LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  March 4, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 263, As Engrossed
          Committee on Judicial Affairs                              By: Zaffirini
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB263 ( relating 
to the creation of an appellate judicial system for the Fourth 
Court of Appeals District.) this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB263-As Engrossed
         
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
         

         
 
Similar annual fiscal implications The bill would require the 
commissioners court of each of the 32 counties within the Fourth 
Court of Appeals District, San Antonio, to establish an appellate 
judicial system.  The purpose of the appellate judicial systems 
would be to assist the Fourth Court of Appeals in processing 
appeals and defray costs and expenses incurred by the appeals 
court.   To fund the system, commissioners courts would set 
a fee of not more than $5 for each civil suit filed in county 
court, probate court, or district court, except for a suit for 
delinquent taxes. Based on the number of cases filed in fiscal 
year 1996 in the counties comprising the Fourth Court of Appeals 
District, and assuming the court cost could be collected on 
75% of cases, the court would receive approximately $270,000 
a year if the fee was set at $5.

          
   Source:            Agencies:   
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,PE