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Lawyers question SA court fee hike
Court fees in South Australia are on the rise, causing lawyers to question their impact on litigants.
The New Lawyer
Court fees in South Australia are on the rise, causing lawyers to question their impact on litigants.
Legal profession body, the Australian Lawyers Alliance, is concerned about a sharp increase in court fees in South Australia and its effect on people’s ability to access justice.
Court fees for the new financial year have risen from $1,797 to $2,126 in the Supreme Court; from $899 to $1064 in the District Court; and from $226 to $267 in the Magistrates Court.
The Australian Lawyers Alliance said it is concerned about the hike. "The higher the fees, the greater the hurdle that South Australian plaintiffs have to jump through to obtain justice,” ALA SA president, Anthony Kerin, said.
“It is likely that this will contribute to a further clogging of the court process as applicants apply for fee reductions,” he said.
“We already have too many encumbrances on the court process, we don’t need to see the situation worsen,” he said.
Kerin argues litigants shouldn’t be asked to find these fees, and said the court costs are becoming "prohibitive".
