Court of Common Pleas of Chester County, Pennsylvania Filing Fees and Waivers

CRITICAL

Applies to

ARD program fee

Unless payment terms are agreed before the ARD hearing, the Court must specify the payment method, amounts, and times in its Order; fees must be paid before the hearing unless good cause is shown.

Unless the terms of payment are agreed upon prior to the ARD hearing, the Court shall include in its Order the method, amounts and times for payment. In the absence of good cause shown, all fees shall be paid in advance of the ARD hearing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion for appointment of hearing officer

The moving party must pay the applicable fee to the Prothonotary when filing the appointment motion; no Hearing Officer will be appointed without payment.

When a party files a motion for the appointment of a Hearing Officer, the moving party shall pay the Prothonotary the applicable fee pursuant to this Rule. No Hearing Officer shall be appointed without such payment.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Petition for modification

Petitions for Modification are accepted for filing upon payment of the appropriate fee.

(b) All Petitions for Modification shall be accepted for filing by the Office of the Prothonotary upon the payment of the appropriate fee.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Commencement of action

Rule 1910.4.A. Domestic Relations Section. Commencement of Action. No Filing Fees. Authorized Fees. Entry of Appearance.

Rule 1910.4.A. Domestic Relations Section. Commencement of Action. No Filing Fees. Authorized Fees. Entry of Appearance.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion for appointment of hearing officer

In addition to posting the required fee, the moving party must pay a filing fee to the Prothonotary.

In addition to posting the requisite fee, the moving party shall pay a filing fee with the Prothonotary.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Petition for contempt

A contempt petition is accepted for filing by the Prothonotary upon payment of the appropriate fee.

(a) All petitions for Contempt shall be accepted for filing by the Office of the Prothonotary upon payment of the appropriate fee.

CRITICAL

Fee

$141.5

The fee for appointing a Hearing Officer to hear only marital dissolution issues is $141.50, subject to change.

(1) The fee for the appointment of a Hearing Officer to hear only marital dissolutions issues shall be one hundred forty-one dollars and fifty cents ($141.50), unless changed to a different amount.

CRITICAL

Fee

$511.5

A party moving to appoint a Hearing Officer for equitable distribution must deposit $511.50, whether or not other claims will be heard, subject to change.

(3) Whenever a party moves for the appointment of a Hearing Officer to hear equitable distribution of marital property, whether or not there are other claims to be heard by the Hearing Officer, the moving party shall deposit five hundred eleven dollars and fifty cents ($511.50), unless changed to a different amount, for the Hearing Officer’s fee.

CRITICAL

Fee

$111.5

The fee for appointing a Hearing Officer to hear interim counsel-fee or litigation-expense issues is $111.50, subject to change.

(2) The fee for the appointment of a Hearing Officer to hear interim issues of counsel fees/and or litigation expenses shall be one hundred eleven dollars and fifty cents ($111.50), unless changed to a different amount.

CRITICAL

Applicable filing fees must be paid using the Clerk of Courts’ procedures, at the time and in the amount required by the applicable authority or fee schedule.

Applicable filing fees shall be paid through procedures established by the Clerk of Courts and at the same time and in the same amount as required by statute, Court rule or order, or published fee schedule.

CRITICAL

Applies to

ARD program admission

A person accepted into the ARD program must pay the fee established by Court Order as a condition of admission.

In addition to such other conditions as may be imposed, a condition of admission into the ARD program shall be that a person accepted into the program shall pay a fee as established by Court Order.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion for appointment of equitable distribution hearing officer

If no Hearing Officer has been appointed, the moving party must pay the appropriate fee for the motion seeking appointment.

(3) In those cases where a Hearing Officer has not been appointed, the moving party shall motion for the appointment of an equitable distribution Hearing Officer and pay the appropriate fee.

CRITICAL

Fee

$400

Applies to

Attorney appointment

In the stated circumstances, the plaintiff must deposit $400 with the Prothonotary for the appointed attorney’s fees, unless the amount is changed.

If the defendant has not appeared and the plaintiff avers in the affidavit regarding military service that the defendant is in the military service or that the plaintiff cannot determine whether or not the defendant is in the military service, then the plaintiff shall file with the affidavit a motion and order for the appointment of an attorney to represent the defendant and shall deposit with the Prothonotary four hundred dollars ($400.00), unless changed to a different amount, to cover the attorney’s fees.

WARNING

Fees are subject to change consistent with the Prothonotary’s published fee schedule.

Comment: All fees herein are subject to change consistent with the Prothonotary’s published fee schedule which may be found at www.chesco.org.

WARNING

Fee

$10.85

All listed fees include the current $10.85 Prothonotary filing fee, which may change.

Note: All fees include the current Prothonotary filing fee of ten dollars and eighty-five cents ($10.85), which may be changed to a different amount.

WARNING

Fee

100 $

Applies to

Mediation orientation session

Mediators are compensated $100 per party for the two-hour orientation session, or another amount established by Administrative Order.

Mediators shall be compensated for their two (2) hour orientation session at the rate of $100.00 per party or such other amount established by Administrative Order.

WARNING

The fees listed above are non-refundable.

(g) The above fees are non-refundable.

WARNINGCivil cases

Filing fees may be paid by Discover, MasterCard, or Visa, but advance deposits for future filing fees are not accepted.

The Prothonotary will accept for payment of all filing fees the following credit and debit cards: Discover, MasterCard and Visa. The Prothonotary will not accept advance deposit on account of future filing fees.

WARNINGCivil cases

Fees and costs for filings made through the Electronic Filing System must be paid by credit card; for papers presented at the Prothonotary’s office for electronic filing, payment may also be by check or cash.

The Prothonotary’s fees and costs shall be paid by credit card when legal papers are filed using the Electronic Filing System. Payment of all costs and fees for the filing of a legal paper presented by a filing party at the office of the Prothonotary for electronic filing shall be paid by credit card as set forth above or by check or cash.

WARNING

Applies to

Duplicate divorce complaint

An additional filing fee may be required for the duplicate custody complaint.

An additional filing fee may be required for this duplicate complaint.