Union County; Probate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

New Union County probate court technology fees

The law allows Union County's probate court clerk to charge technology fees. The judge sets the amounts: up to $5 per civil action filed and up to $5 added to each fine. The clerk must keep the money in a separate account, used only for authorized court technology needs. These include buying computer hardware, software, and accessories, plus leasing, maintaining, and installing computer hardware. Money also covers buying, leasing, maintaining, and installing scanning, imaging, fax, communications, projection, and printing equipment and software. It can also pay for services or equipment to make court records and archives digital for public access. The account is subject to audit by an auditor approved by Union County's governing authority. Fee authority ends July 1, 2036; any money left stays dedicated to general county technology uses.