What is a bill of costs in civil law?

A bill of costs in civil law is a document submitted by the prevailing party in a legal dispute which asks the court to award the party their court costs and attorney’s fees. It is a request for reimbursement of the out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the prevailing party. In Minnesota, each party in a civil lawsuit can select from two different kinds of court costs and fees: taxable costs and non-taxable costs. Taxable costs are billed by the court directly to the losing party and include fees for serving process, court fees, witness fees, and court reporter’s fees. Non-taxable costs are paid by the prevailing party’s attorney and then requested to be paid by the losing party and include filing fees, legal research, and postage. Taxable costs are normally awarded to litigants up front by the court; however, non-taxable costs are requestable through a bill of costs that must be filed with the court after a ruling is made. The bill of costs must be filed within a specific time frame, and a hearing may be requested to discuss the bill of costs before the court issues its ruling. In Minnesota, a bill of costs must be filed within 20 days of the court’s ruling. Ultimately, the judge will decide whether to award costs to the prevailing party and, if so, how much can be awarded.

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