San Diego County Superior Court requires a filing fee of $435 in order to file your Petition for Dissolution of Marriage.
Do I still have to pay a filing fee if it is a paternity case?
Yes. The court still requires a filing fee of $435 when filing a Petition to Establish a Parental Relationship.
What if I am responding to a Petition? Is there a filing fee to respond?
You bet. The court will still require a filing fee of $435 when filing a Response to either a Petition for Dissolution or a Petition to Establish a Parental Relationship.
What if it was the Department of Child Support Services that opened the case? Do I have to pay a fee to respond?
Maybe. If there is a custody issue raised, then you must pay a Response filing fee of $435. If DCSS filed an action to simply Establish a Parental Relationship or to establish, modify, or collect child support, then there is no filing fee to respond.
Is there a filing fee if I want to file Request for Order?
Yes. The filing fee for an RFO is $60. However, if the RFO is to establish, modify, or enforce a custody or visitation order, then there will be an additional filing fee of $25. The main purpose of this is to pay for Family Court Services mediation, which is required in any case involving custody or visitation. Therefore, to file a RFO with custody issues, the total filing fee is $85.
What if me and the other party reach an agreement and simply want to file it with the court? Are there any fees to file agreements?
It depends. If the agreement, also called a stipulation, does not require the court to make an order, then no. But if the stipulation requires an order to be issued by the court then there is a $20 filing fee.
Are filing fees included in the initial retainer I pay to Kampf Law Firm?
No. You can file out-of-state court orders free of charge.
Are filing fees included in the initial retainer I pay to Kampf Law Firm?
No. The court filing fees will be in addition to the initial retainer requested by Kampf Law Firm.
With domestic violence being such a serious issue, can the court require a filing fee when seeking or defending a domestic violence restraining order?
No. There is no fee for filing a request for a domestic violence restraining order or for filing a response if you are defending one.
Is this true if I am only filing to modify or enforce a domestic violence restraining order already in place?
Yes. There are no filing fees associated with domestic violence restraining orders
What are the filing fees for adoptions?
There is a filing fee of $20 to file a Petition for Adoption. However, a stepparent adoption, including the subsequent mandatory investigation, will cost $700.
If the court appoints minor’s counsel for my child, do I have to pay for it?
Maybe. The court has discretion to make one or both of the parties responsible for the attorney fees for the minor’s counsel. The court can also make the County pay the fees if neither party is able to do so financially.