One NAC per case
Every time CPCS assigns you to a client, that case gets its own Notice of Assignment of Counsel. One client with three open cases has three NACs. Check each one for accuracy when it arrives and keep a copy in the file (Assigned Counsel Manual, Chapter 5).
A C-NAC and a D-NAC are not the same
There are two kinds, and they behave differently in eBill.
- A D-NAC comes from the court's electronic assignment system. CPCS sends you the number, and it shows up in your eBill NAC list on its own once the court data reaches CPCS.
- A C-NAC is a paper NAC issued by a Bar Advocate Program. It does not appear on its own. You add it in eBill yourself with the Add NAC button, using the number printed on the form.
(eBill 2.0 User Manual, Section 3.)
Why a C-NAC bill sits "pending"
When you bill against a C-NAC before CPCS has the official assignment on file, the bill shows as pending. That is normal and it is deliberate, so you can still hit your billing deadlines while the paperwork catches up. Once CPCS has the assignment, the status changes from Pending to On File (eBill 2.0 User Manual, Section 3.1). A D-NAC cannot be added as pending. If one does not show up, call the eBill helpdesk.
One NAC can carry more than one docket
A single NAC can cover several docket numbers. eBill wants the full docket number for each, entered as it appears on the complaint. If there is no docket yet, you enter "No Docket" (eBill 2.0 User Manual, Section 3.2).
How Plani helps
When you connect Plani to eBill, it reads your NAC list and matches your clients to the right NAC, so your time files against the correct case. If a client has more than one NAC and Plani cannot tell which is right, it asks you before it files anything.