How to file a lawsuit with no money?
If you have to file any lawsuit, it can be costly including the court fees, legal fees, and may be some other costs. It is tough to get fairness if someone is monetarily weak or has a small amount that is not sufficient to file the claim. But it is possible to file the lawsuit if you are financially weak or have a small amount of money.
In this article, we will discuss all the steps that can be helpful to file the lawsuit with little or no money.
Understanding the Costs of Filing a Lawsuit
It is very important to talk about the basic costs of a lawsuit before talking about the lawsuit with no money.
Following are the basic costs that a lawsuit requires to pay.
Filing Fees
The filing fee is the court fee that is paid while filing the lawsuit papers in court. This fee depends on the type of lawsuit and the type of court. Generally, filing fees range from $50 to several hundred dollars.
Attorney Fees
This is the legal fee you need to pay to the lawyer. A lawyer can charge the fee on an hourly basis or can demand the fixed amount. Hourly rates typically start from $100 to $500 or more. It depends on the type of the case.
Service Fees
This is the fee that is paid to service providers who serve the legal documents to the defendant.
Expert Witness Fees
This is the fee that is paid to the specialists if you need to provide the expert testimony.
Miscellaneous Costs
These are the various expenses, including travel expenses, payment of coping the documents, fee against receiving the records, etc.
Steps to File a Lawsuit with No Money
If you have little money or no money, you can start filing the lawsuit. Following are the steps that you can follow to file the lawsuit with no money.
- i. Seek a Fee Waiver
The first step that you can follow is to apply for the fee waiver. Many courts offer a fee waiver to compensate you for filing the lawsuit. You can fill out the application for a fee waiver, and you will provide all your financial information. The court will check you to see if you are eligible for a fee waiver or not. If you qualify for a fee waiver, you can File The Lawsuit Without Any Cost.
To apply for the fee waiver, you can visit the court's website to download the fee waiver form or you can go in person to the court to get the fee waiver form. After getting the fee waiver form, complete it with your information and submit the completed form to the court. You will also need to provide your financial documents to the court.
Each court has different requirements for fee waivers. If you qualify for the court requirements, you will be waived the court fee.
- ii. Consider Small Claims Court
Small claims courts are the courts where you can file a lawsuit with little money. They may also waive off this little fee as well. You can get the small claims forms from the website or from the court. After completing the forms, file them in the Small Claims Court. While filing the small claims papers, you need to pay the fee, or you can apply for the fee waiver if you are eligible. You will also need to serve the documents to the defendant. In small claims, you will also save on attorney charges, as there is no need to hire the lawyer.
- iii. Find an Attorney Who Works on Contingency
You can hire an attorney on a contingency fee basis. A contingency fee basis means you can hire the attorney with no fee. If you win the case, the attorney will take 25% to 40% of your winning judgment amount. If you lose the case, you may not charge any fees.
- iv. Utilize Legal Aid Services
If you have no money to pay to the lawyer, you can get legal services from the legal aid organizations. These legal aid organizations offer legal services to those who are financially poor and have no money to pay.
- v. Self-Representation (Pro Se Litigation)
This is the best way to file the case if you have no money to pay to the lawyer. Many courts have self-guidelines on their websites to file the lawsuit by yourself. You can read all the provided instructions and follow them. In this way, you can file the lawsuit by yourself, and it will save money.
- vi. Crowdfunding and Fundraising
There are many websites, including GoFundMe, Fundly, and CrowdJustice, that offer people to get funds from friends, family, or the public to spend for legal purposes. You will need to describe your legal story for what you are asking for the funds.
Conclusion
Filing any lawsuit can be costly; it can have court fees, legal fees, and may be some other expenses. It is difficult to get justice if someone is financially weak or has a small amount that is not enough to File The Lawsuit. But it is possible to file the lawsuit if you are financially weak or have a small amount of money.
You can apply for the fee waiver, consider Small Claims Court, hire an attorney on a contingency fee basis, utilize legal aid services, use pro se litigation, and contact crowdfunding platforms. These can help you to file the lawsuit with little money or even no money.
