§ 1809.Collection and Disposition of Court Costs and Fees

Chapter 37: Dispute Resolution Act · Last amended July 1, 2019 · Last verified August 3, 2026

In one sentenceAdds a $7 court cost to every civil case to fund the dispute resolution system -- waivable for a party who files an in forma pauperis affidavit -- with the money sent to the Director for deposit in the Dispute Resolution System Revolving Fund.

Full Text of § 1809

Text sizeJump to: (A) (B)

A. To establish and maintain an alternative dispute resolution system, court costs in the amount of Seven Dollars ($7.00) shall be taxed, collected, and paid as other court costs in all civil cases. The fee of an initiating or responding party shall be waived by the center upon receipt of an affidavit in forma pauperis executed under oath by such party.

B. The court costs and fees provided for in subsection A of this section, once collected, shall be transferred by the court clerk to the Director who shall deposit them in the Dispute Resolution System Revolving Fund referenced in Section 2 of this act.

Amendment History

Amended by Laws 2019, c. 354, s. 1, eff. 7/1/2019. Amended by Laws 2016, c. 362, s. 1, eff. 7/1/2016. Added by Laws 1985, HB 1552, c. 260, § 5, eff. 11/1/1985; Amended by Laws 1991, HB 1250, c. 286, § 13, emerg. eff. 5/29/1991; Amended by Laws 1994, HB 2753, c. 225, §1, eff. 7/1/1994; Amended by Laws 2004, SB 1068, c. 443, §1, emerg. eff. 7/1/2004.

Plain-English Summary

Section 1809 funds the dispute resolution system through a $7 court cost, taxed and collected like any other court cost in every civil case. A center waives that fee for an initiating or responding party who submits an in forma pauperis affidavit sworn under oath.

Once collected, the court clerk transfers those court costs and fees to the Director, who deposits them in the Dispute Resolution System Revolving Fund.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an extra court cost in Oklahoma civil cases to fund mediation?

Yes -- $7.00, taxed and collected as a court cost in all civil cases.

Can I get that fee waived if I can't afford it?

Yes -- a center waives the fee for a party who files an in forma pauperis affidavit sworn under oath.

Where does the money from this fee go?

The court clerk transfers it to the Director, who deposits it in the Dispute Resolution System Revolving Fund.

Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, enacted by the Oklahoma Legislature. Last verified August 3, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: $7 court fee oklahoma dispute resolutionin forma pauperis fee waiver mediation oklahomaDispute Resolution System Revolving Fund12 O.S. § 1809