June 1, 2023 – Costs & the Self-Represented Litigant

“In M.A.L. v. R.H.M., 2018 ONSC 2542, Pazaratz J. reviewed some of the factors to be considered when assessing the quantum of costs relative to self-represented litigants. At para. 11 he stated:

[11]           Most of the caselaw dealing with costs claims by self-represented litigants deals with the first of the three objectives set out in Serra.

a.    Self-represented litigants may be awarded costs, and those costs may include an allowance for counsel fees.  Fong v. Chan,1999 CanLII 2052 (ON CA), (1999) 46 O.R. (3d) 330 (C.A.); Jordan v Stewart, 2013 ONSC 5037 (CanLII) (SCJ).

b.    However, self-represented litigants – whether legally trained – are not entitled to costs calculated on the same basis as those of a litigant who retains counsel.  Pirani v Esmail, 2014 ONCA 279 (ON CA) (CanLII); Fong v. Chan, (supra); Reynolds v. Higuchi, 2014 ONSC 3375 (CanLII) (SCJ).

c.   A self-represented litigant can be awarded costs for disbursements as well as the economic loss caused by having to prepare and appear to argue the case.  Fong v. Chan (supra); G.B. v S.A., 2013 ONSC 2147 (CanLII) (Divisional Ct).

d.   A self-represented litigant should not recover costs for the time and effort that any litigant would have to devote to the case.

e.    Costs should only be awarded to those lay litigants who can demonstrate that they devoted time and effort to do the work ordinarily done by a lawyer retained to conduct the litigation and that, as a result, they incurred an opportunity cost by foregoing remunerative activity. Jordan v Stewart, (supra).

f.      Lost wages as a result of time missed from work to prepare for or argue a case can be compensated by way of costs. G.B. v S.A.,(supra).  But this excludes routine awards on a per diem basis to litigants who would ordinarily be in attendance at court in any event. Warsh v Warsh, 2013 ONSC 1886 (CanLII) (SCJ).

g.    Compensation for the loss of time devoted to preparing and presenting the case should be moderate or reasonable.  Reynolds v. Higuchi, (supra).

h.    Once a court determines that a “counsel fee” is appropriate for a self-represented litigant, one of the biggest challenges is quantifying both the number of hours to be compensated and the appropriate hourly rate.  Courts have awarded anywhere between $20.00 and $200.00 per hour for self-represented litigants, depending on the demonstrated level of skill.  Izyuk v Bilousov, 2011 ONSC 7476 (CanLII)(SCJ). $60 per hour appears to be a commonly used figure. Roach v. Lashley, 2018 ONSC 2086 (CanLII) (SCJ).

i.     The Family Law Rulesdo not specifically address costs claims by self-represented litigants. But all of the Rule 18 and 24 costs provisions apply equally whether litigants are represented or not.”

         Cuthbert v. Nolis, 2022 ONSC 3002 (CanLII) at 9