H.B. 351

1

COURT FEES AMENDMENTS
2 2009 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Curtis Oda
5 Senate Sponsor: Jon J. Greiner
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill establishes procedures to determine if court fees and costs should be paid in
10 full or waived in whole or in part for a prisoner who files an initial divorce action or an
11 action to obtain custody of the prisoner's children.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This bill:
14 . requires the court to review the financial information of a prisoner who files an
15 affidavit of impecuniosity;
16 . requires courts, constables, and sheriffs to provide equal service to the impecunious;
17 and
18 . provides that a judge may order that a judgment or decree not be entered in favor of
19 the prisoner who has been required to pay court costs and fees until those costs and
20 fees are paid in full.
21 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
22 None
23 Other Special Clauses:
24 None
25 Utah Code Sections Affected:
26 AMENDS:
27 78A-2-305, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 3

28
29 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
30 Section 1. Section 78A-2-305 is amended to read:
31 78A-2-305. Effect of filing affidavit -- Procedure for review and collection.
32 (1) (a) Upon receipt of the oath or affirmation filed with any Utah court by a prisoner,
33 the court shall immediately request the institution or facility where the prisoner is incarcerated
34 to provide an account statement detailing all financial activities in the prisoner's trust account
35 for the previous six months or since the time of incarceration, whichever is shorter.
36 (b) The incarcerating facility shall:
37 (i) prepare and produce to the court the prisoner's six-month trust account statement,
38 current trust account balance, and aggregate disposable income; and
39 (ii) calculate aggregate disposable income by totaling all deposits made in the
40 prisoner's trust account during the six-month period and subtracting all funds automatically
41 deducted or otherwise garnished from the account during the same period.
42 (2) The court shall:
43 (a) review both the affidavit of impecuniosity and the financial account statement; and
44 (b) based upon the review, independently determine whether or not the prisoner is
45 financially capable of paying all the regular fees and costs associated with filing the action.
46 (3) When the court concludes that the prisoner is unable to pay full fees and costs, the
47 court shall assess an initial partial filing fee equal to 50% of the prisoner's current trust account
48 balance or 10% of the prisoner's six-month aggregate disposable income, whichever is greater.
49 (4) (a) After payment of the initial partial filing fee, the court shall require the prisoner
50 to make monthly payments of 20% of the preceding month's aggregate disposable income until
51 the regular filing fee associated with the civil action is paid in full.
52 (b) The agency having custody of the prisoner shall:
53 (i) garnish the prisoner's account each month; and
54 (ii) once the collected fees exceed $10, forward payments to the clerk of the court until
55 the filing fees are paid.
56 (c) Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent the agency having custody of
57 the prisoner from withdrawing funds from the prisoner's account to pay court-ordered
58 restitution.

59 (5) Collection of the filing fees continues despite dismissal of the action.
60 (6) The filing fee collected may not exceed the amount of fees permitted by statute for
61 the commencement of a civil action or an appeal of a civil action.
62 (7) If the prisoner is filing an initial divorce action or an action to obtain custody of the
63 prisoner's children, the following procedures shall apply for review and collection of fees and
64 costs:
65 (a) Upon filing an oath or affirmation with any Utah court by a prisoner, the court shall
66 review the affidavit and make an independent determination based on the information provided
67 whether court costs and fees should be paid in full or be waived in whole or in part. The court
68 shall require a full or partial filing fee when the prisoner's financial information demonstrates
69 an ability to pay the applicable court fees or costs.
70 (b) (i) If a prisoner's court fees or costs are completely waived, and if the prisoner files
71 an appeal, the court shall immediately file any complaint or papers on appeal and complete all
72 necessary action as promptly as if the litigant had paid all the fees and costs in full.
73 (ii) If a prisoner is impecunious, the constable and sheriff shall immediately serve any
74 summonses, writs, process and subpoenas, and papers necessary in the prosecution or defense
75 of the cause as if all the necessary fees and costs had been paid in full.
76 (c) (i) If a prisoner files an affidavit of impecuniosity, the judge shall question the
77 prisoner at the time of hearing on the merits of the case as to the prisoner's ability to pay.
78 (ii) If the judge determines that the person is reasonably able to pay court fees and
79 costs, the judge shall order that the judgment or decree not be entered in favor of the prisoner
80 until the fees or costs are paid in full.
81 (iii) If a judge orders that a judgment or decree not be entered in favor of the prisoner
82 because the fees or costs are not paid in full, a judge may cancel or modify that order as
83 warranted by subsequent facts.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-4-09 3:41 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel