Advance on costs

In Swiss civil proceedings, courts commonly require an advance on costs to cover expected court fees. The claimant is often asked to pay it, although rules and amounts depend on the case, canton and procedural stage. If the advance is not paid on time, the claim or procedural step may not be pursued, subject to safeguards such as legal aid where available. An advance is not the final cost allocation: the judgment or settlement later determines who ultimately bears the procedural costs.