2. Fill out your court forms

If you and your lawyer can’t agree on what to do with your legal bill, you can ask the court to have your bill reviewed by an assessment officer of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

You can ask to have your bill reviewed whether or not you have paid your bill.

You must ask for the review within 1 month of getting your bill. If more than 1 month has passed, you will have to get permission from a judge to have your bill reviewed by an assessment officer.

Get your forms

Each court has different procedures for asking to have a bill reviewed. You will usually have to fill out:

• a Requisition for Assessment – Client’s Application
• an Order for Assessment – Client’s Application, and attach copies of your lawyer’s bills
• a Notice of Appointment for Assessment

Take your forms to the Superior Court of Justice to have them issued. This means the court clerk will sign, date, and stamp your forms. The court clerk will also give you a hearing date, which will be written on your Notice of Appointment for Assessment.

In some court locations, a Notice of Pre-Assessment Hearing (or similar document) may be required before filing a Notice of Appointment for Assessment. Court staff can help you with this.

Pay court fees

You have to pay a fee of $99.

If you can’t afford to pay the fee, you can apply for a fee waiver. If you get a waiver, it means that you won’t have to pay most court fees. There is more information about fee waivers on the Ministry of the Attorney General’s website at www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca.

Ask for other services if you need them

You must let the court know if you would like to have your hearing in French. They will arrange for an assessment officer who speaks French or an interpreter to be at your hearing. You do not have to pay for this.

The court may also be able to make arrangements in other languages.