(a) In addition to the first paper filing fee required by Section 70611 or 70613, a single complex case fee shall be paid to the clerk on behalf of all plaintiffs, whether filing separately or jointly, either at the time of the filing of the first paper if the case is designated as complex pursuant to the California Rules of Court, or, if no such designation was made, in each case in which a court determines that the case is a complex case pursuant to the California Rules of Court, within 10 calendar days of the filing of the court’s order.

(b) In addition to the first appearance fee required under Section 70612 or 70614, a complex case fee shall be paid on behalf of each defendant, intervenor, respondent, or adverse party, whether filing separately or jointly, either at the time that party files its first paper in a case if the case is designated or counterdesignated as complex pursuant to the California Rules of Court, or, if no such designation was made, in each case in which a court determines that the case is a complex case pursuant to the California Rules of Court, within 10 calendar days of the filing of the court’s order. This additional complex fee shall be charged to each defendant, intervenor, respondent, or adverse party appearing in the case, but the total complex fees collected from all the defendants, intervenors, respondents, or other adverse parties appearing in a complex case shall not exceed eighteen thousand dollars ($18,000).

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(c) In each case in which the court determines that a case that has been designated or counterdesignated as complex is not a complex case, the court shall order reimbursement to the parties of the amount of any complex case fees that the parties have previously paid pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b).

(d) In each case determined to be complex in which the total fees actually collected exceed, or if collected would exceed, the limit in subdivision (b), the court shall make an order necessary to ensure that the total complex fees paid by the defendants, intervenors, respondents, or other adverse parties appearing in the case do not exceed the limit and that the complex fees paid by those parties are apportioned fairly among those parties.

(e) The complex case fee established by this section shall be one thousand dollars ($1,000), unless the fee is reduced pursuant to this section. The fee shall be transmitted to the Trial Court Trust Fund as provided in Section 68085.1.

(f) The fees provided by this section are in addition to the filing fee authorized by Section 70611, 70612, 70613, or 70614.

(g) Failure to pay the fees required by this section shall have the same effect as the failure to pay a filing fee, and shall be subject to the same enforcement and penalties.

(h) The amendments made to this section during the 2011-12 Regular Session of the Legislature do not constitute a change in, but are declaratory of, existing law.

(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 45, Sec. 10) by Stats. 2023, Ch. 34, Sec. 11. (SB 133) Effective June 30, 2023.)