Opinion ID: 1642699
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The court fee

Text: In January 1999, Amendment No. 634 to the Alabama Constitution of 1901 was proclaimed ratified. That amendment provided for a fee (the court fee) to be collected on each case filed in the courts in Conecuh County; the court fee was to be paid into the general fund of Conecuh County. Amendment No. 634 provides: In addition to any court costs or fees now or hereafter authorized, and notwithstanding any other provisions of the Constitution, including without limitation Sections 96, 104, and 105, there shall be an additional forty dollar ($40) fee assessed and taxed as costs on each civil and criminal case, excluding small claims, filed in circuit court, district court, or any municipal court in Conecuh County, as well as a fee not to exceed five dollars ($5) for the service of all pleadings and other documents in connection with any such action or case. The fees may not be waived by any court unless all other fees, assessments, costs, fines, and charges associated with the cases are waived. The additional fees, when collected by the clerks or other collection officers of the courts, shall be paid into the General Fund of Conecuh County to be used by the county commission for the planning, designing, construction, financing, and operation of a new county jail and the planning, design, repair, renovation, financing, and operation of the existing county courthouse. When the costs of the new county jail and the renovated county courthouse have been fully paid or when the debt service on any indebtedness incurred by the county commission to finance or refinance the costs have been retired, whichever occurs later, the additional fees authorized by this amendment shall continue to be collected in all cases and shall be used to pay costs of the operation, upkeep, and maintenance of a new county jail and the renovated county courthouse. This amendment shall be self-executing and shall require no enabling legislation. (Emphasis added.)