Claim for Attorney's Fees for Defense Against Criminal Charge

A decision was requested regarding the entitlement of a member of the Army Reserve to reimbursement for private attorney's fees incurred for representing him in court proceedings involving a charge of larceny of Government property. The member was not entitled to reimbursement of the fees since the Government was not required to provide him with an attorney, and no authority existed to pay the claim. The claim was not so extraordinary nor did it contain elements of legal liability or equity which would warrant reporting it to Congress under the Meritorious Claims Act.