Section 45-9-81

Section 45-9-81Additional costs and fees; disposition of funds; Judicial Administration Fund.

(a) In Chambers County, in addition to all other fees, there shall be taxed as costs the sum of twenty dollars ($20) in each criminal case, quasi-criminal case, proceedings on a forfeited bail bond or proceedings on a forfeited bond given in connection with an appeal from a judgment or conviction in any inferior or municipal court of the county, in the Circuit Court of Chambers County, or the District Court of Chambers County, hereinafter filed in or arising in the Circuit Court of Chambers County, or the District Court of Chambers County, or brought by appeal, certiorari, or otherwise to the Circuit Court of Chambers County, or the District Court of Chambers County, which costs shall be collected as other costs in such cases are collected by the clerk, or ex officio clerk, of the courts or the register of the Circuit Court of Chambers County as the case may be. Such fees, when collected by the clerks or other collection officers of such court, shall be paid into the general fund of the county.



(b)(1) In addition to all other costs and charges in circuit and district court cases in Chambers County, a fee of three dollars ($3) shall be charged and collected by the clerk of the court. This charge shall not be collected on small claims cases. When collected by the clerk of the court, two dollars ($2) shall be remitted monthly to the Juvenile Court Services Fund and one dollar ($1) shall be remitted monthly to the Judicial Administration Fund.



(2) A monthly supervision fee may be assessed in juvenile court cases at the discretion of the juvenile court judges. The supervision fee shall be collected by the juvenile court office and deposited in the Juvenile Court Services Fund.



(3) There is established a Juvenile Court Services Fund for the deposit of proceeds from two thirds of the court costs imposed by subdivision (1). The fund shall be maintained in an interest bearing account in a bank of known responsibility under the supervision of the juvenile court judges of Chambers County.



(4) The funds appropriated from this fund shall be expended solely for juvenile programs and for subsistence for the juvenile court staff in the county; to aid the functions of the juvenile court; and for the benefit of the children of Chambers County. The funds expended shall be authorized by the juvenile court judges of Chambers County.



(5) There is established a Judicial Administration Fund for the deposit of the proceeds from one third of the court costs imposed by subdivision (1). The fund shall be maintained in an interest bearing account in a bank of known responsibility by the presiding circuit judge for the Fifth Judicial Circuit.



(6) The funds appropriated from the Judicial Administration Fund shall be expected for increasing the efficiency of judicial administration in Chambers County, to include, but not limited to, training an education enhancement of judicial personnel in Chambers County. The funds expended shall be authorized by the presiding circuit court judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit.



(c)(1) In addition to any court costs and fees now or hereafter authorized in Chambers County, the Chambers County Commission may impose by resolution of the commission an additional fee in an amount not to exceed fifty dollars ($50) to be assessed and taxed as costs on each civil case and on each criminal case, including traffic cases filed in the circuit court, district court, or any municipal court in Chambers County. These fees shall not be waived by any court unless all other fees, assessments, costs, fines, and charges associated with the case are waived.



(2) The additional fees when collected by the clerk of the court or his or her collection officers of the courts shall be paid into the general fund of Chambers County to be used by the Chambers County Commission for financing, planning, constructing, furnishing, equipping, maintaining, and operating the Chambers County Courthouse and its annexes. The Chambers County Commission may set and adjust by resolution the fees within the limits authorized by this subsection based on the needs associated with financing, planning, constructing, furnishing, equipping, maintaining, and operating the Chambers County Courthouse and its annexes.



(3) The fees collected pursuant to this subsection shall be distributed as follows:



a. Except as provided in paragraph b., the fees shall be applied exclusively for payment of the cost of financing, planning, constructing, furnishing, maintaining, and equipping the county courthouse and its annexes, or for the payment of the principal of and interest on any bonds, warrants, or other obligations issued by or on behalf of the county to finance the costs of the expansion and renovation, as well as the expenses of issuance of any bonds, warrants, or other obligations. The principle costs associated with financing, planning, constructing, furnishing, maintaining, and equipping the county courthouse and its annexes shall not exceed three million five hundred thousand dollars ($3,500,000).



b. In addition to the distribution set out in paragraph a., the county commission shall create a separate sinking fund for operation and maintenance of the courthouse and its annexes. The amount deposited into the fund may not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) per year.

(Act 89-504, p. 1042, §1; Act 93-685, p. 1310, §1; Act 2001-419, p. 534, §§1-3.)