Rule 142 Waiver of Fees and Costs

If a juvenile can't afford court fees or costs, they can ask the court to waive them. This request follows the process laid out in Pa.R.J.A. 1990, which is the general rule courts use for fee waivers.

There's an important limit, though. This waiver option doesn't apply to certain financial obligations that come from specific parts of a juvenile case. Specifically, it can't be used to waive money owed as part of an informal adjustment, a consent decree, or a disposition after a juvenile is found delinquent. In those situations, the juvenile still has to pay what's required, even if they qualify for a fee waiver in other parts of the case.