Court costs are generally the fees required to be paid to courts and their officers and are often included in filing fees—fees that must be paid when a litigant files a document with the court, such as a plaintiff’s complaint or petition, or a defendant’s counterclaim. Court costs are often assessed against the losing party in a lawsuit, and the winning or prevailing party is said to be entitled to recover costs of court. Other costs, such as deposition costs for the court reporter and transcription costs may be recoverable by a prevailing party under the broader concept of recoverable costs or taxable costs—in other words, costs that may be taxed against the losing party. Court costs generally do not include attorney fees or expert fees. The specific costs that may be recovered in litigation are often specified in the rules of civil procedure for the relevant state or federal jurisdiction.

In Ohio, court costs encompass various fees associated with the use of the court system, including filing fees that are paid when a party submits documents to the court, such as complaints, petitions, or counterclaims. These costs are typically required to be paid upfront by the party initiating the legal action. Ohio law allows for the prevailing party in a lawsuit to potentially recover court costs from the losing party. This means that the winning party may be entitled to have certain expenses, such as filing fees and deposition costs, reimbursed by the losing party. However, it's important to note that attorney fees and expert witness fees are generally not included in court costs. The specific types of costs that can be recovered, and the procedures for doing so, are outlined in the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure and other relevant statutes. The rules provide guidance on what costs are considered 'taxable' against the losing party and how a prevailing party can request the court to order such costs to be paid.