New Jersey guide · Calculator

What would you take home from a settlement?

Updated October 7, 2026By Spencer, editorFee caps from N.J. Court Rule 1:21-7

Enter a settlement amount and case costs to estimate what you keep after New Jersey's capped lawyer fee. Example: a $25,000 settlement with $1,500 in costs leaves $23,500. The most a lawyer can charge on that is $7,833, so you'd take home about $15,667 before medical liens. Fee caps checked October 7, 2026.

Your numbers

Settlement amount

The total the other side agrees to pay.

Case costs

Filing fees, records, experts. Ask your lawyer for an estimate.

Medical liens

Money owed back to a health insurer, Medicare or Medicaid. Leave at $0 if none.

Your lawyer's fee

33⅓% is the most New Jersey allows on the first $750,000. Firms may charge less.A child's case, settled before a jury is chosenNew Jersey caps the fee at 25% then, and a judge must approve the settlement.

Estimated take-home$15,667

Settlement$25,000

Minus case costs−$1,500

Net recovery$23,500

Minus lawyer's fee−$7,833

Minus medical liens$0

The fee is $7,833, or 31.3% of the full settlement, because it's figured after costs.

An estimate, not a promise. Your lawyer's written fee agreement and closing statement control.

What comes out, in order

1Case costs come off firstFiling fees, medical records and expert reports are paid back from the settlement.
2The fee is figured on what's leftNew Jersey requires the percentage to apply after costs, not to the full settlement.
3Liens get paidHealth insurers or Medicaid that paid your bills may be owed back from your share.
4You get the restYour lawyer should show every line on a written closing statement.

New Jersey's fee cap

Injury fees in New Jersey step down as the recovery grows. The percentages apply to the recovery after costs.

Source: N.J. Court Rule 1:21-7(c) and (d), checked October 7, 2026.

Maximum contingency fee by portion of the net recovery
First $750,000	33⅓%
Next $750,000	30%
Next $750,000	25%
Next $750,000	20%
Above $3,000,000	Set by a judge

Questions people ask

How much of a $25,000 settlement will I get in New Jersey?

About $15,667, if case costs are $1,500 and your lawyer charges the most allowed. The $1,500 comes off first, leaving $23,500. A 33⅓% fee on that is $7,833. Medical liens, if any, come out of the $15,667.

Is the lawyer's fee taken before or after costs?

After. New Jersey Court Rule 1:21-7(d) says the fee is figured on the net sum recovered, after case costs are paid.

What if my settlement is more than $750,000?

The cap steps down: 30% of the next $750,000, 25% of the next $750,000 and 20% of the next $750,000. Above $3,000,000, a judge sets the fee. All of this is in Court Rule 1:21-7(c).

Is the fee different for a child's case?

Yes. When a child's case settles before a jury is chosen, the fee can't be more than 25%, under Court Rule 1:21-7(c)(6). A judge must also approve the settlement as fair and reasonable, under Court Rule 4:44-3.

Sources

R. 1:21-7(c), (d)New Jersey Court Rules, via State Rules (as amended September 1, 2024). Checked October 7, 2026.
R. 1:21-7(c)New Jersey Court Rules, via Court Rules Network. Checked October 7, 2026.
R. 4:44-3New Jersey Court Rules, via Court Rules Network. Checked October 7, 2026.
R. 1:21-7(c)(6)New Jersey Court Rules, via Court Rules Network. Checked October 7, 2026.

General information about New Jersey's court rules, not legal advice about your case.