S.B. No. 659
AN ACT
relating to the creation of an appellate judicial system for the
Twelfth Court of Appeals District.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 22, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 22.2131 to read as follows:
Sec. 22.2131. APPELLATE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. (a) The
commissioners court of each county in the Twelfth Court of Appeals
District, by order entered in its minutes, shall establish an
appellate judicial system to assist the court of appeals for the
county in the processing of appeals filed with the court of appeals
from the county courts, statutory county courts, probate courts,
and district courts.
(b) To fund the system, the commissioners court shall set a
court costs fee of $5 for each civil suit filed in county court,
statutory county court, probate court, or district court in the
county.
(c) The court costs fee does not apply to a suit filed by any
governmental entity or to a suit for delinquent taxes.
(d) The court costs fee shall be taxed, collected, and paid
as other court costs in a suit. The clerk of the court shall collect
the court costs fee set under this section and pay it to the county
officer who performs the county treasurer's functions. That
officer shall deposit the fee in a separate appellate judicial
system fund. The commissioners court shall administer the fund to
establish and maintain a fund system to assist the Twelfth Court of
Appeals District and any other court of appeals district that has an
appellate judicial system in the county. The fund may not be used
for any other purpose.
(e) The commissioners court shall monthly order the funds
collected under this section to be forwarded in equal amounts to
each clerk of a court of appeals that has an appellate judicial
system in the county for expenditures by the court of appeals for
its judicial system.
(f) The commissioners court shall vest management of the
system in the chief justice of the court of appeals.
SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 101.06114 to read as follows:
Sec. 101.06114. ADDITIONAL DISTRICT COURT FEES: GOVERNMENT
CODE. The clerk of a district court in the Twelfth Court of Appeals
District shall collect an appellate judicial system filing fee of
$5 under Section 22.2131, Government Code.
SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 101.08113 to read as follows:
Sec. 101.08113. ADDITIONAL STATUTORY COUNTY COURT FEES:
GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory county court in the
Twelfth Court of Appeals District shall collect an appellate
judicial system filing fee of $5 under Section 22.2131, Government
Code.
SECTION 4. Subchapter F, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 101.10113 to read as follows:
Sec. 101.10113. ADDITIONAL STATUTORY PROBATE COURT FEES:
GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory probate court in the
Twelfth Court of Appeals District shall collect an appellate
judicial system filing fee of $5 under Section 22.2131, Government
Code.
SECTION 5. Subchapter G, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 101.12122 to read as follows:
Sec. 101.12122. ADDITIONAL COUNTY COURT FEES: GOVERNMENT
CODE. The clerk of a county court in a county in the Twelfth Court
of Appeals District shall collect an appellate judicial system
filing fee of $5 under Section 22.2131, Government Code.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 659 passed the Senate on
April 2, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 659 passed the House on
May 5, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, one present
not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor