SB56 Alabama 2019 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Steve LivingstonSenator
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2019
Title: Jackson Co., courts, additional court cost, proceeds to the Jackson County Judicial Employees Fund, to provide staffing for employees
Summary: The bill adds new court costs in Jackson County to fund staffing for the circuit clerk’s office and courts, creating a dedicated fund with a path to end the charges if staffing is fully funded.
What This Bill Does
It adds specific additional court costs in Jackson County circuit and district courts: $100 in most civil circuit cases, $75 in domestic relations circuit cases, $20 in circuit criminal cases, $20 in district court civil cases (excluding unlawful detainer, small claims, and child support), and $20 in district court criminal cases (including DUI, with some exclusions). The money goes into the Jackson County Judicial Employees Fund, kept in the county treasury and managed by the circuit court clerk, to pay for staffing in the circuit clerk’s office and the county courts as determined by the presiding circuit judge and the circuit clerk. The presiding circuit judge may work with the Administrative Office of Courts to pay all or part of the staffing needs; if the AOC funds staffing or agrees to provide funds, the fund may be used for staffing as appropriate. If the AOC funds are not provided or are insufficient, the fund may still be used to hire or staff as deemed appropriate by the circuit clerk and presiding judge. If the AOC funds staffing adequately and certifies that to the Jackson County Legislative Delegation, the new court costs would stop starting with the next month.

Who It Affects
People who file or participate in Jackson County circuit or district court cases will pay the new additional court costs in the listed case types.
Jackson County's circuit clerk’s office and the county courts’ staff will be funded and supported by the new Jackson County Judicial Employees Fund, with staffing decisions made by the presiding circuit judge and circuit clerk (and potentially through an agreement with the Administrative Office of Courts).

Key Provisions
Section 3 sets the new additional court costs: $100 in circuit civil cases (except domestic relations), $75 in circuit domestic relations cases, $20 in circuit criminal cases; $20 in district court civil cases (excluding unlawful detainer, small claims, and child support); $20 in district court criminal cases (including DUI, but excluding other traffic and worthless negotiable instrument cases).
Section 4 requires the Circuit Clerk to collect these costs and deposit the proceeds monthly into the Jackson County Judicial Employees Fund, established in the county treasury and administered by the circuit court clerk; expenditures from the fund must be used to staff the circuit clerk’s office and Jackson County courts as determined by the presiding circuit judge and circuit clerk.
Section 5 allows the presiding circuit judge to enter a memorandum of understanding with the Administrative Office of Courts to fund all or part of the staffing needs from the fund; if the AOC does not enter into or withdraws from such an agreement, or staffing needs are otherwise determined, the fund proceeds may be used as deemed appropriate by the circuit clerk and presiding judge.
Section 6 provides that if the AOC funds staffing adequately and certifies this to the Jackson County Legislative Delegation, the court costs authorized by this act shall cease to be collected starting the first day of the month following certification.
Section 7 states the act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage and approval.

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