Guernsey County Court of Common Pleas, General Division Filing Fees and Waivers

CRITICAL

Fee

300

Applies to

Jury demand

A jury demand due at final pretrial requires a $300.00 filing fee.

Jury Demand: Due at Final Pretrial $ 300.00

CRITICAL

Fee

40

Applies to

Judgment lien certificate preparation and recording

Preparing and recording a certificate of judgment lien requires a $40.00 fee.

Certificate of Judgment Lien - Prepare and Record $ 40.00

CRITICAL

Fee

50

Applies to

Foreign judgment

Registration or filing of a foreign judgment requires a $50.00 filing fee.

Foreign Judgment $ 50.00

CRITICAL

Fee

50

Applies to

Application or motion to seal or expunge criminal record

An application or motion to seal or expunge a criminal record requires a $50.00 filing fee.

Application/Motion to Seal or Expunge Criminal Record: ORC 2953.32 $ 50.00

CRITICAL

Fee

$7.5

Applies to

Complaint under ohio civil rule 3f

A complaint filed under Ohio Civil Rule 3(F) costs $7.50 plus $0.10 for each plaintiff and defendant beyond two, payable in advance with a notation on the docket copy.

Costs for filing a complaint under Rule 3(F) of the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure, shall be taxed in the amount of $7.50 plus 10 cents for each Plaintiff and Defendant in excess of two. Said costs are to be paid in advance with notation on docket copy.

CRITICAL

Fee

100

Applies to

Certificate of qualification for housing

A Certificate of Qualification for Housing requires a $100.00 filing fee.

Certificate of Qualification for Housing (CQH): ORC 2953.26 $ 100.00

CRITICAL

Fee

150

Applies to

Garnishment of personal earnings

A garnishment of personal earnings requires a $150.00 filing fee.

Garnishment of Personal Earnings $ 150.00

CRITICAL

Fee

250

Applies to

Answer counterclaim or crossclaim

An answer with a counterclaim or crossclaim requires a $250.00 filing fee.

Answer and Counterclaim/Crossclaim $ 250.00

CRITICAL

Fee

150

Applies to

Praecipe for issuance of writ

A praecipe for issuance of an execution, possession, replevin, or partition writ requires a $150.00 filing fee.

Praecipe for Issuance of Writ (Execution, Possession, Replevin, Partition) $ 150.00

CRITICAL

Fee

250

Applies to

Parentage parental rights or parenting time complaint

A complaint concerning parentage, allocation of parental rights and responsibilities, or parenting time requires a $250.00 filing fee.

Complaint for Parentage, Allocation of Parental Rights and Responsibilities, and Parenting Time $ 250.00

CRITICAL

Fee

350

Applies to

Foreclosure complaint

A foreclosure complaint requires a $350.00 filing fee.

Complaint - Foreclosure $ 350.00

CRITICAL

Fee

250

Applies to

Answer counterclaim or crossclaim

A domestic-case answer with a counterclaim or crossclaim requires a $250.00 filing fee.

Answer and Counterclaim/Crossclaim $ 250.00

CRITICAL

Fee

150

Applies to

Garnishment of property

A garnishment of property other than personal earnings requires a $150.00 filing fee.

Garnishment of Property other than Personal Earnings $ 150.00

CRITICAL

Fee

25

Applies to

Indigency form for court appointed counsel or public defender

A financial disclosure or affidavit of indigency form for court-appointed counsel or a public defender requires a $25.00 fee.

Financial Disclosure/Affidavit of Indigency Form for Court Appointed Counsel/Public Defender $ 25.00

CRITICAL

Fee

200

Applies to

Post decree contempt motion

A post-decree motion for contempt that reopens a case requires a $200.00 filing fee.

Motion for Contempt (Post Decree - Reopen Case) $ 200.00

CRITICAL

Fee

500

Applies to

Praecipe for order of sale

A praecipe for an order of sale filed on or after November 1, 2025, requires a $500.00 sheriff-sale auction fee.

Realauction Sheriff Sale Auction Fee (Praecipe filed on or after 11/1/2025): ORC 2329.153 $ 500.00

CRITICAL

Fee

35

Applies to

State lien release

A state lien release for the Department of Taxation or Workers Compensation requires a $35.00 fee.

State Lien Releases (Department of Taxation & Workers Compensation) $ 35.00

CRITICAL

Applies to

Civil action or proceeding

A civil action or proceeding must be accompanied by a cash deposit securing costs unless an exception provided by law applies.

No civil action or proceeding shall be accepted by the Clerk of this Court for filing unless the party or parties offering the same for filing shall first have deposited a sum of money to secure the payment of costs, except as otherwise provided by law where applicable.

CRITICAL

Fee

150

Applies to

Judgment debtors examination

A judgment debtors examination requires a $150.00 filing fee.

Judgment Debtors Exam $ 150.00

CRITICAL

Applies to

Municipal court case transfer

When a case is transferred from Cambridge Municipal Court because of jurisdictional limitations, the plaintiff must make the applicable court deposit at transfer.

Upon the transfer from the Municipal Court in the City of Cambridge of any case because of jurisdictional limitations, the Plaintiff shall deposit at the time of transfer with the Clerk of Courts an amount equal to the deposit required if the cause of action had originally been filed in this Court.

CRITICAL

Fee

5

Applies to

Judgment lien release

A judgment-lien release, including a partial release, requires a $5.00 fee.

Certificate of Judgment Lien - Release (includes partial release): ORC 2303.20(K) $ 5.00

CRITICAL

Fee

100

Applies to

Certificate of qualification for employment

A Certificate of Qualification for Employment requires a $100.00 filing fee.

Certificate of Qualification for Employment (CQE): ORC 2953.25 $ 100.00

CRITICAL

Fee

250

Applies to

Divorce dissolution or annulment petition

A complaint or petition for divorce, dissolution, or annulment requires a $250.00 filing fee.

Complaint or Petition for Divorce, Dissolution, or Annulment $ 250.00

CRITICAL

Fee

25

Applies to

Indigency form for court appointed counsel or public defender

A financial disclosure or affidavit of indigency form for court-appointed counsel or a public defender requires a $25.00 fee.

Financial Disclosure/Affidavit of Indigency Form for Court Appointed Counsel/Public Defender $ 25.00

CRITICAL

Fee

100

Applies to

Motion to cancel or vacate sheriff sale

A motion to cancel or vacate a sheriff sale requires a $100.00 filing fee.

Motion to Cancel/Vacate Sheriff Sale $ 100.00

CRITICAL

Fee

225

Applies to

Praecipe for order of sale

A praecipe for an order of sale filed before November 1, 2025, requires a $225.00 sheriff-sale auction fee.

Realauction Sheriff Sale Auction Fee (Praecipe filed before 11/1/2025): ORC 2329.153 $ 225.00

CRITICAL

Fee

35

Applies to

Judgment lien certificate recording

Recording a certificate of judgment lien requires a $35.00 fee.

Certificate of Judgment Lien - Record (effective 2/1/04) $ 35.00

CRITICAL

Applies to

Municipal court case transfer

A defendant who filed a cross-complaint or counter-complaint must make the applicable deposit with the Clerk of Courts at the time of transfer.

In addition, if a cross-complaint or counter-complaint has been filed, the Defendant who filed such cross-complaint or counter-complaint shall also deposit at the time of transfer with the Clerk of Courts an amount equal to the deposit required if said pleading had originally been filed in this Court.

CRITICAL

Fee

$100

Applies to

Cqe petition

Before action on a CQE petition, the petitioner must pay a $100 deposit using an accepted payment method, although a judge may waive some or all of it and an affidavit of indigency may be submitted to request a reduction.

Before any action is required to be taken on the Petition, the Petitioner must pay a deposit in the amount of $100.00. Payment of this deposit may be made in any form otherwise accepted in the Court of filing. A Judge may waive some or all of the deposit otherwise required by this Rule. The Petitioner may submit an Affidavit of Indigency [Form M-1] and other relevant information for the Court’s consideration if requesting a reduction in the filing fees.

CRITICAL

Fee

250

Applies to

Civil action complaint

A civil action complaint, excluding foreclosure cases, requires a $250.00 filing fee.

Complaint - Civil Action (excluding Foreclosure Cases) $ 250.00

CRITICAL

Fee

$25

Applies to

Appeal

An appellant must pay a $25 appeal fee to the Clerk of Courts and file a file-stamped notice of appeal with an affidavit explaining that an injustice was done.

(1) The appellant shall pay an appeal fee of $25 to the Clerk of Courts and shall file through the Clerk of Courts at the office of the Arbitration Commissioner a notice of appeal file stamped by the Clerk of Courts with an affidavit that the appeal is not taken for delay, but because it is believed that an injustice has been done.

CRITICAL

Fee

25

Applies to

Petition to register foreign civil protection order

A petition to register a foreign civil protection order requires a $25.00 filing fee.

Petition to Register Foreign Order - Civil Protection Order $ 25.00

CRITICAL

Fee

50

Applies to

Petition for court ordered title

A petition for court-ordered title requires a $50.00 filing fee.

Petition for Court-Ordered Title: ORC 4505.10 $ 50.00

CRITICAL

Fee

25

Applies to

Qualified domestic relations order

A Qualified Domestic Relations Order requires a $25.00 filing fee.

QDRO Qualified Domestic Relations Order $ 25.00

CRITICAL

Fee

25

Applies to

Post decree agreed motion or entry

A post-decree agreed motion or entry requires a $25.00 filing fee.

Post Decree Agreed Motion/Entry $ 25.00

CRITICAL

Fee

25

Applies to

Petition to register foreign decree

A petition to register a foreign decree requires a $25.00 filing fee.

Petition to Register Foreign Order - Decree $ 25.00

CRITICAL

Fee

125

Applies to

Notice of appeal

A notice of appeal requires a $125.00 filing fee.

Notice of Appeal $ 125.00

CRITICAL

Fee

200

Applies to

Post decree custody or child support motion

A post-decree motion to change custody or child support that reopens a case requires a $200.00 filing fee.

Motion for Change of Custody/Child Support (Post Decree - Reopen Case) $ 200.00

CRITICAL

Fee

225

Applies to

Appraisal deposit

An appraisal deposit of $225.00 is required.

Appraisal Deposit $ 225.00

WARNING

Applies to

Mediation costs

Mediation costs are determined by the court when applicable; the parties may agree on apportionment, must share costs equally absent agreement, and the court resolves any failure to agree.

All costs shall be determined by the court, if applicable. The parties may agree between themselves to apportion the costs of the mediation. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the mediation costs shall be shared equally. In the event that the parties cannot agree, the court shall determine the apportionment of the mediation costs to the parties.

WARNING

Applies to

Complaint

A plaintiff may file without a cost deposit or security by submitting the statutory affidavit of inability to pay, subject to court investigation and possible installment payment.

Where the Plaintiff makes an affidavit of inability to pay or secure costs as provided in R.C. Section 2323.31, the Clerk shall receive and file the complaint without such deposit or security. Affiants are subject to investigation, verification and approval by the Court, which may require a hearing to investigate the litigant's indigency. The Court may also require the Court costs to be paid over a period of time as may be found just.

WARNING

Applies to

Service copies of initial pleadings

The Clerk will produce paper service copies of initial pleadings and assess a fee of .10 cents per page as costs.

The Clerk shall produce paper copies of these initial pleadings and charge a fee of .10 cents per page for production of service copies, which shall be assessed as costs.

WARNING

Applies to

Appeal

An indigent appellant may seek waiver of the appeal payment by filing the specified notice, affidavits, and motion; the judge may allow the appeal without payment if satisfied after notice to the opposing party.

(3) An indigent party desiring to appeal an award may appeal by filing a written notice of appeal and affidavit and a written motion with supporting affidavit to the court averring that by reason of poverty the party is unable to make the payment required for an appeal, or if done through an attorney by an affidavit of the attorney that his client is unable to make the payment required and that the attorney in question is doing the legal work in connection with the appeal without compensation himself other than the possibility of an contingent fee and that said appeal should be allowed in the interest of justice. If after due notice to the opposite party, the Judge is satisfied of the truth of the statements in such affidavit, he may order that the appeal be allowed although the required deposit and the amounts specified to be paid are not paid by the appellant.

WARNING

Fee

100

Applies to

Withdrawal from sheriffs sale

A $100.00 fee is assessed against the plaintiff or party canceling a sheriff’s sale when the withdrawal is filed within 14 days of the sale date without good cause shown to the court.

(1) Due to additional cost, time and effort required by the Sheriff in withdrawing property from public sale, a fee of $100.00 will be assessed to the Plaintiff (or party canceling sale) when a withdrawal from sale of property from Sheriff’s sale is filed within 14 days of the date set for Sheriff’s sale, without good cause shown to the Court. (Effective March 30, 2012)

WARNING

Applies to

Criminal post conviction motion

In criminal post-conviction motions to reopen a case, the clerk may assess costs against the defendant under the prior entry unless the defendant submits an affidavit of indigency or motion to waive costs.

For Post-Conviction Motions (Criminal Cases): On criminal cases where post-conviction motions are filed to reopen the case (i.e. judicial release, post- conviction relief, etc.), the Clerk may assess Court costs on such motions to the Defendant in accord with the prior Entry (i.e. sentencing entry, etc.), unless the Defendant submits an Affidavit of Indigency or motion to waive costs.

WARNING

Fee

6

Applies to

Subpoena witness half day attendance

A subpoena witness fee for half-day attendance is $6.00.

Subpoena Witness Fee - Half Day Attendance: ORC 2335.05 $ 6.00

WARNING

Applies to

Agreed dismissal entry

When an agreed dismissal entry is placed on the record, court costs are charged to the deposits and any excess is divided equally between the parties unless the agreed entry states another allocation.

For Agreed Entries: If the parties arrive at an agreement and an Agreed Entry dismissing the case is placed on the record by the parties or the Court, the Court costs of the case shall be charged to the deposits. Any excess of costs over deposit will then be divided equally between the parties – in the absence of any other division of Court costs stated in the Agreed Entry.

WARNING

Fee

25

Applies to

Out of state subpoena process server

An out-of-state subpoena served by a process server requires a $25.00 fee.

Out of State Subpoena - Process Server $ 25.00

WARNING

Applies to

Bankruptcy stayed case

A case stayed by a bankruptcy notice is voluntarily dismissed for failure to prosecute if it is not reactivated or dismissed within one year, and the clerk applies the deposits to court costs.

For Pending Bankruptcies: If notice of bankruptcy has been filed staying the case and the case has not been reactivated or dismissed within one year of the date of the staying entry, the case will be voluntarily dismissed by the Court for failure to prosecute with deposits to be applied to Court costs by the Clerk of Courts.

WARNING

Fee

$350

Applies to

Title work

Required title work costs include a base search fee capped at $350 plus a Judicial Report premium based on the first lien’s unpaid principal balance or an additional amount allowed by the court, taxed as costs in the action.

27.03 Cost for the title work required under this Rule shall include a base search fee not to exceed Three Hundred Fifty Dollars ($350.00), plus a premium on the Judicial Report issued, based on an amount not less than the unpaid principal balance due on the first lien on the property or such additional amount as may be allowed by the Court. The cost shall be taxed as part of the costs in the action.

WARNING

Applies to

Cost deposit

The Court may require a party to increase an insufficient cost deposit.

If it is brought to the attention of the Court that any deposit is insufficient, the Court may require said deposit to be increased from time to time.

WARNING

Fee

100

Applies to

Out of state subpoena county sheriff

An out-of-state subpoena served by the Guernsey County Sheriff requires a $100.00 fee.

Out of State Subpoena - Guernsey County Sheriff $ 100.00

WARNING

Applies to

Mediation costs

The court may waive mediation costs for parties unable to pay, and mediation cannot be ordered for an indigent party unless it is available at no cost to that party.

The court may waive costs for the parties who are unable to pay. Mediation shall not be ordered where a party is indigent unless the mediation is available at no cost to the party.

WARNING

Applies to

Civil rule 41a dismissal

For a voluntary Civil Rule 41(A) dismissal without a statement assessing court costs, the clerk applies the deposits to court costs and bills any excess to the plaintiff or party submitting the dismissal entry.

For Civil Rule 41(A) Dismissals: If a case is voluntarily dismissed pursuant to Civil Rule 41(A) without any statement in the entry as to assessment of Court costs the deposits shall be applied to the Court costs by the clerk, with any excess of costs over deposit to be billed to Plaintiff or party submitting dismissal entry.

WARNING

Fee

0.35

Applies to

Subpoena witness mileage reimbursement

Subpoena witness mileage reimbursement is $0.35 per mile.

Subpoena Witness Fee - Mileage Reimbursement per Mile: ORC 2335.05 $ 0.35

WARNING

Applies to

Civil action or proceeding

Costs may be secured by a bond with Clerk-approved surety instead of a cash deposit, but an attorney may not serve as surety.

In lieu of cash deposit, costs may be secured by bond with surety approved by the Clerk, provided that no member of the Bar shall be accepted as such surety.

WARNING

Fee

12

Applies to

Subpoena witness full day attendance

A subpoena witness fee for full-day attendance is $12.00.

Subpoena Witness Fee - Full Day Attendance: ORC 2335.05 $ 12.00

INFO

Fee

1

Applies to

Certified copy

A certified copy costs $1.00 per page.

Copies, per page (Certified) $ 1.00

INFO

Applies to

Filing deposits and fees

Filing deposits and fees may be paid electronically through the e-File system.

The e-File system accepts payment of deposits and fees electronically.

INFO

Applies to

Case transfer from cambridge Municipal Court

Transfer of cases from Cambridge Municipal Court (See Rule 6)

Transfer of cases from Cambridge Municipal Court (See Rule 6)

INFO

Fee

6

Applies to

Document authentication

Authentication costs $6.00 per document and excludes certification costs.

Authentication, per document (does NOT include the costs for certification) $ 6.00

INFO

Fee

0.15

Applies to

Uncertified copy

An uncertified copy costs $0.15 per page.

Copies, per page (uncertified) $ 0.15