2023 Tennessee Code › Title 16 - COURTS (§§ 16-1-101 — 16-22-114) › Chapter 20 - THE VICTIM-OFFENDER MEDIATION CENTER (§§ 16-20-101 — 16-20-106) › Section 16-20-106 - Raising and disbursing funds - State funding

(a)
A victim-offender mediation center may raise and disburse funds from any public or private source for the purposes of this chapter.
(b)
A center's share of funding from the state shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the approved estimated cost of the program; provided, that during the first three (3) years of operation for any new center, the fifty percent (50%) limitation upon funding from the state shall not apply. In distributing state funds to victim-offender mediation centers, the administrative office of the courts shall consider the need of each center applying for funding.
(c)
(1)
By a two-thirds (2/3) vote of its legislative body, each county and municipality, as provided in this subdivision (c)(1), is authorized to levy an additional one dollar ($1.00) litigation tax per case, to be denominated as a part of the court costs, in matters before the local general sessions courts and juvenile courts. This subdivision (c)(1) shall only apply in any municipality in any county having a metropolitan form of government and a population of more than one hundred thousand (100,000), according to the 1990 federal census or any subsequent federal census, and in any county having a population according to such census as follows:
not less than
not more than
9,000
9,250
34,735
34,800
51,350
51,450
54,600
55,000
68,100
68,400
(2)
Any revenue generated by a county pursuant to subdivision (c)(1) shall be used exclusively to support the local victim-offender mediation center or centers organized pursuant to this chapter and shall be distributed on a monthly basis by the county to such victim-offender mediation center or centers for the purpose of handling victim-offender mediation and other community mediation matters.
(d)
By a two-thirds (2/3) vote of its legislative body, each county to which subdivision (c)(1) does not apply is authorized to levy an additional one dollar ($1.00) litigation tax per case, to be denominated as a part of the court costs, in matters before the local general sessions courts and juvenile courts. Any revenue so generated by the county shall be held in a separately designated account until a local victim-offender mediation center is established in the county pursuant to this chapter. Upon the establishment of the victim-offender mediation center, the revenue generated pursuant to this subsection (d) shall be distributed by the county in the manner prescribed by subdivision (c)(2).
(e)
The taxes levied by subsections (c) and (d) shall be in addition to any other taxes levied on litigation.
(f)
(1)
By a two-thirds (2/3) vote of its legislative body, any county having a charter form of government that has a population of less than four hundred thousand (400,000), according to the 2000 federal census or any subsequent federal census, is authorized to levy an additional litigation tax of one dollar ($1.00) up to a maximum of five dollars ($5.00), to be denominated as a part of the court costs for each petition, warrant and citation, including warrants and citations for traffic offenses, in matters before the local general sessions courts and juvenile courts. The additional one dollar ($1.00) litigation tax may be increased yearly by one dollar ($1.00) until a total litigation tax of five dollars ($5.00) has been levied for such filings.
(2)
Any revenue generated by a county pursuant to subdivision (f)(1) shall be used exclusively to support a local victim-offender mediation center or centers organized pursuant to this chapter and shall be distributed on a monthly basis by the county to the victim-offender mediation center or centers for the purpose of handling victim-offender mediation and other community mediation matters.
(3)
The taxes levied pursuant to this subsection (f) shall be in addition to any other taxes levied on litigation.
(g)
(1)
By a two-thirds (2/3) vote of its legislative body, each county to which subdivision (c)(1) or (d) is applicable is authorized to levy an additional one-dollar ($1.00) litigation tax, for a total of two dollars ($2.00) per case, to be denominated as a part of the court costs for each petition, warrant and citation, including warrants and citations for traffic offenses, in matters before the local general sessions courts and juvenile courts.
(2)
Any revenue generated by subdivision (g)(1) shall be used by the county for the exclusive purpose of supporting a local victim-offender mediation center or centers organized pursuant to this chapter. Such funds shall be distributed on a monthly basis by the county to the victim-offender mediation center or centers for the purpose of handling victim-offender mediation and other community mediation matters.
(3)
The taxes levied pursuant to this subsection (g) shall be in addition to any other taxes levied on litigation.
(4)
Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection (g) to the contrary, any fees increased by this subsection (g) that are assessed against the state or that otherwise represent a cost to the state shall be limited to the amounts chargeable prior to January 1, 2012.
Acts 1993, ch. 420, § 6; 1999, ch. 533, §§1 - 3; 2008 , ch. 800, §1; 2009 , ch. 495, §§1, 2; 2011 , ch. 254, §1; 2012 , ch. 982, §§ 1, 2.