Fee waiver
Permission from the court not to pay the filing fee, granted on financial hardship.
Proceeding in forma pauperis
You fill in a short form about your income, benefits, and household. The clerk or a judge decides it, often the same day.
A waiver usually covers the filing fee and the court's own service costs. It does not cover a private process server or your own travel.
Related words
Common questions
- What does fee waiver mean in small claims court?
- Permission from the court not to pay the filing fee, granted on financial hardship. You fill in a short form about your income, benefits, and household. The clerk or a judge decides it, often the same day.
- What does filing fee mean in small claims court?
- What the court charges to open the case, usually set by the size of the claim. The fee is paid when you hand the claim in. Most states set it in bands, so a small claim costs less to file than a large one; a few leave it to each court.
- What does claim mean in small claims court?
- The form that starts the case: who you are, who owes you, how much, and why. The claim form is short on purpose. It asks for the amount, a plain description of what happened, and the dates. You sign it, hand it in, and pay the filing fee.
- What does service mean in small claims court?
- Delivering the claim papers to the other side in a way the court accepts. The court will not hear the case until the other side has been given the papers properly. Each state lists the ways that count: the clerk mailing them with a return receipt, the sheriff, a professional server, or any adult who is not part of the case.
Verified on 2026-09-06, sources:
Verified on 2026-09-06, sources:
FairSquare assembles documents and explains your court's rules. It is not a substitute for advice about your situation.