6. For the hearing of a case on the merits, a fee of $255 per day or $128 per half-day of hearings is payable by a natural person, beginning on the third day of the hearing. A fee of $300 per day or $150 per half-day of hearings is payable by a legal person.
The fee is charged to and payable by each party on the basis of the number of hearing days announced by that party, and must be paid not later than 45 days before the date set for the trial, unless a settlement or discontinuance is filed or produced at the clerk’s office within the same time limit.
If the trial continues beyond the days of hearing initially scheduled, each party is required to pay for each additional day or half-day of hearings that it requires.
For the purpose of calculating the fees payable pursuant to this section, a half-day is a period of not more than 3 hours within the same day.