The cost of crime went up statewide on Wednesday. Civil matters, such as divorce filings, also have been affected by a $10 surcharge that went into effect on Wednesday.
According to Ron Keefover, information officer for the Office of Judicial Administration, the additional court fees were ordered because of a $15.9 million cut in the state court system’s budget. The order implementing the surcharge was written by Chief Justice Robert E. Davis.
“The surcharge is projected to restore approximately $5 million of the budget shortfall,” Keefover said. “Other actions by the Supreme Court that have been taken so far are projected to make up another $2.8 million of the budget cuts.”
Keefover said the state’s supreme court also has applied for a $2.6 million grant from the federal stimulus program.
The balance of the anticipated shortfall will be sought from the 2010 Legislature as supplemental funding. Both the governor and the legislative leadership have said they will try to secure those funds for the court system.
If the grant application falls through and if no supplemental funding is granted, 30 days of furlough of all non-judicial employees may be needed to finance the remainder of the court-system deficit.
“That means courts across Kansas would have to close one week of each month of the second half of the fiscal year,” Keefover said.
Davis cautioned that the cuts and court closing could have “devastating consequences for our most vulnerable Kansas citizens. Children in need of care, persons seeking protection from abuse and protection from stalking, and persons and their families who are seeking mental health or substance abuse treatment all would be placed at risk.”
Court services officers would be less available to supervise people convicted of misdemeanors and felonies, and it would be difficult for courts to meet filing and other deadlines required by speedy trial and other Kansas statutes, Davis said.
The Judicial Branch was prepared for the budget cuts that struck each state agency and department.
“However, the final budget reduction that undercut the basic court maintenance budget by $15,900,055 from $112,878,918 to $96,978,863 is devastating,” Davis said.
Examples of common docket fees, including the new surcharge, are:
Limited actions, less than $500, $47; limited actions, between $5,000 and $25,000, $113; small claims, less than $500, $59; Small claims between $500 up to $4,000, $69; order for garnishment, formerly no charge, now $10; mechanic’s lien, $24; murder or manslaughter, $192.50; expungement of conviction, $10; expungement (arrest), $110; driver’s license reinstatement, $69; traffic cases, $86; child in need of care, $44; juvenile tobacco charges, $86; probate of estate or will, $121.50; adoption, $60.50; marriage license, $69; divorce filing, $166.
The cost of appeals from municipal court decisions to district court rose to $84.50; the cost to appeal from district court to appellate court rose to $135.
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