Institutionalization of digital litigation costs as a subcategory of court expenses in the context of judicial digitalization

In the context of accelerated judicial digitalization, not only the procedural form but also the economic structure of court activity is transforming. The use of online hearings, electronic document management, digital evidence, and remote participation platforms generates new categories of expenses not covered by the traditional model of court costs. The existing civil procedural framework, based on the dual division between state duty and litigation expenses, fails to reflect technology-driven expenditures, creating a regulatory gap between digital practice and legal regulation. The purpose of this study is to develop a coherent doctrinal model of digital litigation costs and to determine their place within the system of procedural expenses. The methodological framework combines systemic, functional, and comparative legal approaches, together with analysis of judicial practice. It is argued that expenses related to internet traffic, digital platforms, technical support for remote participation, and electronic evidence possess the characteristics of litigation costs and should be subject to procedural compensation. The novelty of the research lies in conceptualizing digital litigation costs as a distinct subtype of litigation expenses and defining clear criteria for their qualification.