§45-27-82. Recovery of court costs.

(a) The office of the district attorney serving Escambia County, Alabama, shall be allowed to establish a court cost recovery division for the purpose of collecting assessments, costs, fees, fines, or forfeitures due to be paid to the State of Alabama, Escambia County, municipalities within Escambia County, or any agency or subdivision of these governments as a result of any court action or proceeding.

(b) The court, the clerk of the court, or a probation officer shall notify the district attorney in writing when any bail bond forfeitures, court costs, fines, penalty assessments, crime victims' compensation assessments, or like assessments in any civil or criminal proceeding ordered by the court to be paid to the state or municipality have been paid or are in default and the default has not been vacated. Upon notification to the district attorney, the court cost recovery division of the district attorney's office may collect or enforce the collection of funds that have not been paid or that are in default which, under the direction of the district attorney, are appropriate to be processed. In no event shall a court, court clerk, or probation officer notify the district attorney in less than 90 days from the date any payment is due to be paid.

(c) After notification as provided in subsection (b), the district attorney may take all lawful steps necessary in order to require compliance with the court-ordered payments including any of the following:

(1) A petition for revocation of probation.

(2) A show cause petition for contempt of court.

(3) Any other civil or criminal proceedings which may be authorized by law or by rule of court. In addition, the district attorney may issue appropriate notices to inform the defendant of the noncompliance of the defendant and a warning of the penalty for noncompliance.

(d)(l) After a matter has been transferred to the district attorney under subsection (c), a court shall assess a collection fee of 30 percent of the funds due which shall be added to the amount of funds due. Any amount collected pursuant to this section shall be distributed as follows:

a. Seventy-five percent of the collection fee shall be distributed to the County District Attorney Fund to be expended for lawful purposes for the operation of the office of the district attorney. Funds provided to the district attorney by this section shall not reduce the amount payable to the district attorney under any local act or general act or reduce or affect the amounts of funding of the budget allocated by law. The funds shall be audited as all other state funds are audited.

b. Twenty-five percent of the collection fee shall be distributed to the Circuit Clerk's Fund which shall be kept and maintained by the circuit clerk in a separate account to be used for the operation of the office of the clerk to include, but not be limited to, equipment purchases, education, and other office-related expenses including personnel. Funds retained by the circuit clerk shall not reduce the amount payable to the circuit clerk under any local act or general act or reduce or affect the amounts of funding of the budget of the circuit clerk allocated by the Administrative Office of Courts. The funds shall be audited as all other state funds are audited.

(2) The remainder of the fees, fines, penalties, charges, court costs, and bail bond forfeitures after the deduction for collection shall be disbursed as provided by law on a monthly basis.

(Act 95-576, p. 1211, §§1-4.)