You will need to pay a filing fee in order to set your case in motion, as well as a service fee. Your fee will scale with the total amount of damages you are seeking. This filing fee, once paid, will generate a docket number for your case which will be used as a reference number for the duration of your lawsuit. Each local jurisdiction is going to have its own fee schedule. When you file your lawsuit, you will need to check the filing costs. In some instances the cost may be waived by the court if you can show economic hardship.