By Michael J. Jurista, Esq. | Jurista Law LLC | Warren, NJ
You want to know the cost before you commit to an eviction. That’s smart. But the number landlords typically search for — the court filing fee — is only the beginning of the answer.
The real cost of a New Jersey eviction is not just what you pay to file. It’s the cost of every week that passes while the case works its way through the system, plus the risk that a single procedural error adds months to that timeline — or ends the case entirely.
Here’s what you’re actually looking at.
The Visible Costs
The New Jersey Special Civil Part charges a $50 filing fee for a non-payment of rent complaint (one defendant), plus $5 for each additional defendant. Service by mail costs $7. You may also incur costs if you need to adjourn or refile.
That’s the number people find online. It’s also the least consequential part of the calculation.
The Costs That Actually Determine Your Outcome
Lost rent is your largest exposure. The period between when your tenant stopped paying and when you can legally remove them can run four to ten weeks in a straightforward Somerset County case — longer if the tenant contests, requests an adjournment, or raises a defense. Every week of that timeline is a week of rent you’re not collecting.
Procedural errors restart the clock. New Jersey eviction procedures are specific. As of September 2025, the Judiciary updated required court forms — landlords who used the old forms had their cases dismissed and had to refile, adding weeks to the process and paying costs twice. If you don’t know about that change, you won’t know to look for the next one.
Attorney costs can be unpredictable. Firms that handle evictions on an hourly basis will give you an estimate, not a fixed price. If the tenant contests, requests adjournments, or raises defenses, the final number is higher than the quote — and you won’t know it until the case is over.
There Is a Predictable Alternative
Jurista Law LLC handles Somerset County non-payment evictions for a flat $1,000 attorney fee. That covers the complaint through trial. You know your attorney cost before the case begins, and you don’t absorb the risk of a contested hearing driving the bill higher.
Court filing fees ($50 per complaint, plus $7 service by mail) are additional — but those are fixed costs paid to the court, not to us.
If your tenant hasn’t paid rent and you’re a Somerset County landlord, you can start the process online today. No office visit required.
Start your eviction case at juristalawllc.com →
This article is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.