Monday, July 9, 2012

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Superior Court Announces Fee Hikes, Effective Tomorrow

By a MetNews Staff Writer

Los Angeles Superior Court civil fees are going up tomorrow as a result of the recent passage of the state budget for Fiscal Year 2012-2013, the court announced Friday.

Under SB 1021, a budget trailer bill signed by the governor on June 27, two new fees are being collected, a number of other fees have been increased, and new rules have been instituted with regard to collection of jury fees.

The new fees are $50 for delivering a safe keeping will to the clerk under Probate Code Sec. 8200 and $30 for court reporting services in civil proceedings lasting less than one hour in duration.

The first-paper filing fee for unlimited civil cases where the amount in controversy is more than $25,000 has gone up by $40 from $395; various probate and family law fees have been increased by $20; and the complex case fee has been increased by $450.

In addition, Code of Civil Procedure Sec. 631 has been amended to change fees in regard to the deposit of advance jury fees, as follows:

The advance jury fee is fixed at $150 for each party.

The fees must be deposited earlier than previously required. The fee is due on or before the date scheduled for the initial case management conference in the action; if no case management conference is scheduled, no later than 365 calendar days after the filing of the initial complaint; if the party has not appeared before the initial case management conference or has appeared more than 365 calendar days after the filing of the initial complaint, at least 25 calendar days before the date initially set for trial; or if the action is for unlawful detainer, at least five days before the date set for trial.

The advance jury fee, if deposited after June 27 of this year, is non-refundable pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 631.3.

The advance jury fee is no longer credited to the actual jury fees accrued by each party on the second day of trial. All advance jury fees deposited with LASC prior to June 27, 2012, may be refunded upon request of the party as provided under Code of Civil Procedure section 631.3.

In other news, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California said it would raise fees on Nov. 21 as a result of a new federal law signed by the president May 25.

Under the Temporary Bankruptcy Judgeships Extension Act of 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-121, the fee for filing a Chapter 11 case will increase to $1,213, which includes the statutory fee of $1,167 under 28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(3) plus the administrative fee of $46 under Item 8 of the Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule.