Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1754 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Wentworth S.B. No. 1754
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to filing fees for civil actions or proceedings in a
7	7	district, county, justice, or small claims court.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 133.152, Local
10	10	Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
11	11	(a) In addition to other fees collected under Section
12	12	133.151(a) or otherwise authorized or required by law, the clerk of
13	13	a district court shall collect the following fees on the filing of
14	14	any civil action or proceeding requiring a filing fee, including an
15	15	appeal, and on the filing of any counterclaim, cross-action,
16	16	intervention, interpleader, or third-party action requiring a
17	17	filing fee:
18	18	(1) $5 in family law cases and proceedings as defined
19	19	by Section 25.0002, Government Code; and
20	20	(2) $10 in any case other than a case described by
21	21	Subdivision (1).
22	22	SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 133.153, Local
23	23	Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
24	24	(a) In addition to other fees authorized or required by law,
25	25	the clerk of a court other than a district court, the courts of
26	26	appeals, or the supreme court shall collect the following fees on
27	27	the filing of any civil action or proceeding requiring a filing fee,
28	28	including an appeal, and on the filing of any counterclaim,
29	29	cross-action, intervention, interpleader, or third-party action
30	30	requiring a filing fee:
31	31	(1) $10 [$5] for statutory and constitutional county
32	32	courts; and
33	33	(2) $6 [$2] for justice of the peace courts.
34	34	SECTION 3. (a) Section 101.0814, Government Code, is
35	35	amended to conform to the amendments made to Section 101.081,
36	36	Government Code, by Chapter 399 (S.B. 819), Acts of the 80th
37	37	Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, and to conform to the
38	38	amendments made to Section 101.083, Government Code, by Chapter
39	39	1301 (S.B. 600), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session,
40	40	2007, and is further amended to read as follows:
41	41	Sec. 101.0814. STATUTORY COUNTY COURT FEES AND COSTS: LOCAL
42	42	GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory county court shall
43	43	collect fees and costs under the Local Government Code as follows:
44	44	(1) additional filing fee to fund contingency fund for
45	45	liability insurance, if authorized by the county commissioners
46	46	court (Sec. 82.003, Local Government Code) . . . not to exceed $5;
47	47	(2) civil court actions (Sec. 118.052, Local
48	48	Government Code):
49	49	(A) filing of original action (Secs. 118.052 and
50	50	118.053, Local Government Code):
51	51	(i) garnishment after judgment (Sec.
52	52	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $15; and
53	53	(ii) all others (Sec. 118.052, Local
54	54	Government Code) . . . $40;
55	55	(B) filing of action other than original (Secs.
56	56	118.052 and 118.054, Local Government Code) . . . $30; and
57	57	(C) services rendered after judgment in original
58	58	action (Secs. 118.052 and 118.0545, Local Government Code):
59	59	(i) abstract of judgment (Sec. 118.052,
60	60	Local Government Code) . . . $5; and
61	61	(ii) execution, order of sale, writ, or
62	62	other process (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $5;
63	63	(3) probate court actions (Sec. 118.052, Local
64	64	Government Code):
65	65	(A) probate original action (Secs. 118.052 and
66	66	118.055, Local Government Code):
67	67	(i) probate of a will with independent
68	68	executor, administration with will attached, administration of an
69	69	estate, guardianship or receivership of an estate, or muniment of
70	70	title (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $40;
71	71	(ii) community survivors (Sec. 118.052,
72	72	Local Government Code) . . . $40;
73	73	(iii) small estates (Sec. 118.052, Local
74	74	Government Code) . . . $40;
75	75	(iv) declarations of heirship (Sec.
76	76	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $40;
77	77	(v) mental health or chemical dependency
78	78	services (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $40; and
79	79	(vi) additional, special fee (Secs. 118.052
80	80	and 118.064, Local Government Code) . . . $5;
81	81	(B) services in pending probate action (Secs.
82	82	118.052 and 118.056, Local Government Code):
83	83	(i) filing an inventory and appraisement
84	84	(Secs. [after the 120th day after the date of the initial filing of
85	85	the action (Sec.] 118.052 and 118.056(d), Local Government Code)
86	86	. . . $25;
87	87	(ii) approving and recording bond (Sec.
88	88	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $3;
89	89	(iii) administering oath (Sec. 118.052,
90	90	Local Government Code) . . . $2;
91	91	(iv) filing annual or final account of
92	92	estate (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $25;
93	93	(v) filing application for sale of real or
94	94	personal property (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $25;
95	95	(vi) filing annual or final report of
96	96	guardian of a person (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . .
97	97	$10; and
98	98	(vii) filing a document not listed under
99	99	this paragraph after the filing of an order approving the inventory
100	100	and appraisement or after the 120th day after the date of the
101	101	initial filing of the action, whichever occurs first (Secs. 118.052
102	102	and 191.007, Local Government Code), if more than 25 pages . . .
103	103	$25;
104	104	(C) adverse probate action (Secs. 118.052 and
105	105	118.057, Local Government Code) . . . $40; and
106	106	(D) claim against estate (Secs. 118.052 and
107	107	118.058, Local Government Code) . . . $2;
108	108	(4) other fees (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code):
109	109	(A) issuing document (Secs. 118.052 and 118.059,
110	110	Local Government Code):
111	111	(i) original document and one copy (Sec.
112	112	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $4; and
113	113	(ii) each additional set of an original and
114	114	one copy (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $4;
115	115	(B) certified papers (Secs. 118.052 and 118.060,
116	116	Local Government Code):
117	117	(i) for the clerk's certificate (Sec.
118	118	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $5; and
119	119	(ii) a fee per page or part of a page (Sec.
120	120	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $1;
121	121	(C) noncertified papers, for each page or part of
122	122	a page (Secs. 118.052 and 118.0605, Local Government Code) . . .
123	123	$1;
124	124	(D) letters testamentary, letter of
125	125	guardianship, letter of administration, or abstract of judgment
126	126	(Secs. 118.052 and 118.061, Local Government Code) . . . $2;
127	127	(E) safekeeping of wills (Secs. 118.052 and
128	128	118.062, Local Government Code) . . . $5;
129	129	(F) mail service of process (Secs. 118.052 and
130	130	118.063, Local Government Code) . . . same as sheriff; and
131	131	(G) records management and preservation fee
132	132	(Secs. 118.052, 118.0546, and 118.0645, Local Government Code)
133	133	. . . $5;
134	134	(5) additional filing fee for filing any civil action
135	135	or proceeding requiring a filing fee, including an appeal, and on
136	136	the filing of any counterclaim, cross-action, intervention,
137	137	interpleader, or third-party action requiring a filing fee, to fund
138	138	civil legal services for the indigent (Sec. 133.153, Local
139	139	Government Code) . . . $10 [$5];
140	140	(6) on the filing of a civil suit, an additional filing
141	141	fee to be used for court-related purposes for the support of the
142	142	judiciary (Sec. 133.154, Local Government Code) . . . $42 [$37];
143	143	(7) additional filing fee to fund the courthouse
144	144	security fund, if authorized by the county commissioners court
145	145	(Sec. 291.008, Local Government Code) . . . not to exceed $5;
146	146	(8) additional filing fee for filing documents not
147	147	subject to certain filing fees to fund the courthouse security
148	148	fund, if authorized by the county commissioners court (Sec.
149	149	291.008, Local Government Code) . . . $1;
150	150	(9) additional filing fee to fund the courthouse
151	151	security fund in Webb County, if authorized by the county
152	152	commissioners court (Sec. 291.009, Local Government Code) . . . not
153	153	to exceed $20; and
154	154	(10) court cost in civil cases other than suits for
155	155	delinquent taxes to fund the county law library fund, if authorized
156	156	by the county commissioners court (Sec. 323.023, Local Government
157	157	Code) . . . not to exceed $35.
158	158	(b) Section 101.083, Government Code, is repealed.
159	159	SECTION 4. Section 101.1013, Government Code, is amended to
160	160	conform to the amendments made to Section 101.101, Government Code,
161	161	by Chapter 399 (S.B. 819), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular
162	162	Session, 2007, and is further amended to read as follows:
163	163	Sec. 101.1013. STATUTORY PROBATE COURT FEES AND COSTS:
164	164	LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory probate court shall
165	165	collect fees and costs under the Local Government Code as follows:
166	166	(1) additional filing fee for filing any civil action
167	167	or proceeding requiring a filing fee, including an appeal, and on
168	168	the filing of any counterclaim, cross-action, intervention,
169	169	interpleader, or third-party action requiring a filing fee to fund
170	170	civil legal services for the indigent (Sec. 133.153, Local
171	171	Government Code). . . $10 [$5];
172	172	(2) additional filing fee to fund contingency fund for
173	173	liability insurance, if authorized by the county commissioners
174	174	court (Sec. 82.003, Local Government Code) . . . not to exceed $5;
175	175	(3) probate court actions (Sec. 118.052, Local
176	176	Government Code):
177	177	(A) probate original action (Secs. 118.052 and
178	178	118.055, Local Government Code):
179	179	(i) probate of a will with independent
180	180	executor, administration with will attached, administration of an
181	181	estate, guardianship or receivership of an estate, or muniment of
182	182	title (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $40;
183	183	(ii) community survivors (Sec. 118.052,
184	184	Local Government Code) . . . $40;
185	185	(iii) small estates (Sec. 118.052, Local
186	186	Government Code) . . . $40;
187	187	(iv) declarations of heirship (Sec.
188	188	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $40;
189	189	(v) mental health or chemical dependency
190	190	services (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $40; and
191	191	(vi) additional, special fee (Secs. 118.052
192	192	and 118.064, Local Government Code) . . . $5;
193	193	(B) services in pending probate action (Secs.
194	194	118.052 and 118.056, Local Government Code):
195	195	(i) filing an inventory and appraisement
196	196	(Secs. [after the 120th day after the date of the initial filing of
197	197	the action (Sec.] 118.052 and 118.056(d), Local Government Code)
198	198	. . . $25;
199	199	(ii) approving and recording bond (Sec.
200	200	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $3;
201	201	(iii) administering oath (Sec. 118.052,
202	202	Local Government Code) . . . $2;
203	203	(iv) filing annual or final account of
204	204	estate (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code). . . $25;
205	205	(v) filing application for sale of real or
206	206	personal property (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $25;
207	207	(vi) filing annual or final report of
208	208	guardian of a person (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . .
209	209	$10; and
210	210	(vii) filing a document not listed under
211	211	this paragraph after the filing of an order approving the inventory
212	212	and appraisement or after the 120th day after the date of the
213	213	initial filing of the action, whichever occurs first (Secs. 118.052
214	214	and 191.007, Local Government Code), if more than 25 pages . . .
215	215	$25;
216	216	(C) adverse probate action (Secs. 118.052 and
217	217	118.057, Local Government Code) . . . $40; and
218	218	(D) claim against estate (Secs. 118.052 and
219	219	118.058, Local Government Code) . . . $2;
220	220	(4) other fees (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code):
221	221	(A) issuing document (Secs. 118.052 and 118.059,
222	222	Local Government Code):
223	223	(i) original document and one copy (Sec.
224	224	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $4; and
225	225	(ii) each additional set of an original and
226	226	one copy (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $4;
227	227	(B) certified papers (Secs. 118.052 and 118.060,
228	228	Local Government Code):
229	229	(i) for the clerk's certificate (Sec.
230	230	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $5; and
231	231	(ii) a fee per page or part of a page (Sec.
232	232	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $1;
233	233	(C) noncertified papers, for each page or part of
234	234	a page (Secs. 118.052 and 118.0605, Local Government Code) . . .
235	235	$1;
236	236	(D) letters testamentary, letter of
237	237	guardianship, letter of administration, or abstract of judgment
238	238	(Secs. 118.052 and 118.061, Local Government Code) . . . $2;
239	239	(E) safekeeping of wills (Secs. 118.052 and
240	240	118.062, Local Government Code) . . . $5;
241	241	(F) mail service of process (Secs. 118.052 and
242	242	118.063, Local Government Code) . . . same as sheriff; and
243	243	(G) records management and preservation fee
244	244	(Secs. 118.052 and 118.0645, Local Government Code) . . . $5; and
245	245	(5) court cost in civil cases other than suits for
246	246	delinquent taxes to fund the county law library fund, if authorized
247	247	by the county commissioners court (Sec. 323.023, Local Government
248	248	Code) . . . not to exceed $35.
249	249	SECTION 5. (a) Section 101.1214, Government Code, is
250	250	amended to conform to the amendments made to Section 101.121,
251	251	Government Code, by Chapter 399 (S.B. 819), Acts of the 80th
252	252	Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, and to conform to the
253	253	amendments made to Section 101.123, Government Code, by Chapter
254	254	1301 (S.B. 600), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session,
255	255	2007, and is further amended to read as follows:
256	256	Sec. 101.1214. COUNTY COURT FEES AND COSTS: LOCAL
257	257	GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a county court shall collect the
258	258	following fees and costs under the Local Government Code:
259	259	(1) additional filing fee to fund contingency fund for
260	260	liability insurance, if authorized by the county commissioners
261	261	court (Sec. 82.003, Local Government Code) . . . not to exceed $5;
262	262	(2) civil court actions (Sec. 118.052, Local
263	263	Government Code):
264	264	(A) filing of original action (Secs. 118.052 and
265	265	118.053, Local Government Code):
266	266	(i) garnishment after judgment (Sec.
267	267	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $15; and
268	268	(ii) all others (Sec. 118.052, Local
269	269	Government Code) . . . $40;
270	270	(B) filing of action other than original (Secs.
271	271	118.052 and 118.054, Local Government Code) . . . $30; and
272	272	(C) services rendered after judgment in original
273	273	action (Secs. 118.052 and 118.0545, Local Government Code):
274	274	(i) abstract of judgment (Sec. 118.052,
275	275	Local Government Code) . . . $5; and
276	276	(ii) execution, order of sale, writ, or
277	277	other process (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $5;
278	278	(3) probate court actions (Sec. 118.052, Local
279	279	Government Code):
280	280	(A) probate original action (Secs. 118.052 and
281	281	118.055, Local Government Code):
282	282	(i) probate of a will with independent
283	283	executor, administration with will attached, administration of an
284	284	estate, guardianship or receivership of an estate, or muniment of
285	285	title (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $40;
286	286	(ii) community survivors (Sec. 118.052,
287	287	Local Government Code) . . . $40;
288	288	(iii) small estates (Sec. 118.052, Local
289	289	Government Code) . . . $40;
290	290	(iv) declarations of heirship (Sec.
291	291	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $40;
292	292	(v) mental health or chemical dependency
293	293	services (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $40; and
294	294	(vi) additional, special fee (Secs. 118.052
295	295	and 118.064, Local Government Code) . . . $5;
296	296	(B) services in pending probate action (Secs.
297	297	118.052 and 118.056, Local Government Code):
298	298	(i) filing an inventory and appraisement
299	299	(Secs. [after the 120th day after the date of the initial filing of
300	300	the action (Sec.] 118.052 and 118.056(d), Local Government Code)
301	301	. . . $25;
302	302	(ii) approving and recording bond (Sec.
303	303	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $3;
304	304	(iii) administering oath (Sec. 118.052,
305	305	Local Government Code) . . . $2;
306	306	(iv) filing annual or final account of
307	307	estate (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $25;
308	308	(v) filing application for sale of real or
309	309	personal property (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $25;
310	310	(vi) filing annual or final report of
311	311	guardian of a person (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . .
312	312	$10; and
313	313	(vii) filing a document not listed under
314	314	this paragraph after the filing of an order approving the inventory
315	315	and appraisement or after the 120th day after the date of the
316	316	initial filing of the action, whichever occurs first (Secs. 118.052
317	317	and 191.007, Local Government Code), if more than 25 pages . . .
318	318	$25;
319	319	(C) adverse probate action (Secs. 118.052 and
320	320	118.057, Local Government Code) . . . $40; and
321	321	(D) claim against estate (Secs. 118.052 and
322	322	118.058, Local Government Code) . . . $2;
323	323	(4) other fees (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code):
324	324	(A) issuing document (Secs. 118.052 and 118.059,
325	325	Local Government Code):
326	326	(i) original document and one copy (Sec.
327	327	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $4; and
328	328	(ii) each additional set of an original and
329	329	one copy (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $4;
330	330	(B) certified papers (Secs. 118.052 and 118.060,
331	331	Local Government Code):
332	332	(i) for the clerk's certificate (Sec.
333	333	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $5; and
334	334	(ii) a fee per page or part of a page (Sec.
335	335	118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $1;
336	336	(C) noncertified papers, for each page or part of
337	337	a page (Secs. 118.052 and 118.0605, Local Government Code) . . .
338	338	$1;
339	339	(D) letters testamentary, letter of
340	340	guardianship, letter of administration, or abstract of judgment
341	341	(Secs. 118.052 and 118.061, Local Government Code) . . . $2;
342	342	(E) safekeeping of wills (Secs. 118.052 and
343	343	118.062, Local Government Code) . . . $5;
344	344	(F) mail service of process (Secs. 118.052 and
345	345	118.063, Local Government Code) . . . same as sheriff; and
346	346	(G) records management and preservation fee
347	347	(Secs. 118.052, 118.0546, and 118.0645, Local Government Code)
348	348	. . . $5;
349	349	(5) deposit on filing petition requesting permission
350	350	to create a municipal civic center authority (Sec. 281.013, Local
351	351	Government Code) . . . $200;
352	352	(6) additional filing fee to fund the courthouse
353	353	security fund, if authorized by the county commissioners court
354	354	(Sec. 291.008, Local Government Code) . . . not to exceed $5;
355	355	(7) additional filing fee for filing documents not
356	356	subject to certain filing fees to fund the courthouse security
357	357	fund, if authorized by the county commissioners court (Sec.
358	358	291.008, Local Government Code) . . . $1;
359	359	(8) additional filing fee to fund the courthouse
360	360	security fund in Webb County, if authorized by the county
361	361	commissioners court (Sec. 291.009, Local Government Code) . . . not
362	362	to exceed $20;
363	363	(9) court cost in civil cases other than suits for
364	364	delinquent taxes to fund the county law library fund, if authorized
365	365	by the county commissioners court (Sec. 323.023, Local Government
366	366	Code) . . . not to exceed $35;
367	367	(10) additional filing fee for filing any civil action
368	368	or proceeding requiring a filing fee, including an appeal, and on
369	369	the filing of any counterclaim, cross-action, intervention,
370	370	interpleader, or third-party action requiring a filing fee, to fund
371	371	civil legal services for the indigent (Sec. 133.153, Local
372	372	Government Code) . . . $10 [$5]; and
373	373	(11) on the filing of a civil suit an additional filing
374	374	fee to be used for court-related purposes for the support of the
375	375	judiciary (Sec. 133.154, Local Government Code) . . . $42 [$37].
376	376	(b) Section 101.123, Government Code, is repealed.
377	377	SECTION 6. Subsection (b), Section 101.141, Government
378	378	Code, as amended by Chapter 921 (H.B. 3167), Acts of the 80th
379	379	Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is amended to conform to the
380	380	amendments made to Subsection (a), Section 101.141, Government
381	381	Code, by Chapter 1046 (H.B. 2094), Acts of the 80th Legislature,
382	382	Regular Session, 2007, and is further amended to read as follows:
383	383	(b) A clerk of a justice court shall collect fees and costs
384	384	under other laws as follows:
385	385	(1) the cost of a special program that a court may
386	386	order a child to attend after a finding that the child committed an
387	387	offense, if ordered by the court (Art. 45.057, Code of Criminal
388	388	Procedure) . . . costs of the program not to exceed $100;
389	389	(2) additional filing fees:
390	390	(A) to fund Dallas County civil court facilities
391	391	(Sec. 51.705, Government Code) . . . not more than $15; and
392	392	(B) for filing any civil action or proceeding
393	393	requiring a filing fee, including an appeal, and on the filing of
394	394	any counterclaim, cross-action, intervention, interpleader, or
395	395	third-party action requiring a filing fee, to fund civil legal
396	396	services for the indigent (Sec. 133.153, Local Government Code)
397	397	. . . $6 [$2];
398	398	(3) for filing a suit in Comal County (Sec. 152.0522,
399	399	Human Resources Code) . . . $1.50; and
400	400	(4) fee for hearing on probable cause for removal of a
401	401	vehicle and placement in a storage facility if assessed by the court
402	402	(Sec. 2308.457, Occupations [685.008, Transportation] Code) . . .
403	403	$20.
404	404	SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
405	405	a fee that becomes payable on or after the effective date of this
406	406	Act. A fee that becomes payable before the effective date of this
407	407	Act is governed by the law in effect when the fee became payable,
408	408	and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
409	409	SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.