Costs of Litigation

Lawsuits require large investments of time and money.  There are the legal fees that each side will incur, and then there are the "costs of litigation."   This short post identifies the major "costs of litigation" items, and some understanding of how much this might add up to. 

Superior Court or Federal Court Filing Fee - $350 to $400 

Fees to have the lawsuit served on the defendants - $75 to $150 per party. 

Court Reporter Fees for Witness Depositions and official transcripts - $500 to $2500 per witness depending on the length of the deposition.  

In cases where medical issues are at stake, there will be charges from healthcare providers to provide copies of the medical records - around .50 cents to $1 per page.  In addition, there are witness fees for expert and physician depositions - around $250 per hour or more, sometimes a whole lot more.

There are also charges for outside copying and scanning services - 10 to 18 cents per page.  This adds up fast.  I've worked on several large cases where the copying costs exceeded $10,000.00.

If the case goes to trial, office supplies for 3 ring binders and alpha/number tabs are needed - This can run $175 to $350 for these because there are multiple sets. 

The costs of litigation are a topic that you should discuss with your law firm early, preferably before the lawsuit is filed to help ensure you are making an informed business decision.

Mark D. Walters