§ 845.7 Procedures for hiring counsel and obligating funds. ( a ) The selection of individual trial or appellate counsel will be made by the defendant. Such counsel shall represent the individual defendant and not the US Government. Selection shall be made from approved lists of attorneys who are qualified, competent and experienced in trial practice, and admitted for full practice, on their own account, before the courts of the foreign country involved. Normally, these lists will be coordinated with the local court or bar association, if any, and the appropriate US Diplomatic or Consular Mission and should include only those attorneys who are known or reputed, to comply with local attorney fee schedules or guides approved or suggested by local bar associations and should not exceed amounts paid under similar circumstances by nationals of the country where the trial is held. No fee may include any amount in payment for services other than those incident to representation before judicial and administrative agencies of the foreign country in the particular case for which the contract is made, and in no event may any contract include fees for representation in habeas corpus or related proceedings before tribunals of the United States. When appropriate and reasonable in the case, the payment of expenses, in addition to counsel fees, may include court costs, bail costs, charges for obtaining copies of records, printing and filing fees, interpreter fees, witness fees, and other necessary and reasonable expenses. Expenses will not include the payment of fines or civil damages, directly or indirectly.
( b ) Whenever possible, the officer responsible under § 845.3 (or his designee), acting on behalf of the United States of America, shall enter into a written contract with the selected counsel. The contract will cover counsel fees, and, when appropriate, may cover other costs arising in defense of the case only in the court of first instance and will not include fees for representation on appeal. If the case is appealed to higher tribunals, supplemental agreements shall be executed for each appeal. A copy of the contractual agreement shall serve as the obligating document.
( c ) If, for example, because of unusual circumstances or local customs, it is not practicable to enter into a written contract as in paragraph (b) of this section, action will be taken to record the agreement reached between the officer responsible under § 845.3 (or his designee) and the selected counsel. This requirement may be met by a letter of commission or letter of understanding, executed between the officer responsible under § 845.3 (or his designee) and the selected counsel, or by a written request for legal services expressly or impliedly accepted by the selected counsel. Any such document shall contain, if possible, an agreed estimate of counsel fees and reasonable expenses and a statement that both fees and expenses will conform to those paid by local nationals under similar circumstances and will not exceed local fee schedules, if any. If this document does not include an agreed estimate of counsel fees and other reasonable expenses, an estimate will be provided by the contracting officer. A copy of the document, together with the estimate, will be furnished the accounting component and will serve as the commitment document for the reservation of funds.
( d ) The provision of counsel and payment of expenses under this part is not subject to the provisions of the Defense Acquisition Regulation (subchapter A, chapter I of this title). However, the contract clauses set forth in part 5, section VII, Defense Acquisition Regulation, may be used as a guide in contracting.
( e ) Because of the desirability of timely procedural action, it is suggested that there be designated, from among the judge advocates on the staffs of officers responsible under § 845.3, contracting officers with contracting authority limited to agreements described in this section. The effect of this designation would be to combine within one office the duties of contracting officer and judge advocate.
( f ) Nothing in this part shall be construed as prohibiting the selection of qualified local counsel employed by the United States Government, if the serviceman freely selects such counsel.