Superior Courts of California

NOTICE OF FEE CHANGES

The Judicial Council of California has announced that new civil fees will go into effect in the state’s trial courts effective January 1, 2006.  The new fee structure will streamline and simplify civil fees by rolling the current varied surcharges and add-on fees into one filing fee.  For the vast majority of court filings and services, the same fees will be charged for the same services across all 58 counties.  In three counties, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Francisco, the first paper filing fees will be slightly higher because of local courthouse construction surcharges.

The changes in the court fees are designed to create statewide consistency in filing fees and to help ensure stable funding, while maintaining access and continuing a high level of public service in the California trial courts.  The changes result from the enactment of the Uniform Civil Fees and Standard Fee Schedule Act, which was approved by the Legislature and the Governor earlier this year.

The new structure will:

·        Streamline and simplify the civil fee structure.  Various surcharges and add-on fees are rolled into one uniform civil filing fee. 

·        Create uniformity.  For the vast majority of fees, the same fees will be charged for the same services across all 58 counties.

·        Increase access to the courts.  The new structure directs additional funding to equal access programs.

·        Offer predictability.  Court users will know that fees will remain consistent from county to county and will remain unchanged for a minimum of two years. 

Each superior court will begin collecting the new consolidated fee in any affected court matter effective January 1, 2006. 

The new statewide fee schedule can be found on the California Courts Web site at www.courtinfo.ca.gov/reference/factsheets.htm and is available at the clerk’s office in each court location.  Information about applicable local fees and answers to specific questions can also be obtained at the clerk’s office.