Court Costs Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Court Costs.

Court Costs (noun): This term refers to the expenses that arise during the process of a law suit, which can include costs for filing fees, court reporter services, issuing summons and subpoenas, as well as costs associated with producing court transcripts and photocopies of legal documents. These costs are typically imposed on the losing party, except under special circumstances where a law permits attorney's fees to be included. The amount can potentially be reduced if the losing party appeals, resulting in a secondary trial to determine necessary costs.