By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 1412
 
 
 
   
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certain fees collected by justice courts and small
claims courts.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Subsection (b), Section 101.141, Government
Code, is amended to read as follows:
       (b)  A justice of the peace shall collect the following fees:
             (1)  services rendered before judgment (Secs. 118.121
and 118.122, Local Government Code):
                   (A)  justice court (Sec. 118.121, Local
Government Code) . . . $25 [$15]; and
                   (B)  small claims court (Sec. 118.121, Local
Government Code) . . . $25 [$10];
             (2)  services rendered after judgment (Secs. 118.121
and 118.123, Local Government Code):
                   (A)  transcript (Sec. 118.121, Local Government
Code) . . . $10;
                   (B)  abstract of judgment (Sec. 118.121, Local
Government Code) . . . $5;
                   (C)  execution, order of sale, writ of
restitution, or other writ or process (Sec. 118.121, Local
Government Code) . . . $5 per page;
                   (D)  certified copy of court papers (Secs. 118.121
and 118.1235, Local Government Code) . . . $2 for first page; $0.25
for each additional page; and
                   (E)  issuing other document (no return required)
(Sec. 118.121, Local Government Code) . . . $1 for first page;
$0.25 for each additional page;
             (3)  court fees and costs, if ordered by the court, for
a suit filed by an inmate in which an affidavit or unsworn
declaration of inability to pay costs is filed by the inmate (Sec.
14.006, Civil Practice and Remedies Code) . . . the lesser of:
                   (A)  20 percent of the preceding six months'
deposits to the inmate's trust account administered by the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice under Section 501.014, Government
Code; or
                   (B)  the total amount of court fees and costs;
             (4)  monthly payment for remaining court fees and costs
after the initial payment for a suit in which an affidavit or
unsworn declaration of inability to pay costs is filed by the inmate
(Sec. 14.006, Civil Practice and Remedies Code) . . . the lesser
of:
                   (A)  10 percent of that month's deposit to the
inmate's trust account administered by the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice under Section 501.014, Government Code; or
                   (B)  the total amount of court fees and costs that
remain unpaid; and
             (5)  the following costs not otherwise charged to the
inmate under Section 14.006, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, if
the inmate has previously filed an action dismissed as malicious or
frivolous (Sec. 14.007, Civil Practice and Remedies Code):
                   (A)  expenses of service of process;
                   (B)  postage; and
                   (C)  transportation, housing, or medical care
incurred in connection with the appearance of the inmate in the
court for any proceeding.
       SECTION 2.  Section 118.121, Local Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
       Sec. 118.121.  FEE SCHEDULE.  A justice of the peace shall
collect the following fees for services rendered to any person:
             (1)  Services rendered before judgment (Sec. 118.122):
                   (A)  Justice court$25.00 [$15.00]
                   (B)  Small claims court$25.00 [$10.00]
             (2)  Services rendered after judgment (Sec. 118.123):
                   (A)  Transcript$10.00
                   (B)  Abstract of judgment$5.00
                   (C)  Execution, order of sale, writ of
restitution, or other writ or process$5.00 per page
                         Certified copy of court papers$2.00 for
first page
$0.25 for each additional page
                         Issuing other document
                         (no return required)$1.00 for
first page
$0.25 for each additional page
       SECTION 3.  This Act applies only to a cause of action filed
on or after the effective date of this Act. A cause of action filed
before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
effect at the time the cause of action was filed, and that law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
       SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.