How much does a court substitution cost? Market rates 2026

The question of what a substitution costs comes up in every conversation about substitution – and almost never gets a precise answer, because the market is fragmented, non-transparent and built on individual arrangements. Below we gather the ranges observed in practice in 2026. The caveat is obvious: every quote should be considered individually, and the figures given are indicative net amounts.

What determines the rate for a court substitution?

Put simply, the price is a function of five variables:

1. the type of action – passive attendance vs active participation with the examination of witnesses;

2. the instance and court – district, regional, court of appeal; civil or criminal;

3. the city – rates in Warsaw are noticeably higher than in smaller centres;

4. timing and urgency – an instruction „for tomorrow" or a night-time action involving a detained person costs more;

5. the volume of the case file – a hearing that requires preparation from a dozen or so volumes is a different service from the publication of a judgment.

Indicative ranges – the 2026 table

Travel costs are sometimes added to the rates if the provider does not come from the court's location – although the economic point of a substitution is precisely to instruct locally and avoid travel.

Minimum rates under the regulation versus the substitution market

For the record: the Minister of Justice's regulations on fees for advocate and attorney-at-law services set minimum rates in the representative–client relationship and for the purpose of awarding the costs of court substitution against the opposing party. The substitute's fee, by contrast, is a freely negotiated contract between two businesses – the regulation does not govern it. In other words, the „costs of court substitution" awarded in a judgment and the price of a substitution are two different worlds that should not be confused.

What is worth paying more for – and where not to cut corners

In fairness it has to be said: the cheapest offer is sometimes the most expensive. Experience points to three situations in which false economy backfires especially painfully:

• the examination of key witnesses – a substitute who has not read the file will not ask the question that can never be asked again;
• criminal cases involving a detained person – speed and experience in night-time actions matter, not the price;
• „last chance" hearings – when the court signals that it will close the evidentiary proceedings, someone who can react must be in the courtroom.

For the publication of a judgment or a formal adjournment, on the other hand, overpaying makes no sense – these are technical actions and should be priced as such.

How rates work out on Wokanda.net

On the platform the price is proposed by the client, and providers decide whether to accept it – the market verifies the quote naturally. Platform data shows that instructions priced in the middle of the ranges above find a provider fastest, usually within a few hours. Underpriced ones can hang for days. The conclusion suggests itself: a realistic quote saves time, and time before a hearing can be priceless.

In summary

The rate for a court substitution in 2026 most often falls between 200 and 1 000 zł net, and its level is decided by the nature of the action and the location more than by anything else. It is worth pricing realistically, agreeing terms in writing and remembering that what you buy is not „presence" but responsibility for the action.

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