Simplify the State Court Fee System State law should be changed to simplify the court fee system by reducing the number of offense classifications and changing the method of assessing some fees. Background Eleven funds or accounts receive revenue from court fees assessed on individuals convicted of any of 20 offense categories in Texas' municipal, justice of the peace, county, and district courts, as shown in Exhibit 1.
Fees vary depending on the offense.
For example, an individual convicted of speeding pays court fees that fund judicial and court personnel training, law enforcement officers administration, law enforcement officers standards and education, the Law Enforcement Management Institute, crime victims compensation, criminal justice planning, and comprehensive rehabilitation. A person convicted of not maintaining automobile liability insurance must pay these same fees, with the exception of the comprehensive rehabilitation fee, plus a fee dedicated to the Operators and Chauffeurs License Account. The Comptroller's Audit Division has found that many problems at the local level can be attributed to the complexity of the state court fee system. In addition, county court judges have the authority to allow individuals with probated sentences to pay their court fees over the term of their probation. Allocating partial payments of court fees to proper accounts presents a major problem for understaffed local offices.