How much money do I have to pay if I lose in court as a plaintiff?
<p>There were a lot of questions about what happens if someone loses in court. A lot of the questions were pretty complex to understand. I want a straightforward answer. I have a pretty big case that I wrote up. I am worried that if I lose, I'll have to pay lots of money due to my big case that had a lot of accusations.</p>
<p>I stand by the American rule where I do not have to pay the attorney's fees. The category of law that I am trying to sue is landlord-tenant. I can't afford a lawyer so I'm not even sure if I could pay off the losing fees against the apartment complex and his attorneys that are probably going to represent them in court.</p>
<p>Assuming I sue my landlord by myself, can I be responsible for their fees?</p>

<p>In California, like much of the USA, legal fees are rarely recoverable from the other side. The winning side still pays their own fees.</p>
<p>There are exceptions to this- the most common being when it's written into a contract. Obviously I cannot speculate as I don't know your contract. Consult a legal professional.</p>
<p>The defendant may also launch a countersuit, though again this would depend on the facts of the case. They can't sue you just for suing you, even if you lose.</p>
<p>You will of course be responsible for your own legal fees, as well as the <a href="https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/filingfees.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">court fees</a>. Legal fees depend on your attorney and the amount of work that goes into the case. Court fees depend on the specifics and whether you can go via small claims court.</p>

california court fees attorney-fees