Legal costs in Courts of Appeal

The legal costs consist of a trial charge and the fees to the trial counsel and the witnesses.

Everyone should pay for the legal assistance that they may need themselves. If someone can not afford the necessary assistance, it may be provided to them partially or fully at the expense of the state. More information on legal aid paid for by the state is provided on the Legal Aid pages.

If a party wins the case, the opposing party usually compensates for the legal costs. If a party loses the case, he or she must usually compensate the winner of the case for the legal costs. Also recipients of legal aid must usually compensate the opposing party for the legal costs, if they lose their case in court.

A trial charge is not collected if the case lapses or is ruled inadmissible and in criminal cases if the decision of a district court is amended to the advantage of the appellant. Further, the charge is not collected in matters pertaining to interruption of enforcement, the adjustment of the debts of a private person, restraining order or enforcement of a prison sentence.

More information on the charges collected by the courts on the Finnish Judicial System website.

Legal Aid
Charges collected by the courts

Updated on 29 December 2010