Hamilton County Circuit Court Filing Fees and Waivers

CRITICAL

Applies to

Email filing

The sender must pay the trial court clerk $5 plus $1 per page, counting the cover sheet, for each email filing.

(1) The sender of the email filing shall pay to the trial court clerk a service charge for each email filing in the amount of five dollars ($5.00) plus one dollar ($1.00) per page of the email filing (including the cover sheet).

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

E filing

The e-filing fee is $5 per filing up to $50 per case or an alternative $300 one-year flat subscription, with exemptions for the State and indigent parties and their legal representatives.

“E-Filing Fee” is the fee an attorney or pro se litigant pays for using the E-Filing system. This fee is $5.00 per filing up to a maximum of $50.00 per case or a $300.00 flat subscription fee per lawyer, law firm, or pro se litigant for a one-year period starting on the date the flat fee is paid. The flat fee pays all the E-Filing fees for all cases filed by that lawyer or pro se litigant participates in, in any Court in the State using the Tybera E-Filing System. This fee is in addition to the Convenience Fee charged by the credit card processor. The E-Filing Fee shall not be assessed against the State, a party declared indigent or to that indigent party’s legal representative. Tybera will keep an account of the amount of fees paid in each case;

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Probate claim

The Clerk may decline to accept a probate claim submitted without the statutory fee.

The Clerk may decline to accept claims submitted without the statutory fee.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

E-Filed case subject to statutory filing fees or court costs

Statutory filing fees and court costs for E-Filed cases are due immediately upon filing by credit card unless the Court excuses payment.

All E-Filed cases subject to statutory filing fees/court costs shall require payment of such filing fees immediately upon filing unless excused by the Court. These filing fees must be paid with a credit card at the time of E-Filing.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Email filing

The sender must pay $5 plus $1 per page, including the cover sheet, for each email filing and submit a copy of the filing cover sheet with payment.

The sender of the email filing shall pay to the Clerk a service charge for each email filing in the amount of five dollars ($5.00) plus one dollar ($1.00) per page of the email filing (including the cover sheet). Payment of the service charge, accompanied by a copy of the email filing cover sheet, shall be received by the Clerk not later than ten (10) calendar days after the email filing.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Email filing

The sender must pay the email filing service charge, except that payment is suspended for a party proceeding on a pauper’s oath or that party’s attorney, and the charge is then taxed as court costs.

(2) The email filing service charge shall be paid by the sender as provided in this rule and shall not be taxed as court costs. However, if the sender is either a party who has been allowed to proceed on a pauper’s oath or an attorney for such a party, timely payment of the email filing service charge under this rule is suspended, and the charges shall be taxed as court costs.

CRITICALCivil cases

A statutory convenience fee is charged for electronic filing in addition to statutory filing fees, and its amount appears with each credit card transaction.

“Convenience Fee” is a statutory fee charged in connection with electronic filing that is in addition to statutory filing fees. See T.C.A. § 9-1-108(c)(4)&(5). The Convenience Fee covers the cost of processing the credit card. The amount of that fee will appear with each credit card transaction;

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

E-Filing

The E-Filing fee is $5 per filing up to $50 per case or a $300 one-year subscription, with exemptions for the State and indigent parties and their legal representatives.

E-Filing Fee. The E-Filing fee is in addition to the statutory filing fees. This fee is $5.00 per filing up to a maximum of $50.00 per case or a $300.00 flat subscription fee per lawyer or pro se litigant for a one (1) year period starting on the date the flat fee is paid. The flat fee pays all the E-Filing fees for all cases filed by that lawyer or pro se litigant in any Court in the State using the Tybera E-Filing System. This fee is in addition to the Convenience Fee charged by the credit card processor. The E-Filing fee shall not be assessed against the State or to a party declared indigent or to that indigent party’s legal representative.

WARNING

Applies to

Court costs

Court costs are determined by the pleadings filed, not courtroom attendance, and the judge assesses all costs.

Answer: Court costs are determined by the pleadings filed in the Circuit Court – not an appearance in the Courtroom. The Judge assesses all costs.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Copies of documents

A clerk may charge transaction fees for copies of documents maintained in an electronic filing or document management system, in addition to the E-Filing or subscription fee.

Transaction Fees for Obtaining Copies. Neither the E-Filing Fee nor the subscription fee shall limit a clerk’s authority to charge transaction fees for obtaining copies of documents maintained by the clerk as part of an electronic filing system or a separate document management system.

WARNINGCivil cases

For an improperly collected fee, the E-Filer must contact the Clerk’s Office directly; refunds are issued by check to the credit-card owner.

Refunds due to improper collection will require the E-Filer to contact the Clerk’s Office directly. The Clerk will issue checks for refunds. Refunds on a case will be paid to the owner of the credit card used to make the payment.

WARNING

Applies to

Copies

Copies cost $0.50 per page; certified copies cost $5.00 plus $0.50 per page.

Answer: Copies are $0.50 per page. Certified Copies are $5.00 plus $0.50 per page.

WARNING

Applies to

Order of protection

Costs for an order of protection are taxed at the conclusion of the case.

Answer: The costs are taxed at the conclusion of the case.

WARNING

Applies to

Email filing

The sender generally pays the email filing service charge and it is not taxed as court costs, but payment is suspended and the charge is taxed as costs for a party proceeding on a pauper’s oath or that party’s attorney.

(2) The email filing service charge shall be paid by the sender as provided in this rule and shall not be taxed as court costs. However, if the sender is either a party who has been allowed to proceed on a pauper's oath or an attorney for such a party, timely payment of the email filing service charge under this rule is suspended, and the charges shall be taxed as court costs.

WARNINGCivil cases

The ECF system does not calculate fees in release one, and the Clerk remains responsible for fee calculations even when later system estimates are available.

The ECF system will not calculate the fees in this release of the E-Filing system (release one). When the ECF system provides an estimate in later releases, the Clerk is still responsible for calculation of the fees which may be different from the estimates. This can occur when the Clerk makes corrections to information entered by the filer.

WARNINGCivil cases

The credit-card vendor charges a convenience fee at the time of payment: 2.39% for credit cards, $2 for charges under $83.74 or debit cards, and $1 for online e-checks.

Convenience Fee. The credit card vendor will charge a convenience fee for using the credit card services. That fee is paid to the vendor at the time of the charge. Currently the Clerk & Master’s Office uses LexisNexis as its credit card vendor. The convenience fee is 2.39% for credit cards. Any charges less than $83.74 will have a standard convenience fee of $2.00. The convenience fee for debit cards is a standard $2.00, and the convenience fee for online e-checks is $1.00.

WARNING

Applies to

Court costs

Court costs are charged to the parties rather than their attorneys.

Answer: Court costs are taxed to the parties, not attorneys

WARNINGCivil cases

Use of the E-Filing website constitutes the E-Filer’s consent to process or change the credit card supplied.

Use of the E-Filing website constitutes the E-Filer’s consent to process or change the credit card supplied.

INFO

Applies to

Email filing

Clerks are authorized to adopt reasonable service charges for email filings.

As such, effective November 24, 2025, the Tennessee Supreme Court adopted Supreme Court Rule 46B, which specifically authorizes the adoption of Local Rules that would allow for acceptance of court filings via email and, further, authorizes clerks of courts to adopt reasonable service charges applicable to such filings.