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

Clinch County authorizes new probate court fee

The law lets Clinch County approve a probate court technology fee by resolution and change its amount over time. The fee cannot exceed $5. It covers each civil action, estate filing, fine, conviction, and affidavit filing, except affidavits of indigency. The court can charge each party only once in a single action or proceeding. Money must fund only court technology: computers, software, accessories, and imaging, scanning, fax, communications, projection, and printing equipment. Allowed costs include purchases, leases, maintenance, installation, and services or equipment to digitize court records and archives for public access. The clerk must send collections to the county monthly, and the county must keep them in a separate account. That account can combine probate and magistrate technology fees when the two judge positions are consolidated. The county must audit the account annually.