When it comes to legal matters, the cost involved in the legal processes such as filing a petition, securing the certified copies of any record, filing a motion etc., is indeed worth knowing. Aside from seeking legal advice, individuals who want to pursue a case are also curious about the cost that the legal process may entail. Here's a rundown of the legal fees based on Rule 141 of the Rules of Court:
Legal Fees
"SEC. 4. Clerks of the Court of Appeals and of the Supreme Court.-
............ (a) For filing an action, proceeding, appeal by notice or record on appeal when required, entering appearance of the parties, entering orders of the court, filing and docketing all motions, docketing of case on all proper dockets, and indexing the same, entering, recording and certification of judgment and remanding of records to the lower court, taxing they costs, administering all necessary oaths or affirmations in the action or proceeding, recording the opinion of the court, and issuing all necessary process in the action or proceeding not herein otherwise provided for, each action or special proceeding, five hundred (P500.00) pesos;
............ (b) For the performance of marriage ceremony, including issuance of certificate of marriage, three hundred (P300.00) pesos;
............ (c) For furnishing transcripts of the record or copies of any record, judgment, or entry of which any person is entitled to demand and receive a copy, for each page, four (P4.00) pesos;
............ (d) For each certificate not on process, thirty (P30.00) pesos;
............ (e) For every search for anything above a year's standing and reading the same, fifteen (P15.00) pesos;
............ (f) For a commission on all money coming into his hands by these rules or order of the court and caring for the same, two and one-half (2.5%) percent on all sums not exceeding four thousand (P4,000.00) pesos and one and one-half (1.5%) percent upon all sums in excess of four thousand (P4,000.00) pesos, and one (1%) per cent on all sums in excess of forty thousand (P40,000.00) pesos. (4a)
............SEC. 5. Fees to be paid by the advancing party. -- The fees of the clerk of the Court of Appeals or of the Supreme Court shall be paid him at the time of the entry of the action or proceeding in the court by the party who enters the same by appeal, or otherwise, and the clerk shall in all cases give a receipt for the same and shall enter the amount received upon his book, specifying the date when received, person from whom received, name of action in which received, and amount received. If the fees are not paid, the court may refuse to proceed with the action until they are paid and may dismiss the appeal or the action or proceeding. (3a)
............SEC.6. Fees of bar candidates.-
............ (a)............For filing the application for admission to the bar, whether admitted to the examination or not, one thousand and seven hundred fifty (P1,750.00) pesos for new applicants, and for repeaters, plus the additional amount of two hundred (P200.00) pesos multiplied by the number of times the applicant has failed in the bar examinations;
............ (b)......For admission to the bar, including oath taking, signing of the roll of attorneys, the issuance of diploma of admission to the Philippine Bar, one thousand and seven hundred fifty (P1,750.00) pesos;
............ (c)............Other Bar Fees.- For the issuance of:
1. ......Certification of admission to the Philippine Bar
P50.00
2. ......Certificate of good standing (local)
50.00
3. ......Certificate of good standing (foreign)
100.00
4. ......Verification of membership in the bar
50.00
5. ......Certificate of grades in the bar examinations
50.00
6. ......Other certification of records at the Bar Office, per page
15.00
7. ......A duplicate diploma of admission to the Philippine Bar
500.00
............For services in connection with the return of examination notebooks to examinees, a fee of thirty (P30.00) pesos shall also be charged. (6a)
............SEC.7. Clerks of Regional Trial Courts.-
............ (a) For filing an action or a permissive counterclaim or money claim against an estate not based on judgment, or for filing with leave of court a third-party, fourth-party, etc. complaint, or a complaint in intervention, and for all clerical services in the same, if the total sum claimed, exclusive of interest, or the stated value of the property in litigation, is:
1.......Less than P100,000.00
P 500.00
2.......P100,000.00 or more but less than P150,000.00
...800.00
3.......P150,000.00 or more but less than P200,000.00
1,000.00
4.......P200,000.00 or more but less than P250,000.00
1,500.00
5.......P250,000.00 or more but less than P300,000.00
1,750.00
6.......P300,000.00 or more but less than P350,000.00
2,000.00
7.......P350,000.00 or more but not more than P400,000.00
2,250.00
8.......For each P1,000.00 in.excess of P400,000.00
....10.00
............ (b) For filing:
1. ......Actions where the value of the subject matter cannot be estimated
..P600.00
2. ......Special civil actions except judicial foreclosure of mortgage which shall be governed by paragraph (a) above
....600.00
3. ......All other actions not involving property
600.00
............In a real action, the assessed value of the property, or if there is none, the estimated value thereof shall be alleged by the claimant and shall be the basis in computing the fees.
............ (c) For filing requests for extrajudicial foreclosure of real estate or chattel mortgage, if the amount of the indebtedness, or the mortgagee's claim is:
1. ......Less than P50,000.00
.....P275.00
2. ......P50,000.00 or more but less than P100,000.00
..400.00
3. ......P100,000.00 or more but less than P150,000.00
..500.00
4. ......P150,000.00 or more but less than P200,000.00
...650.00
5. ......P200,000.00 or more but less than P250,000.00
1,000.00
6. ......P250,000.00 or more but less than P300,000.00
1,250.00
7. ......P300,000.00 or more but less than P400,000.00
1,500.00
8. ......P400,000.00 or more but less than P500,000.00
1,750.00
9. ......P500,000.00 or more but not more than P1,000,000.00
....2,000.00
10. ......For each P1,000.00 in excess of P1,000,000.00
10.00
............ (d) For initiating proceedings for the allowance of wills, granting letters of administration, appointment of guardians, trustees, and other special proceedings, the fees payable shall be collected in accordance with the value of the property involved in the proceedings, which must be stated in the application or petition, as follows:
1. ......More than P100,000.00 but less than P150,000.00
P2,000.00
2. ......P150,000.00 or more but less than P200,000.00
2,250.00
3. ......P200,000.00 or more but less than P250,000.00
2,500.00
4. ......P250,000.00 or more but less than P300,000.00
2,750.00
5. ......P300,000.00 or more but less than P350,000.00
3,000.00
6. ......P350,000.00 or more but not more than P400,000.00
............3,250.00
7. ......For each P1,000.00 in excess of P400,000.00
10.00
............If the value of the estate as definitely appraised by the court is more than the value declared in the application, the difference of fee shall be paid: provided that a certificate from the clerk of court that the proper fees have been paid shall be required prior to the closure of the proceedings.
............ (e) For filing petitions for naturalization or other modes of acquisition of citizenship, two thousand (P2,000.00) pesos;
............ (f) For filing petitions for adoption, support, annulment of marriage, legal separation and other actions or proceedings under the Family Code, two hundred (P200.00) pesos;
............If the proceedings involve separation of property, an additional fee corresponding to the value of the property involved shall be collected, computed in accordance with the rates for special proceedings.
............ (g) For all other special proceedings not concerning property, two hundred (P200.00) pesos;
............ (h) For the performance of marriage ceremony including issuance of certificate of marriage, three hundred (P300.00) pesos;
............ (i) For filing an application for commission as notary public, five hundred (P500.00) pesos;
............ (j) For certified copies of any paper, record, decree, judgment or entry thereof for each page, four (P4.00) and fifteen (P15.00) pesos for certification;
............ (k) For a commission on all money coming into the clerks' hands by law, rule, order or writ of court and caring for the same, one and one-half (1.5 %) per centum on all sums not exceeding forty thousand (P40,000.00) pesos, and one (1%) per centum on all sums in excess of forty thousand (P40,000) pesos.
............ (l) For any other services as clerk not provided in this section, one hundred and fifty (P150.00) pesos shall be collected. (7a)"
