A cost award is an order by a court that requires one party to pay some or all of the legal costs incurred by another party during a lawsuit. This type of award can be made at any stage of litigation, and it is intended to compensate the successful party for the expenses they have incurred in pursuing their case. The amount awarded may include fees charged by lawyers, experts or other professionals, as well as out-of-pocket costs such as court filing fees, deposition transcripts and other expenses related to the legal proceedings. A cost award is meant to provide an incentive for parties to behave reasonably during litigation by discouraging frivolous or unreasonable conduct that could result in a large bill for their opponent.