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Investigation Fees
A Court Investigation is required for the following matters: Probate Guardianship or Conservatorship, Termination of Guardianship or Conservatorship, Step-Parent Adoption, Termination of Parental Rights, Emancipation of a Minor, Underage Marriage Permission.
Statutes governing the investigations and reimbursement of the costs are as follows:
| Nature of Report | Code Section Requiring Report | Code Section Allowing Reimbursement |
|---|---|---|
| Petition to Declare Child Free from Parental Custody and Control | FC §7850 | FC §7851.5 Petitioner liable for costs NTE $900. Court may defer, waive or reduce costs when economic hardship. |
| Step-Parent Adoption | FC §9000 | FC §9001 – Step-Parent is liable for costs NTE $700. Court or court investigator, may defer, waive or reduce costs when economic hardship. |
| Child Custody Investigation | FC §3111 | FC §3112 Parent charged with support after court determines financial condition of parent. |
| Probate Guardianship – Relative Guardian | Prob. Code §1513 | Prob. Code §1513.1 – County shall assess guardian or estate of ward |
| Conservatorship Proceedings | Prob. Code §1826 | Prob. Code §1851.5 Court order estate to pay unless it would pose undue hardship on the estate. |
| Conservatorship – Periodic Reviews | Prob. Code §1851 | Prob. Code §1851.5 Court order estate to pay unless it would pose undue hardship on the estate. |
The following fee schedule has been adopted by the court for the various services provided by the Court Investigator:
| Investigation Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Guardianship Investigation ( up to 6 hours) | $300 |
| Guardianship Status Reports | No Charge |
| Guardianship Termination or Review Report | $150 |
| Conservatorship Investigation Initial Report (up to 12 hours) | $600 |
| Conservatorship – Periodic Reviews (up to 6 hours) | $300 |
| Conservatorship Termination Report | $75 |
| Step-Parent Adoption Investigation ( up to 3 hours) | $150 |
| Petition to Declare Child Free from Parental Custody and Control (up to 3 hours) with Petition for Adoption | $150 |
| Petition to Declare Child Free from Parental Custody and Control (up to 6 hours) | $300 |
| Under Age Marriage Permission | No Charge |
| Emancipation of Minor | No Charge |
If fees present a hardship, you may be eligible for a fee waiver. The Request to Waive Court Fees (FW-001) is the basic fee waiver form. For additional fees a (FW-002) is required. To learn more about this form and applying for a fee waiver, read the Information Sheet (FW-001-INFO) on Waiver of Superior Court Fees and Costs.
