SB116 Alabama 2017 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Tom Whatley
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2017
Title: Attorneys, indigent defense fees, waiver of maximum allowed fee by trial court or Director in Indigent Defense Services, Sec. 15-12-21 am'd.
Summary: SB116 would allow waivers of the $4,000 maximum indigent defense fee for Class A felonies, with documentation and an $8,000 overall cap.
What This Bill Does
SB116 would allow waivers of the $4,000 maximum indigent defense fee for Class A felonies. Courts or the Director of Indigent Defense Services could grant the waiver in certain cases, but they must document the justification. If the court waives, it must issue a written order detailing the factors used, and if the director waives, the director must send a memo to the State Finance Director explaining the reasons. Even with a waiver, the total fee may not exceed $8,000, and the existing caps for Class B, Class C, and Class D felonies, juvenile cases, and all other cases remain unchanged.

Who It Affects
Indigent defendants charged with Class A felonies, who could see higher attorney-fee payments approved if a waiver is granted
Courts, the Director of Indigent Defense Services, and the State Finance Director, who would be involved in approving and documenting waivers

Key Provisions
Authorizes waivers of the $4,000 Class A felony indigent-defense fee.
Waivers can be granted by the trial court or the Director of Indigent Defense Services.
If the court waives, it must issue a written order detailing the factors considered; if the director waives, the director must send a memo to the State Finance Director explaining the reasons.
Total fees, with any waiver, may not exceed $8,000; existing caps for other offense classes and juvenile cases remain unchanged.

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