provides amounts for drafting and settling petitions and pleadings, and for acting work. An Advocate-on-Record (AOR) is an advocate entitled under the Supreme Court Rules to act and plead for a party in the Court; the Rules regulate filing and acting through an AOR.
| Legal Service | Fee not exceeding Rs. |
|---|---|
| For junior Advocate for drafting petitions for special leave and petitions and Petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution inclusive of the affidavits in support of the petition. | 12,000/- |
| To the senior for settling petitions for special leave and petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution inclusive of the affidavits in support of the petition | 10,000/- |
| To junior Advocate for drafting other petitions or affidavits (other than formal petitions like petitions for excusing delay and affidavits in them and affidavits of service) or written briefs | 5,500/- |
| To senior Advocate for settling other petitions or affidavits (other than formal petitions like excusing delay and affidavits in them and affidavits of service) | 7,500/- |
| To Junior Advocates for drawing statement of case in appeals, pleadings in suit or special case. | 12,000/- |
| To Senior Advocate for settling statement of case in appeals, pleadings in suit or special case in consultation with Junior, if allowed. | 18,000/- |
| In appeals (defended and undefended) including suits and References under Article 143 or Article 317 (1) of the Constitution or under any statute or defended petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution | 20,000/- but not less than 12,000/- as the Taxing Officer may in his discretion allow, having regard to the nature and duration of the 'Acting' work involved in the case |
| In undefended petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution. | 10,000/- |
| Actual postal and telegraph charges where necessary to be allowed in the discretion of the Taxing Officer. | |
Part III: Printing of Paper Books
The Schedule provides for reasonable actual printing costs as allowed by the Taxing Officer.
| Legal Service | Fee not exceeding Rs. |
|---|---|
| Printing of paper book | Actual cost at a reasonable rate to be allowed by the Taxing Officer |
How Advocate Fee Taxation Works
The Rules distinguish costs between parties from taxation between an advocate and client. Where a dispute arises over fees and charges payable to an Advocate-on-Record, the advocate or client may seek taxation of the bill before the appropriate authority under the relevant Rules. The Taxing Officer may assess allowable amounts and the Chamber Judge may be involved in disputes about agreements or fairness.
Where an appeal is compromised before being set down for hearing, the Rules provide a reduction in the relevant Part I fee, subject to the terms of compromise. Certain other Part I fees may also be reduced at the discretion of the Taxing Officer, according to the nature of the case. The specific Rules and any later amendments should be checked before relying on a figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Second Schedule the compulsory fee for every Supreme Court advocate?
No. The Schedule specifies amounts used in the framework of allowable fees and taxation of costs. Privately agreed professional fees must be considered separately, along with the applicable requirements concerning written agreements and taxation.
Are court fees and advocate fees the same?
No. Court fees are charges associated with instituting proceedings and filing documents; advocate fees concern legal professional services. See Supreme Court filing fees.
Does the Schedule cover legal-aid honoraria?
Legal-aid and panel engagements may have separate approved honorarium schedules and directions. Check the Supreme Court legal-aid information for the relevant scheme.
Official Rules and Resources
Refer to the Supreme Court of India Rules page for the Supreme Court Rules, 2013 and subsequent amendment notifications, including those published in 2024 and 2025. The figures above reproduce the Second Schedule amounts in the source page and should be read with the current official Rules and orders.
Last reviewed: 5 October 2026. Figures are Schedule-based amounts, not estimates of current market rates or legal advice about a particular fee dispute.