Champaign County Court of Common Pleas, General Division Filing Fees and Waivers

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

E filed document

Any deposit or filing fee due for an electronically filed document must be paid by credit card when the filing is submitted.

When a document requiring the payment of a deposit or fees is e-Filed, the required deposit or fee must be paid by credit card at the time of the filing.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

CQE petition

A petitioner must pay the required deposit before action is taken on a CQE petition, and judgment will not issue until all costs are paid.

(D) Before any action is required to be taken on the petition, the Petitioner must pay a deposit in accordance with the Clerk’s fee schedule set forth in Champaign G.D.L.R. Appendix C. Judgment granting a CQE shall not be issued until costs are paid in full.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Jury demand

A party demanding a jury trial in a civil case must file the Appendix C deposit within 90 days of the jury demand, or the jury-trial demand is deemed waived.

Any party demanding a jury trial in a civil case shall secure the cost by filing a deposit set forth in Champaign G.D.L.R. Appendix C within ninety (90) days of filing the jury demand. Failure to comply herewith shall be deemed a waiver of trial by jury.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Case reinstatement

To reinstate a foreclosure case, the Appendix C deposit fee must be paid unless the sale was withdrawn because a bankruptcy action was filed.

Unless the sale is withdrawn due to the filing of a bankruptcy action, the deposit fee set forth in Champaign G.D.L.R. Appendix C shall be paid in order to reinstate the case.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Civil or miscellaneous docketed action

A civil or miscellaneous docketed action must be accompanied by a cost and fee security deposit in the amount stated in the Clerk’s Fee Deposit Schedule before the Clerk will accept it for filing.

Except as provided herein, no civil action or miscellaneous docketed action or proceeding shall be accepted by the Clerk for filing unless there is deposited with the Clerk, as security for costs and fees, in the amount set forth in the Clerk’s Fee Deposit Schedule, herein adopted by the Court and made available either in person at the Clerk’s Office or accessed through the Clerk’s website www.champaignclerk.com/legal.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Initiating document

A non-inmate initiating party who cannot pay costs must submit an Affidavit of Indigency with specified financial information and attach the preceding year’s federal tax return.

If the party initiating the civil action or miscellaneous docketed action is not an inmate and believes that they are unable to pay the costs of an initiated action, the party shall include with the initiating document an Affidavit of Indigency listing (1) the employment and salary for the past twelve months, (2) received public assistance for the past twelve months, (3) total assets, excluding family furnishings, (4) bank balances, and (5) number of dependents within the body of the Affidavit of Indigency. A federal tax return for the preceding year shall be attached to said Affidavit.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Complaint

The Clerk must accept a complaint without costs when the Affidavit of Indigency is complete and must reject it when the affidavit is incomplete.

If the Affidavit of Indigency set forth in the preceding paragraph is complete, the Clerk shall accept the complaint for filing without costs. If the Affidavit of Indigency is not complete, the Clerk shall not accept the complaint for filing.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Failure to pay costs as ordered by the court is grounds for dismissing the action under Civil Rule 41(B)(1).

Failure to pay costs as ordered by the Court shall be grounds for dismissal of the action pursuant to Civ.R. 41(B)(1).

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Subsequent civil or miscellaneous docketed action

All unpaid costs from a prior action must be paid before the Clerk may accept a subsequent civil or miscellaneous docketed action.

If a party owes costs to the Court from a prior action, all such costs must be paid before the Clerk may accept for filing any subsequent civil action or miscellaneous docketed action.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Final judgment entry

A final judgment entry must specify exactly how and by whom remaining costs will be paid before the Clerk will accept it for filing.

The Clerk shall not accept a final judgment entry for filing unless the entry specifies exactly how and by whom the remaining costs are to be paid.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Jury demand

The first party making a jury demand must deposit the scheduled sum within 90 days, and failure to do so is deemed a waiver of jury trial.

The first party making a jury demand in a civil action before this Court shall deposit with the Clerk, a sum of monies, as set forth in the Clerk’s Fee Deposit Schedule, within ninety (90) days of filing the jury demand. Failure to comply herewith shall be deemed a waiver of trial by jury.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Praecipe for order of sale

A foreclosure sale praecipe must be accompanied by the scheduled security deposit payable to the Sheriff, which the Clerk must promptly forward to the Sheriff.

When filing a praecipe for an order of sale with the Clerk, a security deposit in the amount set forth in Clerk’s Deposit Schedule, payable to the Champaign County Sheriff, shall be deposited with the Clerk. The Clerk shall promptly forward the security deposit to the Sheriff.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Municipal court transfer

A transferred counterclaim or cross-claim exceeding Municipal Court jurisdiction requires the claimant to post Common Pleas Court-equivalent cost security, and failure to do so results in remand.

Prior to the Clerk accepting a case transferred from the Municipal Court, in which the demand contained in the counterclaim or cross-claim exceeds the monetary jurisdiction of that court, the counterclaimant or cross-claimant shall post security for costs in the sum equal to the amount required if the case was originally filed in the Common Pleas Court. The Clerk shall immediately notify the counterclaimant or cross-claimant of the security for costs. If the counterclaimant or cross-claimant fails to post such security, the case shall be remanded to the Municipal Court.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to seal or expunge criminal conviction

A defendant seeking to seal or expunge a criminal conviction must first deposit the court-scheduled amount securing potential costs, or the motion will not be accepted for filing.

No motion to seal or expunge a criminal conviction shall be accepted by the Clerk for filing unless the Defendant offering the same for filing shall have first deposited a sum to secure the payment of the costs that may accrue in such action. Such advance deposit and fees shall be in accordance with the schedule as adopted by the Court.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Fee

6 dollars

Applies to

Cause of action or appeal

The Clerk must charge an additional fee not exceeding six dollars when filing a cause of action or appeal under the specified statutory divisions.

Thus, the Clerk is authorized and directed to charge one additional fee, not to exceed six (6) dollars, on the filing of each cause of action or appeal under divisions (A), (Q), and (U) of section 2303.20 of the Revised Code.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Fee

20 dollars

Applies to

Cause of action appeal certificate of judgment or judgment proceeding

The Clerk must charge an additional fee not exceeding twenty dollars for specified cause, appeal, certificate-of-judgment, and judgment-related filings.

Thus, the Clerk is authorized and directed to charge an additional fee, not to exceed twenty (20) dollars on the filing of each cause of action or appeal, on the filing, docketing, and endorsing of each certificate of judgment, or on the docketing and indexing of each aid in execution or petition to vacate, revive, or modify a judgment under divisions (A), (P), (Q), (T), and (U) of section 2303.20 of the Revised Code;

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Fee

26 dollars

Applies to

New civil action or proceeding

The Clerk must collect a twenty-six-dollar additional filing fee in every new civil action or proceeding.

Thus, the Clerk is authorized and directed to collect the sum of twenty-six (26) dollars as additional filing fees in each new civil action or proceeding.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Fee

100 dollars

Applies to

Criminal cause civil action or proceeding or judgment by confession

The Clerk must collect a one-hundred-dollar special-project fee in addition to other court costs and deposit the amounts monthly into the Court’s Special Project Fund.

As such, the Clerk is authorized and directed to collect a fee of one hundred (100) dollars, in addition to all other court costs, on the filing of each criminal cause, civil action or proceeding, or judgment by confession and shall deposit such amounts monthly into the Court’s Special Project Fund.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Fee

25 dollars

Applies to

Hearing recording

A court reporter recording a hearing, or a judicial assistant administering the audio recording system during a hearing, must charge twenty-five dollars per hearing as a case cost.

Court Reporters recording a hearing or Judicial Assistants administering the audio recording system during a hearing shall charge twenty-five (25) dollars per hearing as costs to the case.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

Applies to

Grand jury transcript

When a post-indictment grand jury transcript is prepared, the requesting party must be billed at the rate applicable to the defendant's indigent or non-indigent status.

(G) If a grand jury transcript is to be prepared post-indictment, the Court Reporter shall determine whether the indicted Defendant has been subsequently determined by the Court to be indigent or non-indigent and then bill the requesting party for the transcript at the rate set by the Court for an indigent or non-indigent Defendant.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

Applies to

Court filings

Security deposits and filing fees are governed by the schedule in Appendix C of the Local Rules.

(B) A schedule of security deposits and filing fees is set forth in Champaign G.D.L.R. Appendix C.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

Fee

75

Applies to

Preliminary and final judicial reports

Examination fees for preliminary and final judicial reports are allowed at $75 per hour, capped at $400 without leave of court.

Examination fees for preliminary and final judicial reports shall be allowed at $75.00 per hour not to exceed $400.00 without leave of Court.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

Applies to

Transcript copy

Transcript copies are unavailable unless the original transcript pages are purchased.

*No copies of the transcripts shall be made available without the purchase of the original transcript pages.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

Applies to

Civil or miscellaneous docketed action

The court may sua sponte require an additional cost deposit after the Clerk reports that the existing deposit is insufficient.

Consistent with R.C. 2323.31, on notice from the Clerk that the deposit for costs is insufficient, an order sua sponte may be made requiring additional cost deposit.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

After assignment, the court may further examine ability to pay and may assess all or part of the costs if it finds the party able to pay.

Once the case is assigned, the Court may make further inquiry into the party’s ability to pay costs, or a part thereof. If the Court determines that the party has the ability to pay costs, or a part thereof, such may be assessed and payment shall be made as directed by the Court.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

For special programs or additional services of a specific case type, the Court must adjust the special assessment periodically and prospectively, and the assessment may not exceed the actual service or program cost.

In the case of a special program or additional services in cases of a specific type, the Court shall adjust the special assessment periodically, but not retroactively, so that the amount assessed in those cases does not exceed the actual cost of providing the service or program.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

Applies to

Appointed counsel fees and expenses

Appointed-counsel fees and expenses must be separately collected rather than included as case costs, and reimbursement may be ordered after considering the defendant’s present and future ability to pay.

Costs attributable to appointed counsel fees and expenses shall be not collected by the Clerk as costs of the case, but shall be separately collected by the Clerk. The Court shall examine the indigent defendant’s present and future ability to reimburse those fees and expenses, and may order such reimbursement as a part of the defendant’s sentence in an amount the indigent defendant can reasonably be expected to pay.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026INFO

Applies to

Expedited transcript

Expedited transcript delivery is charged at a rate negotiated with the court reporter and approved by the trial judge.

Expedited delivery shall be charged at a rate negotiated with the Court Reporter and approved by the Trial Judge

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026INFO

Applies to

Court initiated miscellaneous docketed action

The security-deposit and filing-fee requirement does not apply to miscellaneous docketed actions initiated by the Court.

The requirement for security deposit and filing fees shall not apply to any miscellaneous docketed action initiated by the Court.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026INFO

Applies to

Foreclosure security deposit

The security deposit will be returned to the depositor if the property is withdrawn from sheriff’s sale and no appraisal has occurred.

If the property is withdrawn from sheriff’s sale, the security deposit will be returned to the depositor if no appraisal has taken place.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026INFO

The Champaign County Budget Commission may not count the Special Project Fund as anticipated revenue for the following year.

The Special Project Fund shall not be considered as anticipated revenue by the Champaign County Budget Commission for the following year.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Applies to

Court filings ?

(A) The Clerk of Court shall charge the fees as proscribed by R.C. 2303.20.

Summary: The Clerk must charge fees as prescribed by R.C. 2303.20.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Fee

1 dollars

Applies to

Services under specified statutory divisions ?

Thus, the Clerk is authorized and directed to charge an additional fee, not to exceed one (1) dollar each for the services described in divisions (B), (C), (D), (F), (H), and (L) of section 2303.20 of the Revised Code.

Summary: The Clerk must charge an additional fee not exceeding one dollar for services under the specified divisions of the Revised Code.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Fee

25 dollars

Applies to

Appointed counsel fee ?

Consistent with R.C. 120.36, Indigent criminal defendants who are assigned counsel shall file a twenty-five (25) dollar fee with the Clerk within fourteen (14) days of arraignment. This rule does not apply to indigent defendants who are imprisoned in the Department of Corrections.

Summary: An indigent criminal defendant assigned counsel must file a twenty-five-dollar fee with the Clerk within fourteen days after arraignment, unless the defendant is imprisoned in the Department of Corrections.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Applies to

Appointed counsel fees and expenses collection action ?

Any right of action to collect said fees and expenses shall be brought in a civil action.

Summary: An action to collect appointed-counsel fees and expenses must be brought as a civil action.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Applies to

Deposit or fee payment ?

A convenience fee will be assessed on all deposits and fees paid in this manner.

Summary: A convenience fee applies to all deposits and filing fees paid by credit card under the electronic-filing procedure.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Applies to

Initial pleading service copies ?

The Clerk shall produce paper copies of these initial pleadings and charge a fee, as stated in the Clerk's fee schedule, for production of service copies, which shall be assessed as costs.

Summary: The Clerk must produce paper service copies of qualifying initial pleadings and assess the fee specified in the Clerk's fee schedule as costs.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Applies to

Cost statement ?

At least once every three (3) months after the filing of a final judgment entry, the Clerk shall send a statement to all parties against whom costs have been taxed. If a party fails to pay the costs reflected in the statement after two such notices, the Clerk shall issue a certificate of judgment against said party for the amount of unpaid costs.

Summary: The Clerk must periodically send cost statements and, after two notices of nonpayment, issue a certificate of judgment for the unpaid costs.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

Consistent with R.C. 2303.201, the Court may charge a reasonable fee to be collected on the filing of each civil or criminal action and that is to be used in the implementation of dispute resolution procedure.

Summary: The court may charge a reasonable filing fee in each civil or criminal action for implementing dispute-resolution procedures.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

Fee

6 $ ?

Applies to

Transcript ?

Original, plus One Certified Copy, Indigent Defendant $6.00 per page

Summary: An indigent defendant may request the original transcript plus one certified copy at $6.00 per page.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

Fee

7.25 $ ?

Applies to

Transcript ?

Original, plus One Certified Copy, Non-Indigent or Civil $7.25 per page

Summary: A non-indigent or civil-party request for the original transcript plus one certified copy is charged $7.25 per page.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

Fee

9.5 $ ?

Applies to

Transcript ?

Original, plus One Certified Copy – From Audio Tape $9.50 per page

Summary: A request for the original transcript plus one certified copy from an audio tape is charged $9.50 per page, with no additional audio-to-transcript rewriting fee.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

Fee

0.1 $ ?

Applies to

Transcript copy ?

Copy, Written Format * $ .10 per page

Summary: A written-format transcript copy is charged $0.10 per page.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

Fee

0 $ ?

Applies to

Electronic transcript copy ?

Copy, Electronic Format* FREE

Summary: An electronic-format transcript copy is free.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

Fee

1 $ ?

Applies to

Audio cd

Audio CD of a Recorded Hearing $1.00

Summary: An audio CD of a recorded hearing is charged $1.00.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

The Clerk shall deposit such amounts monthly into the Court’s Special Project Fund.

Summary: The Clerk must deposit the special assessment amounts into the Court’s Special Project Fund monthly.