Rule 1614 Review of Orders Denying Waiver of Fees and Costs

If a court turns down your request to waive fees and costs (meaning you asked not to pay court fees because you can't afford them), you can ask a higher court to review that decision. This summary explains how that review process works.

You have 30 days from the date the court denies your fee waiver request to file your petition asking for review. When you file, the court clerk must accept and process your paperwork without charging you a filing fee, since the whole point is that you're challenging a decision about your ability to pay fees.

This type of review is handled differently than most appeals. Only the court that denied your request gets notified and involved. No other party in your case is named or served, and no one else is allowed to respond to your petition. This keeps the process focused and private.

When you write your petition, you need to follow the standard format rules for these kinds of appeals. The main difference is that instead of a general statement about your case, you must clearly explain why you think the court was wrong to deny your fee waiver. Be specific about the mistake you believe the court made.