FDAP

What FDAP does

First District Appellate Project (FDAP) is a California 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation founded in 1986 and headquartered in Oakland that administers court-appointed appellate legal representation for indigent parties in the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District. Under an exclusive contract with the California judiciary pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 8.300, FDAP recruits, trains, and oversees a panel of approximately 300 independent-practitioner attorneys (predominantly solo or small-firm) who handle criminal, juvenile delinquency, dependency, and civil commitment appeals across twelve Northern California counties — Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, and Sonoma. The Court of Appeal, not FDAP, issues the formal appointment orders; FDAP's role is screening, recommending, training, mentoring, brief review, and case oversight.

The organization's service portfolio wraps the appellate representation process end-to-end. Core operational products include the Panel Attorney Guide (policies, procedures, checklists, and forms), the Attorney of the Day telephone information line, a Client and Family Resource List connecting clients to reentry and civil legal aid services, a free law library and forms library, monthly Panel News bulletins, a Panel Victories archive (813+ documented favorable outcomes), and collaborative Recent Opinions tracking produced jointly with the four other California appellate projects (ADI, CCAP, SDAP, CAP-LA). FDAP staff attorneys provide brief review and mentoring for "assisted" cases; experienced panel attorneys progress to independent case assignments. Operational tooling includes TrueFiling for electronic service and the Judicial Council's eClaims system for compensation processing, and FDAP provides professional liability coverage to panel members in appointed cases.

FDAP's revenue model is non-commercial. Core funding flows from California judicial council contracts compensating appointed counsel, with compensation rates published and tiered — effective July 1, 2026, $165/hour for upper-tier independent cases, $155/hour for other independent cases, and $145/hour for assisted cases. This is supplemented by 501(c)(3)-eligible charitable donations across formal sponsorship tiers (Supreme $20,000+, Oyez $10,000–$19,999, En Banc $5,000–$9,999, Gideon $1,000–$4,999, and Superior up to $1,000). FDAP has 11–50 employees at its Oakland headquarters, is governed by a Board of Directors, and has no equity ownership, parent company, or external capital structure.

Name

FDAP

Legal name

First District Appellate Project

Website

https://fdap.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First District Appellate Project (FDAP) is a California 501(c)(3) non-profit administering court-appointed appellate representation for indigent parties across twelve Northern California counties, managing a panel of approximately 300 attorneys under exclusive contract with the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Contract / Judiciary Funding: FDAP is a non-profit corporation under contract with the California judiciary to administer appointed counsel and oversee panel attorneys. Revenue flows from state judicial council funding for court-appointed representation.
2. Donations and Sponsorships: FDAP accepts tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) non-profit (Tax ID 94-2984112). Sponsorship tiers include Supreme Supporter ($20,000+), Oyez Supporter ($10,000-$19,999), En Banc Supporter ($5,000-$9,999, e.g., Keker Van Nest & Peters), Gideon Supporter ($1,000-$4,999), and Superior Supporter (up to $1,000).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FDAP administers a roster of approximately 300 qualified private attorneys who are appointed by the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District to represent indigent parties in criminal, juvenile delinquency, juvenile dependency, and civil commitment appeals, as well as related habeas corpus proceedings. The organization also provides ancillary training, mentoring, professional liability coverage, and case-support resources to the panel attorneys who deliver the representation.

Product overview

FDAP operates as a non-profit legal services organization administering a panel of approximately 300 contracted attorneys who provide court-appointed appellate representation for indigent parties in criminal, juvenile delinquency, dependency, and civil commitment appeals within the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District. The organization offers a portfolio of complementary services including a comprehensive Panel Attorney Guide with policies, procedures, and appeal checklists; the Attorney of the Day program for procedural guidance; a Client and Family Resource List connecting clients to reentry and support services; Legal Resources including a free law library and forms library; and collaborative Recent Opinions tracking with other California appellate projects. FDAP supports its panel through assisted case review (with FDAP staff attorney involvement) and independent case assignments, reviewing compensation claims and providing professional liability coverage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Criminal Appellate Representation Court-appointed appellate representation for indigent criminal appellants in the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, delivered by FDAP panel attorneys for felony convictions and related appeals.
• Juvenile Delinquency Appeals Court-appointed appellate representation for indigent juveniles with delinquency findings who are appealing in the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District.
• Juvenile Dependency Appeals Court-appointed appellate representation for indigent parents and minors in juvenile dependency matters (e.g., allegations of abuse or neglect) on appeal in the First Appellate District.
• Civil Commitment Appeals Court-appointed appellate representation for indigent parties in civil commitment cases (such as sexually violent predator commitments and other involuntary civil commitment orders) on appeal in the First Appellate District.
• Habeas Corpus Investigation and Petition Support Investigative support and assistance with habeas corpus petitions for FDAP panel attorneys handling appellate cases, including access to investigative resources and specialized expertise.
• Panel Attorney Training, Mentoring, and Professional Liability Coverage Continuing legal education, mentoring by senior panel members, and professional liability insurance provided to attorneys on the FDAP panel to support competent court-appointed appellate representation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 813+ panel victories documented in the First District Panel Victories archive
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• California Appellate Defenders, Inc. (ADI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFDAP collaborates with ADI, Central California Appellate Program (CCAP), Sixth District Appellate Program (SDAP), and CAP-LA on statewide MCLE training programs for panel attorneys. Summaries of recent published opinions are produced collaboratively by staff attorneys at all five California appellate projects.
• Central California Appellate Program (CCAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFDAP collaborates with CCAP, ADI, SDAP, and CAP-LA on statewide MCLE training programs for panel attorneys. Opinion summaries are produced collaboratively.
• Sixth District Appellate Program (SDAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFDAP collaborates with SDAP, ADI, CCAP, and CAP-LA on statewide MCLE training programs for panel attorneys. Opinion summaries are produced collaboratively.
• CAP-LA (California Appellate Project - Los Angeles)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFDAP collaborates with CAP-LA, ADI, CCAP, and SDAP on statewide MCLE training programs for panel attorneys. Opinion summaries are produced collaboratively.
• Keker Van Nest & Peters LLPminorOthersEn Banc Supporter sponsor ($5,000–$9,999 tier) for FDAP. FDAP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; Tax ID 94-2984112. Named as a supporter on the FDAP donations page.
• Anonymous DonorsminorOthersListed as Gideon Supporter ($1,000–$4,999) under FDAP Sponsorships. FDAP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
• California Supreme CourtcoreOthersFDAP attorneys file petitions for review in the California Supreme Court. Compensation claims for work after Supreme Court grants review are submitted directly to the Supreme Court, not processed through FDAP.
• Judicial Council of California (JCC)coreOthersFDAP processes panel attorney compensation claims and forwards them to JCC for payment. Panel attorneys must adhere to JCC compensation policies. FDAP is under contract with the judiciary to administer the appointment process.
• Appellate Indigent Defense Oversight Advisory Committee (AIDOAC)coreOthersFDAP panel attorneys must adhere to AIDOAC compensation policies on travel, habeas corpus petitions, use of associate counsel, and retaining receipts. AIDOAC may conduct random audits of compensation claims.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia: PDS is a federally funded, independent public defender organization providing holistic criminal defense representation in the District of Columbia. While trial-focused, it shares FDAP's model of an independent non-profit indigent defense provider with strong institutional backing, making it a structurally comparable peer in a different jurisdiction.

Others

• National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA): NLADA is the national membership organization for civil legal aid and public defense providers. It is an industry association peer to FDAP, setting national standards and convening the indigent defense community in which FDAP and its panel attorneys operate.
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL): NACDL is the largest U.S. membership organization for criminal defense lawyers. It is not a service provider like FDAP but is an adjacent industry organization influencing indigent defense policy, training, and standards relevant to FDAP's panel attorneys.
• Innocence Project: Innocence Project is a non-profit focused on DNA and wrongful conviction post-conviction review. It is thematically adjacent to FDAP's appellate and habeas work but operates a different model (private non-profit, not court-contracted administrator) and a narrower scope (post-conviction innocence claims).

Direct peers

• Sixth District Appellate Program (SDAP): SDAP performs the equivalent court-appointed appellate defender function for California's Sixth Appellate District. It is a direct peer under the same California Rules of Court framework and collaborates with FDAP on statewide MCLE programs and opinion tracking.
• Central California Appellate Program (CCAP): CCAP administers appointed appellate counsel in California's Fifth Appellate District. It mirrors FDAP's role, with the same panel-attorney model, same state court contract structure, and ongoing joint training collaboration with FDAP and the other California appellate projects.
• California Appellate Defenders, Inc. (ADI): ADI is the analogous non-profit appellate defender organization administering the court-appointed appellate process for California's Fourth Appellate District (San Diego/Imperial). It performs the same function as FDAP under California Rules of Court, rule 8.300, and is a direct co-collaborator on statewide MCLE training and opinion summaries.
• California Appellate Project – Los Angeles (CAP-LA): CAP-LA administers appointed appellate counsel in the Los Angeles area of California's Second Appellate District. It is a direct peer to FDAP, operating under the same statutory framework and partnering with FDAP on joint training and case-law publications.

Broad incumbents

• Office of the State Public Defender (California): California's statewide public defender agency handles capital and complex appellate/post-conviction cases across all appellate districts. It is a broader incumbent in the same indigent appellate defense space and would be a natural alternative administrator if the First District contract were opened to competition.

Emerging players

• Habeas Corpus Resource Center (California): HCRC is a California state agency providing post-conviction and habeas representation to indigent individuals. It overlaps with FDAP's habeas investigation and petition work and represents a more specialized, state-level peer in a closely adjacent area of indigent appellate practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FDAPorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-district-appellate-project
• Xx.com/FDAPorg

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FDAP