(a) Allowance and allocation. — Unless otherwise provided by rule, law, or order of court, the prevailing party is entitled to the allowance of costs. The court, by order, may allocate costs among the parties.
Rule 3-603.Costs
District Court · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceRule 3-603 lets the winning side recover court costs, lets the court assess certain expenses like transcripts and interpreters as costs, and makes both sides of a use-and-benefit action jointly responsible for costs.
Full Text of Rule 3-603
(b) Assessment by the court. — When the court orders or requests a transcript or, on its own initiative, appoints an expert or interpreter, the court may assess as costs some or all of the expenses or may order payment of some or all of the expenses from public funds. On motion of a party and after hearing, if requested, the court may assess as costs any reasonable and necessary expenses, to the extent permitted by rule or law.
(c) Joint liability. — When an action is brought for the use or benefit of another as provided in Rule 3- 201, the person for whom the action is brought and the person bringing the action, except the State of Maryland, shall be liable for the payment of any costs assessed against either of them.
Committee Note & Source
Cross references. Code, Courts Art., § 7-202.
Source. This Rule is derived as follows: Section (a) is derived from former M.D.R. 604. Section (b) is new. Section (c) is derived from former Rule 604 c.
Plain-English Summary
Winning a case in District Court usually comes with the right to recover costs. Rule 3-603 starts from that baseline: unless a rule, statute, or court order says otherwise, the prevailing party is entitled to have costs allowed, and the court can allocate those costs among the parties by order. Costs are not limited to filing fees. When the court itself orders or requests a transcript, or appoints an expert or interpreter on its own initiative, it can assess some or all of that expense as costs, or order it paid from public funds instead. A party can also ask — by motion, with a hearing if requested — to have other reasonable and necessary expenses assessed as costs, to the extent a rule or statute allows it.
The rule adds a special liability provision for actions brought for the use or benefit of someone else, as Rule 3-201 allows. In that situation, both the person the action is being brought for and the person bringing it in their own name are on the hook for any costs assessed against either of them — except when the State of Maryland is the one bringing the action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to pay court costs after a case is decided?
The prevailing party is entitled to have costs allowed, unless a rule, statute, or court order provides otherwise. The court can also allocate costs among the parties by order rather than assigning them all to one side.
Can a party recover the cost of a transcript, expert, or interpreter?
When the court orders or requests a transcript, or appoints an expert or interpreter on its own initiative, it may assess some or all of that expense as costs or order it paid from public funds. A party can also move to have other reasonable and necessary expenses assessed as costs, and the court may hold a hearing if one is requested.
What is a use-and-benefit action, and why does it affect who pays costs?
Rule 3-201 allows an action to be brought in one person's name for the use or benefit of another. Rule 3-603 makes both that named plaintiff and the person benefiting from the suit liable for any costs assessed against either of them, unless the State of Maryland is the party bringing the action.
Source & verification. Rule text, Committee Note, Source note, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Maryland Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Maryland. Last verified July 13, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: Maryland district court costswho pays court costs Marylandassessing interpreter transcript costsuse and benefit action costs Marylandprevailing party costs district court