TITLE: Relating to a fee collected by a district clerk for certain certified copies.

SUMMARY: Relating to a fee collected by a district clerk for certain certified copies.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to a fee collected by a district clerk for certain certified copies. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 51.318(b), Government Code, is amended to read as follows: (b) The fees are: (1) for issuing a subpoena, including one copy$8 (2) for issuing a citation, commission for deposition, writ of execution, order of sale, writ of execution and order of sale, writ of injunction, writ of garnishment, writ of attachment, or writ of sequestration not provided for in Section 51.317, or any other writ or process not otherwise provided for, including one copy if required by law$8 (3) for searching files or records to locate a cause when the docket number is not provided$5 (4) for searching files or records to ascertain the existence of an instrument or record in the district clerk's office$5 (5) for abstracting a judgment$8 (6) for approving a bond$4 (7) for a certified copy of a record, judgment, order, pleading, or paper on file or of record in the district clerk's office, including certificate and seal, for each page or part of a page not to exceed $1 (8) for a noncertified copy, for each page or part of a page not to exceed $1. SECTION 2. Section 101.0611, Government Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 101.0611. DISTRICT COURT FEES AND COSTS: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a district court shall collect fees and costs under the Government Code as follows: (1) appellate judicial system filing fees for: (A) First or Fourteenth Court of Appeals District (Sec. 22.2021, Government Code)...not more than $5; (B) Second Court of Appeals District (Sec. 22.2031, Government Code)...not more than $5; (C) Third Court of Appeals District (Sec. 22.2041, Government Code)...$5; (D) Fourth Court of Appeals District (Sec. 22.2051, Government Code)...not more than $5; (E) Fifth Court of Appeals District (Sec. 22.2061, Government Code)...not more than $5; (F) Ninth Court of Appeals District (Sec. 22.2101, Government Code)...$5; (G) Eleventh Court of Appeals District (Sec. 22.2121, Government Code)...$5; and (H) Thirteenth Court of Appeals District (Sec. 22.2141, Government Code)...not more than $5; (2) when administering a case for the Rockwall County Court at Law (Sec. 25.2012, Government Code)...civil fees and court costs as if the case had been filed in district court; (3) additional filing fees: (A) for each suit filed for insurance contingency fund, if authorized by the county commissioners court (Sec. 51.302, Government Code)...not to exceed $5; (B) to fund the improvement of Dallas County civil court facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court (Sec. 51.705, Government Code)...not more than $15; and (C) to fund the improvement of Hays County court facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court (Sec. 51.707, Government Code)...not more than $15; (4) for filing a suit, including an appeal from an inferior court: (A) for a suit with 10 or fewer plaintiffs (Sec. 51.317, Government Code)...$50; (B) for a suit with at least 11 but not more than 25 plaintiffs (Sec. 51.317, Government Code)...$75; (C) for a suit with at least 26 but not more than 100 plaintiffs (Sec. 51.317, Government Code)...$100; (D) for a suit with at least 101 but not more than 500 plaintiffs (Sec. 51.317, Government Code)...$125; (E) for a suit with at least 501 but not more than 1,000 plaintiffs (Sec. 51.317, Government Code)...$150; or (F) for a suit with more than 1,000 plaintiffs (Sec. 51.317, Government Code)...$200; (5) for filing a cross-action, counterclaim, intervention, contempt action, motion for new trial, or third-party petition (Sec. 51.317, Government Code)...$15; (6) for issuing a citation or other writ or process not otherwise provided for, including one copy, when requested at the time a suit or action is filed (Sec. 51.317, Government Code)...$8; (7) for records management and preservation (Sec. 51.317, Government Code)...$10; (8) for issuing a subpoena, including one copy (Sec. 51.318, Government Code)...$8; (9) for issuing a citation, commission for deposition, writ of execution, order of sale, writ of execution and order of sale, writ of injunction, writ of garnishment, writ of attachment, or writ of sequestration not provided for in Section 51.317, or any other writ or process not otherwise provided for, including one copy if required by law (Sec. 51.318, Government Code)...$8; (10) for searching files or records to locate a cause when the docket number is not provided (Sec. 51.318, Government Code)...$5; (11) for searching files or records to ascertain the existence of an instrument or record in the district clerk's office (Sec. 51.318, Government Code)...$5; (12) for abstracting a judgment (Sec. 51.318, Government Code)...$8; (13) for approving a bond (Sec. 51.318, Government Code)...$4; (14) for a certified copy of a record, judgment, order, pleading, or paper on file or of record in the district clerk's office, including certificate and seal, for each page or part of a page (Sec. 51.318, Government Code)...not to exceed $1; (15) for a noncertified copy, for each page or part of a page (Sec. 51.318, Government Code)...not to exceed $1; (16) fee for performing a service: (A) related to the matter of the estate of a deceased person (Sec. 51.319, Government Code)...the same fee allowed the county clerk for those services; (B) related to the matter of a minor (Sec. 51.319, Government Code)...the same fee allowed the county clerk for the service; (C) of serving process by certified or registered mail (Sec. 51.319, Government Code)...the same fee a sheriff or constable is authorized to charge for the service under Section 118.131, Local Government Code; and (D) prescribed or authorized by law but for which no fee is set (Sec. 51.319, Government Code)...a reasonable fee; (17) jury fee (Sec. 51.604, Government Code)...$30; (18) additional filing fee for family protection on filing a suit for dissolution of a marriage under Chapter 6, Family Code (Sec. 51.961, Government Code)...not to exceed $15; (19) at a hearing held by an associate judge in Dallas County, a court cost to preserve the record, in the absence of a court reporter, by other means (Sec. 54.509, Government Code)...as assessed by the referring court or associate judge; and (20) at a hearing held by an associate judge in Duval County, a court cost to preserve the record (Sec. 54.1151, Government Code)...as imposed by the referring court or associate judge. SECTION 3. Section 51.318(b), Government Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a request for a certified copy of a record, judgment, order, pleading, or paper on file or of record in the district clerk's office, including certificate and seal, made on or after the effective date of this Act. A request made before the effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the request was made, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.