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Court Rules

California Rules of Court

Rule 3.51. Method of application

Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.51

Current text effective September 1, 2015.

#(a) An application for initial fee waiver under rule 3.55 must be made on Request to Waive Court Fees (form FW-001). An application for initial fee waiver under rule 3.56 must be made on Request to Waive Additional Court Fees (Superior Court) (form FW-002). The clerk must provide the forms and the Information Sheet on Waiver of Superior Court Fees and Costs (form FW-001-INFO) without charge to any person who requests any fee waiver application or indicates that he or she is unable to pay any court fee or cost.

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(Subd (a) lettered effective September 1, 2015; adopted as unlettered subd. effective January 1, 2007.)

#(b) Applications involving (proposed) wards and conservatees

An application for initial fee waiver under rules 3.55 and 7.5 by a probate guardian or probate conservator or a petitioner for the appointment of a probate guardian or probate conservator for the benefit of a (proposed) ward or conservatee, in the guardianship or conservatorship proceeding or in a civil action or proceeding in which the guardian or conservator is a party on behalf of the ward or conservatee, must be made on Request to Waive Court Fees (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-001-GC). An application for initial fee waiver under rule 3.56 by a guardian or conservator or a petitioner for the appointment of a guardian or conservator for the benefit of a (proposed) ward or conservatee must be made on Request to Waive Additional Court Fees (Superior Court) (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-002-GC).

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(Subd (b) adopted effective September 1, 2015.)

#History

Rule 3.51 amended effective September 1, 2015; adopted effective January 1, 2007; previously amended effective January 1, 2007 and July 1, 2009.

What this rule requires

Filing Fees and Waivers

  • The clerk must provide the forms and the Information Sheet on Waiver of Superior Court Fees and Costs (form FW-001-INFO) without charge to any person who requests any fee waiver application or indicates that he or she is unable to pay any court fee or cost.

Document Filing Requirements

  • An application for initial fee waiver under rule 3.55 must be made on Request to Waive Court Fees (form FW-001).

  • An application for initial fee waiver under rule 3.56 must be made on Request to Waive Additional Court Fees (Superior Court) (form FW-002).

  • An application for initial fee waiver under rules 3.55 and 7.5 by a probate guardian or probate conservator or a petitioner for the appointment of a probate guardian or probate conservator for the benefit of a (proposed) ward or conservatee, in the guardianship or conservatorship proceeding or in a civil action or proceeding in which the guardian or conservator is a party on behalf of the ward or conservatee, must be made on Request to Waive Court Fees (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-001-GC).

  • A guardian or conservator, or a petitioner seeking such an appointment for a proposed ward or conservatee, must use form FW-002-GC for an initial fee-waiver application under rule 3.56.

    The rule's wording

    An application for initial fee waiver under rule 3.56 by a guardian or conservator or a petitioner for the appointment of a guardian or conservator for the benefit of a (proposed) ward or conservatee must be made on Request to Waive Additional Court Fees (Superior Court) (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-002-GC).

Official text: courts.ca.gov , checked October 19, 2026.