38-2215. Docket fee; authorized only by legislative enactment; expenses; assessment. (a) Docket fee. The docket fee for proceedings under this code, if one is assessed as provided in this section, shall be $34. Only one docket fee shall be assessed in each case. Except as provided further, the docket fee established in this section shall be the only fee collected or moneys in the nature of a fee collected for the docket fee. Such fee shall only be established by an act of the legislature and no other authority is established by law or otherwise to collect a fee. On and after July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2019, the supreme court may impose an additional charge, not to exceed $22 per docket fee, to fund the costs of non-judicial personnel.

(b) Expenses. The expenses for proceedings under this code, including fees and mileage allowed witnesses and fees and expenses approved by the court for appointed attorneys, shall be paid by the board of county commissioners from the general fund of the county.

(c) Assessment of docket fee and expenses. (1) Docket fee. The docket fee may be assessed or waived by the court conducting the initial dispositional hearing and the docket fee may be assessed against the complaining witness or person initiating the proceedings or a party or interested party other than the state, a political subdivision of the state, an agency of the state or of a political subdivision of the state, or a person acting in the capacity of an employee of the state or of a political subdivision of the state. Any docket fee received shall be remitted to the state treasurer pursuant to K.S.A. 20-362, and amendments thereto.

(2) Expenses. Expenses may be assessed against the complaining witness, a person initiating the proceedings, a party or an interested party, other than the state, a political subdivision of the state, an agency of the state or of a political subdivision of the state or a person acting in the capacity of an employee of the state or of a political subdivision of the state. When expenses are recovered from a person against whom they have been assessed the general fund of the county shall be reimbursed in the amount of the recovery. If it appears to the court in any proceedings under this code that expenses were unreasonably incurred at the request of any party the court may assess that portion of the expenses against the party.

(d) Cases in which venue is transferred. If venue is transferred from one county to another, the court from which the case is transferred shall send to the receiving court a statement of expenses paid from the general fund of the sending county. If the receiving court collects any of the expenses owed in the case, the receiving court shall pay to the sending court an amount proportional to the sending court's share of the total expenses owed to both counties. The expenses of the sending county shall not be an obligation of the receiving county except to the extent that the sending county's proportion of the expenses is collected by the receiving court. All amounts collected shall first be applied toward payment of the docket fee.

History: L. 2006, ch. 200, § 10; L. 2008, ch. 95, § 9; L. 2009, ch. 116, § 17; L. 2010, ch. 62, § 10; L. 2011, ch. 87, § 10; L. 2012, ch. 66, § 12; L. 2013, ch. 125, § 12; L. 2015, ch. 81, § 18; L. 2017, ch. 80, § 14; July 1.