|
Senate Bill 325 |
Senate Author: Williams |
|
Effective: 9-1-07 |
House Sponsor: Creighton |
Senate Bill 325 amends the Government Code to establish an appellate judicial system for the Ninth Court of Appeals District to assist the court of appeals for each county in the district in the processing of appeals from the county courts, county courts at law, probate courts, and district courts, to defray costs and expenses incurred by the county, and to reimburse Jefferson County for supplemental salaries and annual benefits paid to the justices. The bill authorizes each county commissioners court to set a court fee of $5 for each civil suit filed in the county courts, county courts at law, probate courts, or district courts in the county, except for a suit filed by the county or a suit for delinquent taxes. The bill provides for the taxation, collection, and payment of the court fee and the deposit of that fee into a separate appellate judicial system fund. The bill requires the commissioners court each month to order the collected funds to be forwarded to the appellate court for expenses incurred and to vest management of the system in the chief justice of the court of appeals.