HB491 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Brett EasterbrookRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Choctaw County, court cost in circuit court, district court, municipal court, district for county jail

Summary

HB491 would add a $50 court cost in Choctaw County courts, with the money placed in a Jail Fund to cover jail maintenance, operations, and construction debt, pending a local amendment.

What This Bill Does

It imposes an additional $50 in all civil cases filed in the circuit and district courts (including small claims) and an additional $50 in all criminal and quasi-criminal cases in the circuit, district, and any municipal court in Choctaw County. The collected amounts are handled by the court clerk like other costs and deposited into a county Jail Fund. The Jail Fund must be used only for paying jail maintenance, repair, operation costs, and any indebtedness from building the jail and jail complex. The new cost becomes effective only after a local constitutional amendment ratifies authorizing the additional costs in Choctaw County.

Who It Affects

• Residents and businesses in Choctaw County who file civil, criminal, or quasi-criminal cases, as they would pay an extra $50 per case.
• Choctaw County government and taxpayers, since the funds collected are designated for jail maintenance, operation, and construction debt.

Key Provisions

• Adds a $50 additional court cost in civil cases filed in Choctaw County circuit court, district court (including small claims).
• Adds a $50 additional court cost in criminal and quasi-criminal cases in Choctaw County circuit court, district court, and any municipal court.
• All collected costs are deposited into the Jail Fund in the county treasury and used exclusively for jail maintenance, repair, operation, and paying construction debt.
• The act becomes effective only after a local constitutional amendment ratifies the authority to levy the additional court costs in Choctaw County.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Choctaw County