Read This About Court Fees Before Dealing With The Courts

When an individual is involved in court proceedings, he/she will likely be required to pay court fees. Court costs vary significantly based upon the type of proceeding an individual is involved in and what type of court he/she is petitioning. For example, there are different County Court fees, State Court fees, and Federal Court fees.

An individual should review the fees that are associated with the petitions and documents that he/she is filing.Any time that an individual is filing a document, a petition, or a complaint, he/she should expect to pay court fees. If an individual chooses to file for bankruptcy, he/she must pay a filing fee. If he/she wishes to file a civil suit or petition the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals, he/she must address the necessary court costs.

Court fees can range from $20 to over $500, depending upon the service that an individual requires or the type of petition that he/she is filing. For example, in some courts, an individual who wishes to file a civil cause will be required to pay a fee of about $300. For some individuals, court fees can present significant complications. This is particularly true in bankruptcy cases. However, this may also occur in many other cases, such as guardianship cases.

In the event that an individual cannot afford court costs, he/she can petition to have these fees waived. He/she will be required to complete pertinent documents, which will subsequently be reviewed by the court. The court will decide whether the associated court fees will be waived for an individual.

NEXT: Understanding Filing Fees In A Glance