Court & Hearings

To fill out an Application for Waiver of Court Fees, you will need to provide information about:

• Your income in the past month and past year,
• Your property,
• Your monthly expenses, and
• The number of people living with you who depend on you for financial support.

If you get public benefits, you do not have to fill out information about your money or property. Public benefits include:

• SSI (Supplemental Security Income, A federal program that gives money to low-income elderly, blind and disabled people on a monthly basis not Social Security)
• AABD (Aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled)
• GA (General Assistance)
• SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
• TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).

Exception: In Cook County, you must still provide information about your income and property, even if you receive public benefits.

Fill out the following forms:

• Application for Waiver of Court Fees: This form has information about you and your money, property, and debts.
• Order for Waiver of Court Fees: This is the form the judge will fill out when a decision is made.

Use our fee waiver easy form program to fill out the forms. Or, you can print the application and order forms and fill them out by hand.

Make a copy of both the Application for Waiver of Court Fees and the Order for Waiver of Court Fees.

File your forms with the clerk of the circuit court The lowest level of court in Illinois where your case is being heard.

• Civil cases: E-filing Short for "electronic filing." You file court papers using a computer instead of handing them to the clerk in person. This is required in Illinois as of 1/1/18. is required for most civil cases in Illinois. If you cannot e-file, you may qualify for an exemption. Learn more about e-filing here.
• Criminal cases: E-filing is not required. If you are filing into a criminal case, you may file your forms in person.

After you file your forms, the judge will review them and decide whether you must pay court fees. In most cases, the judge can make this decision just by looking at your application, without having a hearing. When the parties in a case present their sides of a case to a judge or other officer You will only need to go to court if the judge has questions or needs more information from you. If a hearing is required, the court will notify you.

If the court schedules a hearing: When the parties in a case present their sides of a case to a judge or other officer  

• It may be by phone, video, or in person.
• The notice will tell you the date, time, and how the hearing will take place. The court may also ask you to submit specific documents before or at the hearing. If you are unsure how to do this, contact your circuit clerk The office that takes care of files and documents for circuit court cases for help.

Note for criminal fee waivers: If you filed an Application for Waiver A document that gives up a legal right or excuses a requirement of Criminal Court A court where a person is accused of a crime in front of a judge. The other side of the case is the State of Illinois, represented by a State's Attorney. The person accused is called the defendant. Criminal courts are different from civil courts, where two people or businesses can bring problems in front of a judge. Assessments, the court must hold your hearing within 5 - 10 business days of filing.

After reviewing your application or holding a hearing, When the parties in a case present their sides of a case to a judge or other officer the judge will fill out and sign the Order on Application for Waiver A document that gives up a legal right or excuses a requirement of Court Fees. The order tells you if you must pay court fees and the deadline for payment:

• Granted - Full Waiver: You do not have to pay any court fees, costs, or charges.
• Granted - Partial Waiver: You must pay part of the fees, between 25% and 75%, depending on your income.
• Denied: You do not qualify for a waiver. You must pay all court fees, costs, and charges by the deadline listed in the order.

Important:

• Even if approved, the judge can later order you to pay if your financial situation changes.
• If partly approved, the judge may let you pay over time, delay payment, or use a payment plan.
• The order will give you a deadline to pay. If you do not pay by the deadline, the judge may dismiss your case or decide against you.