{
  "slug": "deportation-defense-cost",
  "title": "Deportation Defense Attorney Cost Calculator",
  "heading": "Deportation Defense Cost Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/deportation-defense-cost",
  "summary": "Estimate attorney fees for fighting removal proceedings in immigration court.",
  "description": "Deportation (removal) defense costs scale with how many forms of relief are pursued and how many hearings the case requires. A single master calendar hearing with a straightforward continuance might cost little, but a full merits hearing contesting removal with relief applications like cancellation of removal, asylum, or adjustment of status typically runs attorneys $4,000-$10,000 for the whole case, with complex cases involving appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals adding $3,000-$6,000 more. Some attorneys bill hourly ($200-$450/hour) for unpredictable cases instead of flat fee. This calculator estimates cost either way: flat fee per stage (master calendar, individual merits hearing, appeal) or hourly with an estimated hour count, so you can compare which billing structure fits a case with an uncertain number of hearings.",
  "formula": "Flat: sum of per-stage fees. Hourly: hours × rate + court costs.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=deportation-defense-cost",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "billing",
      "label": "Billing structure",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "flat",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "flat",
          "label": "Flat fee by stage"
        },
        {
          "value": "hourly",
          "label": "Hourly"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "masterCalendar",
      "label": "Master calendar hearing(s) fee",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "meritsHearing",
      "label": "Individual merits hearing fee",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 4500,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "appeal",
      "label": "Anticipate BIA appeal?",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "no",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "no",
          "label": "No"
        },
        {
          "value": "yes",
          "label": "Yes — add appeal fee"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "appealFee",
      "label": "BIA appeal fee (if applicable)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 4000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "hourlyRate",
      "label": "Hourly rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 300,
      "unit": "$/hr",
      "min": 50,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "estHours",
      "label": "Estimated total hours",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 25,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "total",
      "label": "Estimated total cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "flatTotal",
      "label": "Flat-fee estimate",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "hourlyTotal",
      "label": "Hourly estimate",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "appealCost",
      "label": "Appeal cost (if included)",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Billing structure: Flat fee by stage",
      "Master calendar hearing(s) fee: 1000 $",
      "Individual merits hearing fee: 4500 $",
      "Anticipate BIA appeal?: No",
      "BIA appeal fee (if applicable): 4000 $",
      "Hourly rate: 300 $/hr",
      "Estimated total hours: 25"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Estimated total cost: $5,500",
      "Flat-fee estimate: $5,500",
      "Hourly estimate: $7,500",
      "Appeal cost (if included): $0"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter billing structure.",
      "Enter master calendar hearing(s) fee ($).",
      "Enter individual merits hearing fee ($).",
      "Enter anticipate bia appeal?.",
      "Enter bia appeal fee (if applicable) ($).",
      "Enter hourly rate ($/hr).",
      "Enter estimated total hours.",
      "Read your estimated total cost on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "billing": "flat",
        "masterCalendar": 600,
        "meritsHearing": 2750,
        "appeal": "no",
        "appealFee": 2500,
        "hourlyRate": 180,
        "estHours": 15
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "billing": "flat",
        "masterCalendar": 1000,
        "meritsHearing": 4500,
        "appeal": "no",
        "appealFee": 4000,
        "hourlyRate": 300,
        "estHours": 25
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "billing": "flat",
        "masterCalendar": 1600,
        "meritsHearing": 7250,
        "appeal": "no",
        "appealFee": 6500,
        "hourlyRate": 480,
        "estHours": 40
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "What's the difference between master calendar and individual merits hearings?",
      "a": "Master calendar hearings are short, often 10-15 minutes, procedural check-ins to schedule the case and confirm filings, sometimes several occur before the real hearing. The individual merits hearing is the actual trial where evidence and testimony are presented, often lasting hours and requiring the most attorney preparation."
    },
    {
      "q": "Can I get free representation for removal proceedings?",
      "a": "The government doesn't provide free counsel in immigration court since it's civil, not criminal, but nonprofit legal aid organizations, law school clinics, and some jurisdictions' universal representation programs (like New York's) provide free counsel to detained or low-income respondents, subject to capacity limits."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does it matter if I'm detained?",
      "a": "Yes, detained cases move on an expedited docket with less time to prepare and gather evidence, and attorneys often charge more for the compressed timeline and travel to detention facilities, which are frequently in remote locations."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is it worth appealing to the BIA if I lose?",
      "a": "It depends on whether there's a genuine legal or factual error in the judge's decision. Appeals extend the case by 1-2+ years and cost several thousand dollars, so an attorney should give you a realistic assessment of appeal merit before committing to that additional cost."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/asylum-application-cost",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/attorney-hourly-vs-flat-fee",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/immigration-bond-cost"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Deportation Defense Attorney Cost Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/deportation-defense-cost)"
}