Florida Statutes 939.185 – Assessment of additional court costs and surcharges
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(1)(a) The board of county commissioners may adopt by ordinance an additional court cost, not to exceed $65, to be imposed by the court when a person pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or is found guilty of, or adjudicated delinquent for, any felony, misdemeanor, delinquent act, or criminal traffic offense under the laws of this state. Such additional assessment shall be accounted for separately by the county in which the offense occurred and be used only in the county imposing this cost, to be allocated as follows:
1. Twenty-five percent of the amount collected shall be allocated to fund innovations, as determined by the chief judge of the circuit, to supplement state funding for the elements of the state courts system identified in s. 29.004 and county funding for local requirements under s. 29.008(2)(a)2.
2. Twenty-five percent of the amount collected shall be allocated to assist counties in providing legal aid programs required under s. 29.008(3)(a).
3. Twenty-five percent of the amount collected shall be allocated to fund personnel and legal materials for the public as part of a law library.
4. Twenty-five percent of the amount collected shall be used as determined by the board of county commissioners to support teen court programs, except as provided in s. 938.19(7), juvenile assessment centers, and other juvenile alternative programs.
Each county receiving funds under this section shall report the amount of funds collected pursuant to this section and an itemized list of expenditures for all authorized programs and activities. The report shall be submitted in a format developed by the Supreme Court to the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on a quarterly basis beginning with the quarter ending September 30, 2004. Quarterly reports shall be submitted no later than 30 days after the end of the quarter. Any unspent funds at the close of the county fiscal year allocated under subparagraphs 2., 3., and 4., shall be transferred for use pursuant to subparagraph 1.
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 939.185
- Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
- Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
- Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
- Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
- person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- Personal property: All property that is not real property.
- Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
- Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
(b) In addition to the court costs imposed under paragraph (a) and any other cost, fine, or penalty imposed by law, any unit of local government which is consolidated as provided by s. 9, Art. VIII of the State Constitution of 1885, as preserved by s. 6(e), Art. VIII of the State Constitution, and which is granted the authority in the State Constitution to exercise all the powers of a municipal corporation, and any unit of local government operating under a home rule charter adopted pursuant to ss. 10, 11, and 24, Art. VIII of the State Constitution of 1885, as preserved by s. 6(e), Art. VIII of the State Constitution, which is granted the authority in the State Constitution to exercise all the powers conferred now or hereafter by general law upon municipalities, may impose by ordinance a surcharge in the amount of $85 to be imposed by the court when a person pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or is found guilty of, or adjudicated delinquent for, any felony, misdemeanor, delinquent act, or criminal traffic offense under the laws of this state. Revenue from the surcharge shall be transferred to such unit of local government for the purpose of replacing fine revenue deposited into the clerk’s fine and forfeiture fund under s. 142.01. Proceeds from the imposition of the surcharge authorized in this paragraph shall not be used for the purpose of securing payment of the principal and interest on bonds.
(c) The disbursement of costs collected under this section shall be subordinate in priority order of disbursement to all other state-imposed costs authorized in this chapter, restitution or other compensation to victims, and child support payments.
(d) The clerk of court shall cause a certified copy of the court order imposing such costs to be recorded in the public records. Such record constitutes a lien against the person upon whom the costs are imposed and shall attach as a lien on any real property owned by such person located in the county in which such order is recorded in the same manner and to the same extent as a judgment recorded as provided in s. 55.10. Such order shall attach as a lien on any personal property owned by such person located in the state upon the filing with the Department of State of a judgment lien certificate regarding such order as provided in ss. 55.202–55.209. A lien created under this paragraph does not attach to, or make subject to execution of levy or foreclosure, any real or personal property otherwise exempt under s. 4, Art. X of the State Constitution. A lien created under this paragraph is enforceable in the same manner as provided by law.
(2) The court shall order a person to pay the additional court cost. If the person is determined to be indigent, the clerk shall defer payment of this cost.