HB685 Alabama 2012 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mary MooreRepresentative

Democrat

Co-Sponsor

John W. Rogers

Session

Regular Session 2012

Title

Jefferson Co., judge of probate, recording system established, additional recording and transaction fees, distrib. to Judge of Probate Fund and the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority, confidential assistants to be appointed, Act 94-324, 1994 Reg. Sess., am'd

Summary

HB685 creates an upgraded electronic probate-records system in Jefferson County, charges an $11 indexing/filing fee per document, and directs half of the funds to the county transit authority and half to the probate office for staff and system upgrades, while adding a confidential assistant position and adjusting the chief clerk's salary.

What This Bill Does

It authorizes the probate office to index, archive, and retrieve records electronically, making electronic images official records. It imposes a new $11 special indexing and filing fee for each document filed or recorded, effective June 1, 2012, which must be paid in addition to other fees. The collected funds are split with 50% going to the Judge of Probate Fund for salaries of confidential assistants and system improvements, and 50% going to the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority; the office portion is in addition to county funds. It allows the probate judge to appoint a confidential judicial assistant with a set salary, benefits, and pension options, and it updates the chief clerk’s salary as amended by Act 94-324. The act applies only in Jefferson County and takes effect immediately upon passage and approval.

Who It Affects

• Property owners, buyers, lenders, and other individuals who file real or personal property instruments in Jefferson County, who will be charged an $11 special indexing/filing fee for each document and who will have records indexed, stored, and retrievable electronically as official records.
• Jefferson County probate court staff, including the confidential judicial assistant and the chief clerk, plus the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority, with funding affecting salaries, benefits, and the operation of the new system.

Key Provisions

• Establishes an improved electronic system for indexing, recording, archiving, and retrieving probate records and other instruments, with digital images that constitute official records and potential replacement of microfilm.
• Imposes a special indexing and filing fee of $11 per document or instrument filed or recorded in the probate office, effective June 1, 2012, to be deposited into the Judge of Probate Fund.
• Allocates 50% of the collected special indexing and filing fees to the Judge of Probate Fund for salaries of confidential judicial assistants and for the improved system and related equipment and services; 50% to the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority.
• Authorizes the appointment of a confidential judicial assistant, sets salary up to the equivalent of grade level 23, provides benefits and pension eligibility, and requires funding transfers to Jefferson County General Fund for bi-weekly payment.
• Amends Act 94-324 (1994) to set the chief clerk of the probate court salary at $20,000 per year for the appointed civil service position, paid from the county general fund and in addition to other compensation.
• The act is cumulative, does not alter existing fees outside the new special fee, and takes effect immediately upon the governor's signature.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Jefferson County