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Legislators propose raising court fees

By: Jack Zemlicka, [email protected]//October 25, 2011//

Legislators propose raising court fees

By: Jack Zemlicka, [email protected]//October 25, 2011//

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State municipal courts could soon be able to recoup up to $18 more in court fees from ordinance violation offenders.

On Friday, state legislators introduced a bill that would permit municipal judges to assess a maximum fee of $38.

“The goal of the legislation,” said Teghan DeLane, communications and media relations associate for bill sponsor Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, “is to help our courts with funding.”

Currently, judges can collect between $15 and $28 in court fees in cases where a person violated an ordinance.

Of that fee, the municipal treasurer forwards $5 to the Department of Administration and the remainder is retained by the municipality.

An estimate on how much the increased fees would generate for courts is being prepared by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, DeLane said.

“Senator Taylor felt as though the courts are considerably underfunded,” DeLane said. “Raising fees is a way to remedy that and promote some sort of sustainability.”

Senate Bill 252 was referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce and Government Operations.

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