Shoutout to the court clerk who saved me from a filing fee nightmare

Last month I was down at the county courthouse in Cleveland trying to file a small claims case and I was about to pay the $175 fee in cash. The clerk at the window took one look at my paperwork and said 'You qualify for the indigent fee waiver, here's the form.' I never would have known about that on my own. Has anyone else had a clerk go way above and beyond like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

piper_dixon451mo ago

That clerk saved you a solid $175 which is no joke. Pro tip for anyone else dealing with court fees: always ask if there's a waiver or reduction form before you pull out your wallet, even if you don't think you qualify. They see the paperwork all day and usually know the loopholes better than anyone.

the_charles1mo ago

You ever notice how some people are afraid to ask about discounts or waivers because they think it makes them look needy? I've seen folks pay full price for things like fishing licenses or park passes when they could've gotten a reduced rate just by asking. Those clerks process hundreds of forms a week and they know exactly what exceptions are available, but they can't offer them unless you ask first. My neighbor got his property tax late fee waived last year just by admitting he forgot and asking if there was anything they could do. Point is, the worst they can say is no, and you're already prepared to pay the full amount anyway.