Section 68630.
68630. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) That our legal system cannot provide “equal justice under law” unless all persons have access to the courts without regard to their economic means. California law and court procedures should ensure that court fees are not a barrier to court access for those with insufficient […]
Section 68645.15.
68645.15. A defendant’s request for an ability-to-pay determination through the online tool shall not impact their eligibility to attend traffic violator school pursuant to Section 42005 of the Vehicle Code. (Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 191, Sec. 1. (SB 1096) Effective January 1, 2023.)
Section 68631.
68631. An initial fee waiver shall be granted by the court at any stage of the proceedings at both the appellate and trial court levels if an applicant meets the standards of eligibility and application requirements under Sections 68632 and 68633. An initial fee waiver excuses the applicant from paying fees for the first pleading […]
Section 68645.2.
68645.2. (a) By June 30, 2024, every court shall offer online ability-to-pay determinations using the tool developed by the Judicial Council. The following shall apply to ability-to-pay determinations made pursuant to this article: (1) The defendant has the burden of establishing the inability to pay. Courts shall establish criteria for the determination of an inability to pay, […]
Section 68631.5.
68631.5. For purposes of this article, a conservatee, ward, or person for whom a conservatorship or guardianship is sought, shall be deemed the “applicant,” and the conservator, guardian, or person or persons seeking to establish the conservatorship or guardianship shall be deemed the “petitioner.” In those cases, the petitioner is responsible for completing all forms […]
Section 68645.3.
68645.3. (a) A court may allow the online tool to electronically verify through encrypted transmittal whether the defendant receives public benefits, defined as any of the public benefits listed in subdivision (a) of Section 68632, by accessing a statewide, county, or other political subdivision of the state database, including the State Department of Social Services. (b) The […]
Section 68632.
68632. Permission to proceed without paying court fees and costs because of an applicant’s financial condition shall be granted initially to all of the following persons: (a) An applicant who is receiving public benefits under one or more of the following programs: (1) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and State Supplementary Payment (SSP) (Article 5 (commencing with Section […]
Section 68633.
68633. (a) An applicant for an initial fee waiver under subdivision (a) of Section 68632 shall complete, under penalty of perjury, a Judicial Council application form requiring the applicant to list his or her current street address, or another address where the court can contact the applicant, occupation, employer, and the type of public benefits that […]
Section 68634.
68634. (a) This section applies to the processing and determination of fee waiver applications in the trial courts. (b) All applications for an initial fee waiver shall be accepted for filing. If an applicant submits an application without providing all required information to complete the form, the clerk may request that the applicant supply the omitted information, […]
Section 68634.5.
68634.5. (a) This section applies to the processing and determination of fee waiver applications in the appellate courts. (b) All completed applications for a fee waiver shall be accepted for filing. If an application is submitted without all required information filled out on the form, the clerk may return the application to the applicant and request that […]