§45-17-234. Contracts for service of process; fees; Sheriff's Civil Process Fund.

(a) The Sheriff of Colbert County, except for warrants for arrest, may contract with or enter into contract or agreement with a private, public, or governmental entity for the purpose of service of process. Nothing in this section should be construed as conflicting with the provisions of Rule 4.1 (b)(2) of the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure.

(b)(1) In addition to all existing charges, fees, judgments, and costs of court, the clerk, sheriff, or other appropriate court official in the civil division of the District and Circuit Courts of Colbert County shall increase the fees by twelve dollars fifty cents ($12.50) per document personally served by the sheriff's office, or its designee. For purposes of this section, the term "document" shall include multiple papers served on a party or entity at one time.

(2) For purposes of this section, all charges imposed under this section may be taxed as costs to any party to the action by the judge of the court presiding at the hearing of the matter.

(3) The court official designated in Colbert County by law for the respective courts shall collect the additional service of process fee designated in subdivision (1) and remit the fees collected to the office of the sheriff for deposit in the Sheriff's Civil Process Fund to be expended for law enforcement purposes.

(c) The Sheriff of Colbert County may use the monies generated by this section for law enforcement purposes in Colbert County, including contracting with or entering into a contract or agreement with a private, public, or governmental entity for service of process of documents from the civil or criminal division of the district or circuit court.

(Act 2000-566, p. 1047, §§1-3.)