Pierce County Circuit Court, Wisconsin Filing Fees and Waivers

CRITICAL

Applies to

Will objection

An objection to a Will must be filed with the probate court with the statutory filing fee.

An objection to a Will filed must be in writing and filed with the probate court together with the statutory filing fee.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Guardianship inventory

A statutory filing fee must accompany the guardianship inventory.

The guardianship inventory together with the statutory filing fee shall be filed within 60 days of the appointment of a guardian of the estate.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Minor guardianship inventory

A statutory filing fee must accompany the minor guardianship inventory.

The guardianship inventory together with the statutory filing fee shall be filed within 60 days of the appointment of a guardian of the estate

CRITICAL

Applies to

Outstanding guardian ad litem balance

The county may be ordered to pay an outstanding balance only if both parties are indigent or extraordinary circumstances exist.

The county shall be ordered to pay any outstanding balance only upon a finding that both parties arc indigent or if there are other extraordinary circumstances.

CRITICAL

Fee

5

Applies to

Judgment docketing

A $5.00 fee for docketing a judgment must be paid upon entry of the judgment.

There is a $5.00 fee for docketing a judgment, to be paid upon entry of same.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Conservatorship inventory

A statutory filing fee must accompany the conservatorship inventory.

The conservatorship inventory together with the statutory filing fee shall be filed within 60 days of the appointment of a conservator.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Guardian ad litem fees and costs

Before discharging the GAL, the Court must review the financial account, billings, and receipts and determine the share of fees and costs payable by each party or the county.

At the conclusion of the action, and prior to the discharge of the GAL, the Court shall review the financial account of the GAI, billings and receipts. The Court shall make a final determination of what portion of GAL. fees and costs shall be paid by each party or the county.

CRITICAL

Fee

1000

Applies to

Guardian ad litem appointment

The Court will not sign a GAL appointment order until the $1,000 retainer is paid or the Court has approved and ordered other payment arrangements.

The Court will not sign an order appointing a GAL until the $1,000 retainer has been paid or other payment arrangements have been approved by and ordered by the court.

CRITICAL

Copy costs must be received in advance before court-file copies are sent by fax, and fax may not be used to avoid statutory copy fees.

Copies of documents from court files will not be transmitted by facsimile without the appropriate costs being received in advance. The facsimile machine is not to be utilized in an effort to avoid payment of statutory copy fees.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Estate inventory

The estate inventory must be accompanied by the statutory filing fee.

Estate inventory shall be filed no later than four (4) months after the issuance of letters together with the statutory filing fee.

CRITICAL

When a petitioner seeks a filing-fee waiver due to indigency, the commissioner or judge must determine indigency.

If the petitioner seeks to have the filing fees waived due to indigency, the Court Commissioner or Judge shall determine the question of indigency.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Appointed guardian ad litem fees

The county pays approved invoices and collects from the parties when the GAL bills at the county rate; if the GAL charges more, the parties pay the GAL directly.

Pierce County shall establish a rate for appointed GALS. If the attorney accepting the appointment bills at this rate, the County will pay the approved invoices and then collect from the parties. If the GAL, accepting the appointment will bill at a higher rate than what is established by the County, the County will not pay the costs and the parties will pay the GAL, directly.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Guardian ad litem fees

In a divorce, the GAL fee is treated as a marital liability in property division; in a paternity action, the judgment allocates responsibility for payment.

In a divorce action the Court will consider the GAL fee a marital liability in the property division. In a paternity action, the Court will allocate responsibility for payment of the fee in the judgment.

WARNING

Fee

1000

Applies to

Guardian ad litem deposit

The Court may reduce or waive the $1,000 GAL deposit if a party is indigent.

The Court may reduce the $1,000 deposit amount or waive the deposit requirement if a party is indigent.

WARNING

Fee

$2

Applies to

Complaint

If the summons and complaint is e-filed for Clerk of Court service, a complaint over 16 pages incurs a $2 fee for excess mailing costs.

If the Summons and Complaint is efiled for service by the Clerk of Court, complaints in excess of 16 pages will incur a fee of $2.00 to cover excess mailing fees.

WARNING

Fee

1000

Applies to

Guardian ad litem deposit

In a post-judgment dispute, the moving party generally must post the initial $1,000 GAL deposit.

In post-judgment disputes, the moving party will generally be required to post the initial $1,000.

WARNING

Fee

1000

Applies to

Guardian ad litem appointment

Upon appointment of a GAL, the Court normally requires one or both parties to deposit $1,000 toward GAL fees with the Clerk.

The Court will normally require one or both parties to deposit partial prepayment of the GAL fees in the amount of $1,000 to the Clerk of Court upon appointment of a GAL.

WARNING

Applies to

Separate money judgment for unpaid gal fees

The Court may enter a separate money judgment for unpaid GAL fees so the county can docket it.

The Court may order a separate money judgment for unpaid GAL, fees so the county can docket the judgment.

WARNING

Applies to

Court ordered custody or psychological evaluation

The Court may order a party to deposit funds with the Clerk of Court to cover the cost of court-ordered custody and psychological evaluations.

The Court may order a party to deposit funds with the Clerk of Court to cover the cost of court-ordered custody and psychological evaluations.

WARNING

Applies to

Guardian ad litem compensation

The Court may order either or both parties to pay all or part of the GAL’s compensation, or may direct the county to pay if both parties are indigent.

The Court may order cither or both parties to pay all or any part of the compensation of the GAl.. If both parties are indigent, the Court may direct that the county pay the compensation.

WARNING

Money from bond postings or attorney-fee overpayments must be applied to outstanding fines, forfeitures, or costs.

Any money from bond postings or overpayment of attorney fees shall be applied to outstanding fine, forfeitures or costs.

WARNING

The Clerk of Court is not required to accept more than three dollars in coins for court costs, fines, forfeitures, or fees.

The Clerk of Court shall not be required to accept more than three dollars in coins as payment for court costs, fines, forfeitures or fees.

WARNING

County employees and officers are not required to accept currency or coins contaminated with bodily secretions or other substances that may risk public safety or human health.

County employees or officers shall not be required to accept as payment of a fee or other obligation owed to the county any currency or coins which have been soiled, contaminated, tainted or polluted with any human or animal bodily secretions or any other substance that may pose a risk to public safety or human health.

WARNING

Fee

1.25

The Clerk of Court may charge $1.25 per page for incoming and outgoing faxes.

Pursuant to State statute the Clerk of Court may charge $1.25 per page for incoming and outgoing facsimiles.

WARNING

The Court may charge a fee for incoming or outgoing faxes exceeding six pages.

The Court may charge a fee for incoming and outgoing facsimiles that exceed six (6) pages.

WARNING

Payment of fines, costs, fees, and surcharges should be made within 60 days of conviction unless the court orders another time.

The payment of fines, costs, fees, surcharges, etc. should be done within sixty (60) days of a conviction unless another time is ordered by the court.

WARNING

A defendant may request an installment payment plan, and fines, attorney fees, and court costs may be paid in installments if the Clerk of Court approves the plan.

The defendant may request a payment plan to pay in installments. In any traffic or ordinance matter, any fine, attorney fee or court cost may be paid in installments if a payment plan is approved by the Clerk of Court.

WARNING

Applies to

Guardian ad litem deposit

In an initial divorce action, the parties generally split the GAL deposit equally.

In an initial divorce action, the parties will generally be required to split the deposit 50/50.

INFO

The Clerk of Court determines payment-plan fees.

Fees for payment plans will be determined by the Clerk of Court.