Court Filing Fee Estimator

Filing fees vary widely by court and case type. Small claims fees typically run $30-$100. State trial-court civil filings commonly cost $200-$450. Federal district court civil filings are $405 (as of 2024). Probate, family law, and appellate filings have separate fee schedules and can be significantly higher.

Yes. Common add-ons include service of process ($50-$150 per defendant by sheriff or process server), motion fees ($25-$100 each in many courts), jury demand fees ($150-$500+), subpoena issuance, certified copies, and transcript fees. Total court costs in a litigated case routinely reach $1,500-$5,000+.

Yes. Most courts allow indigent litigants to apply for a fee waiver (sometimes called "in forma pauperis"). Eligibility is typically based on household income at or below 125-200% of the federal poverty level, or receipt of public benefits. Forms are available from the court clerk.

In the U.S. each party generally pays its own attorney fees ("American Rule"), but the prevailing party can usually recover taxable costs (filing fees, service, deposition transcripts) from the loser. Some statutes and contracts also shift attorney fees to the loser.