SB263 Alabama 2024 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Andrew JonesSenator
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2024
Title: Etowah County, provides for service of process
Summary: Etowah County would be allowed to charge a $35 service-of-process fee, let the sheriff use outside contractors for service of process on non-arrest documents, and direct how the funds are used, with an effective date tied to a constitutional amendment.
What This Bill Does
The sheriff may contract with private, public, or government entities to provide service of process for documents other than arrest warrants. A new $35 service-of-process fee would be charged per case for each party needing personal service by the sheriff and would be deposited into the Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Fund; the sheriff may use these funds for any lawful purpose and the fee shall not diminish or take the place of any other sheriff income. The district attorney and grand juries are exempt from paying the fee. The act becomes effective December 1, 2024, contingent on the ratification of a constitutional amendment authorizing the Legislature to fix and regulate court costs in Etowah County, and it would ratify all previously collected court costs in Etowah County as proposed in SB____ in the 2024 Regular Session.

Who It Affects
People or entities in Etowah County that must be personally served of process; they would incur a $35 fee per party for personal service by the sheriff.
The Etowah County Sheriff’s Office (and any contracted service providers) collects the new fee and may use the funds for lawful purposes.
The District Attorney and grand juries are exempt from paying the new fee.

Key Provisions
Section 1(a): The Sheriff may contract with private, public, or governmental entities to provide service of process for documents other than arrest warrants.
Section 1(b): A $35 per-party, per-case service-of-process fee shall be collected by court officials and paid into the Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Fund.
Section 1(c): Funds generated may be used by the Sheriff at his or her discretion for any lawful purpose.
Section 1(d): The new funds shall not diminish or take the place of any other source of income for the sheriff.
Section 1(e): District attorney and grand juries are exempt from paying the fee.
Section 2: The act becomes effective December 1, 2024, contingent on ratification of the constitutional amendment authorizing the Legislature to fix and regulate court costs in Etowah County, and would ratify all previously collected court costs as proposed in SB____ in the 2024 Regular Session.

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