ABOUT FILING FEES & FEE WAIVERS:

Every answer must be filed with a filing fee or fee waiver request. If you cannot afford the filing fees, please use the fee waiver requests that we have provided for you. The possible outcomes are listed next. If you can afford the filing fees, skip this part and disregard any subsequent instructions referencing filing fees.  

 Outcomes:  

  • If your request for fee waiver is granted at any point, all your fees associated with defending the lawsuit will be waived.   

  • If the court rejects your request for fee waiver, read the information that the court provides to find out if you need to provide more information. If no other information is requested, and the result is a rejection, you have 10 days to pay the filing fee for the document you tried to file, otherwise the document will be rejected from filing and it will be the same as if you never filed at all. In most cases, failure to file your document may result in a judgement that lasts up to 15 years at 5% interest. 

YOUR ACTION STEPS- FW-001 (& FW-003 San Francisco County)

For both Alameda and San Francisco

  1. Review the request, form FW-001 for the correct information of your name, address, phone number, case number.

  2. Fill out the FW-001 form and include your employment information, if you are employed.

  3. Review the document for the correct information of your name, address, phone number, case number.  

  4. On FW-001, under section 5 (VERY IMPORTANT follow carefully)— 

    (a) if you receive any of the benefits listed in 5a, check all the boxes that apply and stop there (do not move on to 5b or 5c).  

    (b) If you do not meet the requirements of 5a, move on to see if you qualify under 5b. If you qualify under 5b, fill out section 7, 8, and 9 on the second page of FW-001 and stop there (do not move on to 5c).  

    (c) If you do not meet the requirements of 5b, move on to see if you qualify under 5c. If you qualify under 5c, fill out all of the second page of FW-001.  

  5. Sign and date the bottom of the first page of FW-001 in blue ink.    

  6. You will need to make 1 copy of the FW-001 forms (You’ll end up with 1 original, and 1 copy.  

For San Francisco Only:

  1. For the Order, form FW-003: On the first page, under section 3, fill in the date that you file the FW forms with the court. 

  2. You will need to make 1 copy of the FW-003 form (You’ll end up with 1 original, and 1 copy.