CFR > Title 45 - Public Welfare > SUBTITLE B—Regulations Relating to Public Welfare > CHAPTER XII—CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE (parts 1200 to 1235) > PART 1220—PAYMENT OF VOLUNTEER LEGAL EXPENSES > SUBPART B—Criminal Proceedings (§1220.2-1 to §1220.2-3) > 1220.2-1—Full-time volunteers.

1220.2-1—Full-time volunteers.

(a) (1) ACTION will pay all reasonable expenses for defense of full-time volunteers up to and including arraignment in Federal, state, and local criminal proceedings, except in cases where it is clear that the charged offense results from conduct which is not related to his service as a volunteer.
(2) Situations where conduct is clearly unrelated to a volunteer's service are those that arise either:
(i) In a period prior to volunteer service,
(ii) Under circumstances where the volunteer is not at his assigned volunteer project location, such as during periods of administrative, vacation, or emergency leave, or
(iii) When he is at his volunteer station, but the activity or action giving rise to the charged offense is clearly not part of, or required by, such assignment.
(b) Reasonable expenses in criminal proceedings beyond arraignment may be paid in cases where:
(1) The charge against the volunteer relates to his assignment or status as a volunteer, and not his personal status or personal matters. A charge relating to a volunteer's assignment arises out of any activity or action which is a part of, or required by, such assignment. A charge relating to a volunteer's status is motivated exclusively by the fact that a defendant is a volunteer.
(2) The volunteer has not admitted a willful or knowing violation of law, and
(3) The charge(s) is not a minor misdemeanor, such as a minor vehicle violation for which a fine or bail forfeiture will not exceed $100.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, there may be situations in which the criminal proceeding results from a situation which could give rise to a civil claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act. In such situations, the Justice Department may agree to defend the volunteer. In those cases, unless there is a conflict between the volunteer's interest and that of the government, ACTION will not pay for additional private representation for the volunteer.