Section 68636 Of Article 6. Waiver Of Court Fees And Costs From California Government Code >> Title 8. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 6.
68636
. (a) After the court has granted an initial fee waiver in
whole or in part, and before final disposition of the case, the
person who received the initial fee waiver shall notify the court
within five days of any change in financial circumstances that
affects his or her ability to pay all or a portion of the court fees
and costs that were initially waived.
(b) If, before or at the time of final disposition of the case,
the court obtains information, including information derived from the
court file, suggesting that a person whose fees and costs were
initially waived is not entitled to a fee waiver, or that the person'
s financial condition has changed so that he or she is no longer
eligible for a fee waiver, the court may require the person to appear
at a court hearing by giving the applicant no less than 10 days'
written notice of the hearing and the specific reasons why the
initial fee waiver might be reconsidered. The court may require the
person to provide reasonably available evidence, including financial
information, to support his or her eligibility for the fee waiver,
but shall not require submission of information that is not related
to the criteria for eligibility and application requirements set
forth in Sections 68632 and 68633. The court shall not conduct a
hearing pursuant to this subdivision more often than once every six
months.
(c) At the time of final disposition of the case, the court may
give notice that a person whose fees and costs were initially waived
is required to appear at a court hearing by giving the applicant no
less than 10 days' written notice of the hearing. The court may
require the person to provide reasonably available evidence,
including financial information, to support his or her eligibility
for the fee waiver, but shall not require submission of information
that is not related to the criteria for eligibility and application
requirements set forth in Sections 68632 and 68633.
(d) In conducting a hearing under subdivision (b) or (c), if the
court determines that the person was not entitled to the initial fee
waiver at the time it was granted, the court may order the waiver
withdrawn retroactively. The court may order the person to pay to the
court immediately, or over a period of time, all or part of the fees
that were initially waived. The court shall give the person a
minimum of 10 court days to begin paying the full or partial fees.
(e) In conducting a hearing under subdivision (a), (b), or (c), if
the court determines that the person's financial circumstances have
changed since the grant of the initial fee waiver or partial initial
fee waiver, the court may order the fee waiver withdrawn
prospectively from the time that the person no longer was eligible
for a fee waiver. The court may order the person to pay to the court
immediately, or over a period of time, all or part of the fees that
were waived since the time that the person no longer was eligible for
a fee waiver. The court may order the person to begin paying all or
part of the court fees assessed for future activities in the case.
The court shall give the person a minimum of 10 court days to begin
paying the full or partial fees.
(f) If the court obtains information suggesting that a litigant
whose fees and costs were initially waived is obtaining court
services in bad faith, or for an improper purpose such as to harass
or cause unnecessary delay, or to needlessly increase the costs of
litigation, the court may give notice that the litigant is required
to appear at a court hearing to consider whether limitations should
be placed on court services for which fees were initially waived.