Title
Title
Rules and Forms | Revisions to Fee Waiver Rules and Forms (Action Required)
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Summary
Summary
Senate Bill 54 (Stats. 2025, ch. 646) exempts veterans disability service-connected compensation from monthly income for purposes of determining whether a fee waiver applicant’s income is 200 percent or less of the current federal poverty guidelines. The Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee and the Probate and Mental Health Advisory Committee recommend amending seven rules of court and revising 22 fee waiver forms to implement SB 54, correct misapplications of existing law, and make other improvements.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
The Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee and the Probate and Mental Health Advisory Committee recommend that the Judicial Council, effective January 1, 2027, take the following actions to implement SB 54 and make legal and stylistic improvements:
1. Amend California Rules of Court, rules 3.50, 3.51, 3.52, 3.53, 3.55, 7.5, and 8.26; and
2. Revise the following forms:
a. Information Sheet on Waiver of Appellate Court Fees-Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Appellate Division (form APP-015/FW-015-INFO);
b. Order on Court Fee Waiver (Court of Appeal or Supreme Court) (form APP-016/FW-016);
c. Order on Court Fee Waiver (Court of Appeal or Supreme Court) (Ward or Conservatee) (form APP-016-GC/FW-016-GC);
d. Request to Waive Court Fees (form FW-001);
e. Request to Waive Court Fees (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-001-GC);
f. Information Sheet on Waiver of Superior Court Fees and Costs (form FW-001-INFO);
g. Request to Waive Additional Court Fees (Superior Court) (form FW-002);
h. Request to Waive Additional Court Fees (Superior Court) (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-002-GC);
i. Order on Court Fee Waiver (Superior Court) (form FW-003);
j. Order on Court Fee Waiver (Superior Court) (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-003-GC);
k. Notice: Waiver of Court Fees (Superior Court) (form FW-005);
l. Notice: Waiver of Court Fees (Superior Court) (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-005-GC);
m. Request for Hearing About Court Fee Waiver Order (Superior Court) (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-006-GC);
n. Notice on Hearing About Court Fees (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-007-GC);
o. Order on Court Fee Waiver After Hearing (Superior Court) (form FW-008);
p. Order on Court Fee Waiver After Hearing (Superior Court) (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-008-GC);
q. Notice to Court of Improved Financial Situation or Settlement (form FW-010);
r. Notice to Court of Improved Financial Situation or Settlement (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-010-GC);
s. Notice to Appear for Reconsideration of Fee Waiver (form FW-011);
t. Notice to Appear for Reconsideration of Fee Waiver (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-011-GC);
u. Order on Court Fee Waiver After Reconsideration Hearing (Superior Court) (form FW-012); and
v. Order on Court Fee Waiver After Reconsideration Hearing (Superior Court) (Ward or Conservatee) (form FW-012-GC).
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