Howard County Circuit Court Filing Fees and Waivers

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Joint line of dismissal

The Clerk’s fee and any open court costs must be paid when a Joint Line of Dismissal is filed.

Payment of the Clerk’s fee and any open court costs are required when filing a Joint Line of Dismissal.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Enforcement action

The prevailing party must pay the required filing fees to begin an enforcement action.

To begin an enforcement action, the prevailing party will have to complete and file the appropriate forms with the court, pay the required filing fees, and appear in court for additional hearings.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Child custody mediation

Parties are responsible for the fees associated with child custody mediation.

Parties are responsible for the fee.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Custody evaluation

Parties with the financial ability to pay may be required to pay for a private custody evaluation.

When parties have the financial ability to pay for a private evaluation, they may be required to do so.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Court ordered mediation

Eligible low-income litigants may seek mediation-fee assistance by submitting a fee waiver request, which is decided under income-based guidelines and may result in full, reduced-rate, or no-cost mediation.

The Court has a small fund for low-income litigants to assist with the fees of court ordered mediation. Additionally, some of our mediators will either offer their service at no cost to eligible litigants or will offer a sliding scale payment plan. Litigants are required to submit a fee waiver form (PDF) to the Family Law Office. The request will be approved or denied by the Family Law Coordinator using income-based eligibility guidelines. Upon approval, the court will pay the entire cost of mediation OR refer the case and ask the provider to perform the service at a reduced rate or pro bono.

WARNING

Applies to

Family services mediation fee waiver

The form allows a person unable to pay to request a waiver of the filing fee for family services or mediation.

REQUEST FOR WAIVER OF FEE FOR FAMILY SERVICES/MEDIATION For these reasons, I request waiver of payment of the filing fee.

WARNING

Low-income litigants may request assistance with court-ordered mediation fees using an income-based fee waiver process; assistance may cover the cost or provide reduced-rate or pro bono mediation.

The Court has a small fund for low-income litigants to assist with the fees of court ordered mediation. Additionally, some of our mediators will either offer their service at no cost to eligible litigants or will offer a sliding scale payment plan. Litigants are required to submit a fee waiver form to the Family Law Office. The request will be approved or denied using income-based eligibility guidelines. Upon approval, the court will pay the entire cost of mediation OR refer the case and ask the provider to perform the service at a reduced rate or pro bono.

INFOCivil cases

Fees for family law services may be waived or the court may request pro bono service; Parenting Seminar providers may be contacted directly about a waiver or sliding-scale fee.

If a party cannot afford a family law service, the fees may be waived, or the ourt may request that service provider deliver service pro bono. However, the Parenting Seminar providers can be contacted directly if a fee waiver or sliding scale fee is needed.

INFOCivil cases

Applies to

Custody evaluation

Court-sponsored custody evaluations conducted by the court social worker have no fee.

Court-sponsored evaluations are conducted by the court social worker and there is no fee for the evaluation.