Cook County; Magistrate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

Cook County civil filers face technology fee

The law allows Cook County Magistrate Court’s clerk to charge a technology fee for each civil action filed. The chief magistrate sets the fee, capped at $5 per filing. The money is restricted to court technology: computer hardware and software purchases, plus hardware leasing, maintenance, and installation. It also covers buying, leasing, maintaining, and installing imaging, scanning, fax, communications, projection, and printing equipment and software. The clerk must keep the money in a separate account, subject to audit by a county-approved auditor. If the court finds a surplus, the chief magistrate may declare it once yearly and transfer it to county officials. Authority to charge the fee ends July 1, 2030. Any money left in the account remains dedicated to general Cook County technology uses.