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 Wyoming, court costs encompass various fees associated with the use of the court system, including filing fees that litigants must pay when submitting documents such as complaints, petitions, or counterclaims. These costs are typically assessed against the losing party in a lawsuit, and the prevailing party is entitled to recover these costs. This recovery is subject to the rules outlined in the Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure, which detail the specific costs that can be taxed against the losing party. Recoverable costs may include expenses like deposition and transcription fees, but they do not cover attorney fees or expert witness fees. The exact costs and the process for recovering them can vary depending on the nature of the case and the court's discretion.