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

CRITICAL

Applies to

Civil action or proceeding

Unless an exception applies, the filing fee must be paid to the Clerk before a civil action or proceeding is filed.

Unless otherwise provided by law, rule, or judicial determination, fees must be paid to the Clerk before a civil action or proceeding can be filed in this Court. This fee is called the “filing fee” and is the initial cost deposit paid to the Clerk.

CRITICAL

Unless otherwise provided by law or rule, filing fees are assessed for counterclaims, cross-claims, reopening a case, post-judgment motions, and requests for hearings after administrative hearings, including CSEA hearings.

Unless otherwise provided by law or rule, filing fees are also assessed when: a. filing a counterclaim; b. filing a cross-claim; c. reopening a case; d. filing a motion after a judgment or decree; e. requesting a hearing after an administrative hearing, including after a child support enforcement administration (“CSEA”) hearing;

CRITICAL

Failure to pay required fees may result in rejection of the filing or dismissal of the case.

Failure to pay required fees may result in rejection of the attempted filing or in dismissal of the case.

CRITICAL

Fee

$25

Applies to

Filing of each criminal cause, civil action or proceeding, or judgment by confession

The Clerk must charge an additional $25.00 fee when each criminal cause, civil action or proceeding, or judgment by confession is filed.

2. As authorized under R.C. § 2303.201(E)(1), the Clerk of Courts shall charge, in addition to all other costs, a fee of $ 25.00 on the filing of each criminal cause, civil action or proceeding, or judgment by confession.

CRITICAL

The Clerk may reject an electronically filed document requiring a fee unless the filer complies with the Court’s fee-payment mechanism.

F. Any document filed electronically that requires a filing fee may be rejected by the clerk unless the filer has complied with the mechanism established by the court for the payment of filing fees.

CRITICAL

The movant must pay hospital-record reproduction charges directly to the hospital unless the Court orders otherwise.

Charges for reproduction of its records shall be paid directly to the hospital by the movant or movants, unless otherwise ordered by the Court.

CRITICAL

When reproductions replace original records produced in Court by agreement or court order, the movant or movants are responsible for the cost.

Where original records are produced in Court and reproductions subsequently substituted by agreement of the parties or by order of the Court, the movant or movants shall be responsible for the cost.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 9, 2026CRITICAL

Transcript preparation requires a deposit of half the estimated cost; the balance is due before delivery, and any unused deposit is returned if the transcript costs less than the deposit.

Preparation of the transcript shall not be commenced until there is deposited with the court reporter or such other person as designated by the Court a sum equal to one- half of the estimated cost for preparation of the transcript. Upon completion and prior to delivery of the transcript the remaining balance of the cost for the preparation of the transcript must be paid to the court reporter or such other person as designated by the Court. Should the cost for preparation of the transcript be less than the deposit, the unused portion of the deposit shall be returned to the person who paid the deposit.

CRITICAL

Fee

$700

Applies to

Mediation

The court will order a $700 mediation fee payable to the Clerk of Courts, except in foreclosure cases.

With the exception of foreclosure cases, the court will order a mediation fee of Seven Hundred Dollars ($700.00) payable to the Clerk of Courts for deposit in the Mediation Fund.

CRITICAL

Fee

$600

Applies to

Mediation

The mediator is compensated at a rate of $600 per case.

The mediator shall be compensated for his/her services at the rate of Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) per case.

CRITICAL

Fee

$300

Applies to

Foreclosure mediation

The foreclosure mediator is compensated at a rate of $300 per case.

The foreclosure mediator shall be compensated for mediation services at the rate of Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) per case.

CRITICAL

Fee

$115

Applies to

Foreclosure action or proceeding

A $115 mediation fee is payable into the Mediation Fund when each foreclosure action or proceeding is filed.

Pursuant to R.C. § 2303.201(E)(1), the court has ordered a mediation fee payable into the Mediation Fund, as follows (a) on the filing of each foreclosure action or proceeding, a fee of One Hundred Fifteen ($115.00);

CRITICAL

Fee

$100

Applies to

Petition for certificate of qualification for employment

A $100 deposit must be paid before action on a CQE petition, but a judge or magistrate may waive some or all of it; a petitioner may submit an affidavit of indigency or other relevant information to request a fee reduction.

Before any action is required to be taken on the Petition, the Petitioner must pay a deposit in the amount of $100. A Judge or Magistrate may waive some or all of the deposit otherwise required by this Rule. The Petitioner may submit an Affidavit of Indigency or other relevant information for the Court’s consideration if requesting a reduction in the filing fees.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 9, 2026CRITICAL

Registered e-filers must establish an account for electronic payment of filing and other fees and pay an additional credit-service charge.

Registered e-filers must establish an appropriate account for electronic payment of filing and other fees. Registered e-filers will pay an additional fee for credit service charges.

CRITICAL

Persons using a poverty affidavit may file electronically, and all fees are waived until the case concludes.

“Filing fee” is the fee charged by the court and by a third party providing electronic filing services. Persons using a poverty affidavit may file electronically and all fees are waived until conclusion of the case.

CRITICALCivil cases

Fee

$90

Applies to

Foreclosure action or proceeding

A $90 fee is charged when each foreclosure action or proceeding is filed.

on the filing of each foreclosure action or proceeding, a fee of ninety dollars ($90.00)

CRITICALCivil cases

Fee

$25

Applies to

Other civil action or proceeding

A $25 fee is charged when every other civil action or proceeding, including domestic and domestic post-decree matters, is filed.

on the filing of every other civil (including domestic and domestic post decree) action or proceeding, a fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00).

WARNING

The Clerk may refuse a filing if the filing party owes costs or fees from another case or matter.

3. Unpaid Fees and Costs. The Clerk may refuse to accept a filing if the filing party owes costs or fees from another case or matter.

WARNING

A poverty affidavit filed instead of a cash deposit must explain the inability to prepay costs, may be reviewed at any stage, and does not prevent a later order to pay fees or costs.

4. Poverty Affidavits. A poverty affidavit filed in lieu of cash deposit must state reasons for the inability to prepay costs and is subject to court review at any stage of the proceedings. A party filing a poverty affidavit may later be ordered to pay fees or costs.

WARNING

A party unable to pay appeal fees because of poverty may seek permission to appeal without payment by written motion and affidavit, after notice to the opposing parties.

A party desiring to appeal an award may apply by a written motion and affidavit to the Court alleging by reason of poverty the inability to make the payments required for an appeal. If after due notice to the opposite parties the Court is satisfied of the truth of the statements in such affidavit, the Court may order that the appeal of such party be allowed although the said amounts are not paid by the appellant.

WARNING

The Court fixes by order the compensation for furnishing transcripts.

Compensation of the court reporter and such other persons as designated by the Court for the furnishing of transcripts shall be fixed by Court order.

WARNING

The party seeking publication is responsible for its costs, which may be taxed as costs if the publisher or its agent files the specified affidavit and notice.

The party desiring service by publication shall arrange for such publication with a newspaper of general circulation in Geauga County and shall be responsible for payment of the costs of publication. The costs of publication may be taxed as costs upon the publisher or its agent filing with the court an affidavit showing the fact of publication together with a copy of the notice of publication and the costs for publication.

WARNING

Applies to

Mediation

The parties share the mediation fee equally unless the court orders otherwise.

Unless otherwise ordered by the court, the mediation fee will be shared equally between the parties.

WARNING

Fee

$600

Applies to

Mediation

In special and meritorious cases, the judge may approve mediator fees above $600.

In special and meritorious cases, the Judge may approve fees in excess of $600.00.

WARNING

Fee

$1000

Applies to

Mediation

After a case is filed, the Administrative Judge may require a party to deposit up to $1,000 in additional mediation costs for a case requiring extraordinary expenditures.

At any time after a case is filed, the Administrative Judge may order any party to deposit up to One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), in addition to the usual filing fees, for any case which may require extraordinary expenditures to implement mediation. The additional fee shall be paid to, and collected by, the Clerk of Courts.

WARNING

Applies to

Mediation

If the case is settled or dismissed at least two days before the first mediation hearing, the mediator receives no fee and mediation fees are returned to the parties.

The mediator will not receive a fee if the case is settled or dismissed at least two days prior to the first mediation hearing date and mediation fees will be returned to the parties.

WARNING

Fee

$200

Applies to

Mediation

If the case is settled or dismissed within two days of the first mediation hearing date, the mediator receives $200 and the remaining mediation fees are returned to the parties.

If the case is settled or dismissed within two days of the first mediation hearing date, the mediator will receive a fee of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) and the remainder will be returned to the parties.

WARNING

The Clerk of Courts must pay all collected fees to the County Treasurer for deposit in the court’s Mediation Fund.

All fees collected shall be paid by the Clerk of Courts for deposit with the County Treasurer who will place the funds from these fees in the court’s Mediation Fund.

WARNING

Viewing or uploading documents at the public access terminal is free, but the clerk may charge for printing copies.

“Public access terminal” is the scanner and e-filing equipment located near the clerk’s office. No fee is charged to view or upload documents. The clerk may charge a fee for printing copies of e-filed and paper documents.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Mediation extraordinary expenditure deposit

After a lawsuit is filed, the General Administrative Judge may discretionarily order specified claimants to deposit up to $1,000 per party for cases that may require extraordinary mediation expenditures.

At any time after a lawsuit is filed, the Common Pleas Court, General Administrative Judge may, in the exercise of his or her discretion, order a Plaintiff, Counter-Claimant, Cross Claimant and/or Third-Party Plaintiff to deposit money, up to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per party, in addition to the usual filing fees, for any case which may require extraordinary expenditures to implement mediation.

INFO

The Court periodically adopts new fee schedules, which are available at the Clerk’s office and website.

2. Determining the filing fee. The Court periodically adopts new fee schedules. The fee schedule is available at the Geauga County Clerk of Court’s office or on the Geauga County Clerk of Court’s website.

INFO

Filing fees are applied to case costs, and the Court may order another party to reimburse filing fees and costs.

B. Application of Filing Fees. Filing fees are applied to costs in the case. Another party may be ordered by the Court to reimburse filing fees and costs.

INFO

The court may waive costs and fees for an indigent party.

The court may waive costs and fees for an indigent party.

INFO

If the Mediation Fund exceeds the amount sufficient for its purpose, the court may declare a surplus and use it for other appropriate court expenses.

If the court determines that the amount of money in the Mediation Fund is more than the amount sufficient to satisfy the purpose for which the fee was imposed, the court may declare a surplus in the fund and expend the surplus money for other appropriate court expenses.

INFO

The clerk may charge for printing copies, but does not charge to view or upload documents.

The clerk offers access to court records and e-filing through a public access terminal located near the clerk’s office and available during the hours of courthouse operation. The clerk may charge a fee for printing copies of e-filed and other documents. No fee is charged to view or upload documents.

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

Fee

$250

One-half (½) of the Board of Arbitrator's fees in the amount of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) shall be paid by plaintiff(s), and one-half (½) of the Board of Arbitrator's fees in the amount of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) shall be paid by defendant(s). The arbitrators' fees shall be deposited with the Chair or sole arbitrator at least fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled arbitration. IF A PARTY FAILS TO TIMELY DEPOSIT ARBITRATION FEES THE CHAIR, AFTER NOTICE, MAY CANCEL THE ARBITRATION. UPON CANCELLATION OF THE ARBITRATION THE CHAIR SHALL NOTIFY THE COURT. FAILURE TO DEPOSIT ARBITRATION FEES MAY RESULT IN THE IMPOSITION OF AN APPROPRIATE SANCTION INCLUDING DEFAULT JUDGMENT, DISMISSAL OF CLAIMS, AND THE G.C.R. - PG. 42 ===== PAGE 46 ===== AWARDING OF LEGAL FEES AND EXPENSES TO ADVERSELY AFFECTED PARTIES.

Summary: Each side must deposit $250 in arbitrator fees at least fourteen days before arbitration; after notice, nonpayment may lead to cancellation or sanctions.

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

Fee

$250

The appellant shall pay to the Clerk of Courts the appellee's portion of the arbitrators' fees in the amount of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) contemporaneously with filing the appeal. The sum shall be paid to appellee or appellee's counsel, shall not be taxed as costs in the case and shall not be recoverable by the appellant in any proceeding. Failure to pay arbitrators' fees may result in dismissal of the appeal.

Summary: When filing an appeal, the appellant must pay $250 for the appellee’s share of arbitrator fees; nonpayment may result in dismissal, subject to the poverty-affidavit procedure.

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

Fee

$50

Applies to

Civil action or proceeding ?

on the filing of every other civil (including domestic and domestic post-decree) action or proceeding, a fee of Fifty Dollars ($50.00).

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

5. The State of Ohio and Political Subdivisions. The State of Ohio and its political subdivisions, together with governmental agencies or officers of either, are exempt from prepayment of filing fees.

Summary: The State of Ohio, its political subdivisions, and their governmental agencies or officers are exempt from prepaying filing fees.

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

Applies to

Mediation ?

A court-employed mediator shall be compensated as determined by the court.