How to use the taxable costs calculator
The United States follows the American Rule: each side pays its own attorney fees unless a statute or a contract shifts them (Alyeska Pipeline Serv. Co. v. Wilderness Society, 421 U.S. 240 (1975)). This is the opposite of loser-pays systems, so winning a case does not by itself make the other side pay your lawyer.
What a prevailing party can usually recover is costs. Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 54(d)(1) costs other than attorney fees should be allowed to the prevailing party as of course, and 28 U.S.C. 1920 lists what the clerk may tax: clerk and marshal fees, transcripts necessarily obtained, printing and witness fees, copies necessarily obtained for use in the case, docket fees under section 1923, and compensation of court-appointed experts and interpreters. Courts may not tax expenses outside that list (Crawford Fitting Co. v. J.T. Gibbons, Inc., 482 U.S. 437 (1987)), and a court may apportion or deny costs where success was mixed.
Costs are claimed on a bill of costs (Form AO 133) after judgment; local rules set the filing and objection deadlines, commonly 14 days. Figures here reflect federal practice as of September 2026 and state courts differ. This calculator is for reference only and is not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.
Frequently asked questions
Only if a fee-shifting statute or a contract provision applies. Under the American Rule the default is that each party bears its own fees regardless of who wins.
Ordinary retained experts are generally limited to the statutory witness attendance fee. Only court-appointed experts and interpreters are compensated under 28 U.S.C. 1920(6).