Litigation has always been expensive and now, unfortunately, the cost of litigation has gotten even more expensive. As of November 17, 2014, the New Jersey Courts increased a whole litany of filing fees and other fees, which are payable to the Courts. By way of example, the cost for filing a Complaint is now $250.00 up from $200.00; the cost to file an Answer to a Complaint has risen from $135.00 to $175.00 and the cost to file a motion is up from $30.00 to $50.00. Filing fees had not been raised since 2002. These increased fees are now earmarked for the improvement and modification of the supervision program for offenders who qualify for pre-trial release, as well as for case electronic filing and organization and for Legal Services of New Jersey. While the increase appears to be steep and can be seen as a tax on a few, it may well prove beneficial to the overall efficiency of our judicial system.
– Darrell M. Felsenstein, Esq.